While the plot of "Sleuth" is supposed to be a secret, it's difficult to talk about the current Village Theatre production without mentioning mind games.

The drama belongs to a genre of thrillers, including Agatha Christie's "Death Trap" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder," said director Martin Charnin, who directed "Shadowlands" for Village Theatre in 2007.

Andrew Wyke is a wealthy, unhappily married country squire and writer of detective novels who delights in playing elaborate games. Aware that Milo Tindle is having an affair with his wife Marguerite, Wyke invites him to his country manor house to discuss a settlement of sorts.

The one-room set for the Village production, designed by Martin Christoffel, features flag stone flooring, large concrete blocks and timbers for a distinctive British feeling perfect for a mystery thriller. The decor includes several chess games in process, representing Wyke's obsession with games, and the challenge of winning.

The play features two renowned Seattle actors. After a lifetime of acting locally, David Pichette makes his Village Theater debut as Wyke in "Sleuth." Pichette most recently played Polonius in Seattle Shakespeare's "Hamlet," with a part also in "Candide" presented by the 5th Avenue Theater last year. He is considered by many to be one of Seattle's great actors.

Playing opposite Pichette, M.J. Sieber played Paul Bratter in the 2007 Village Theatre production of "Barefoot in the Park." He was cast in "Glengarry Glen Ross" for the Seattle Repertory Theater, and had a part in "Lyle the Crocodile" for the Seattle Children's Theater in recent years.

Anthony Shaffer's play has been transformed into two movies, the first in 1972 with Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and the second in 2007 with Caine and Jude Law, directed by Kenneth Branaugh. Caine switched roles in the recent film.

The local production provides the same suspense, intrigue and humor, as the local actors attempt an assortment of accents, mostly succeeding in capturing the culture and the audience. As in most accent-oriented performances, it can be a challenge to understand all the details, and although Pichette and Sieber do a pretty good job, some audience members seemed to be baffled.

The drama is a cerebral exercise in dialogue; close attention is required.

"A well-written thriller makes a specific demand on the viewer's intellect and ability to calculate and put the clues together," said Charnin. "One of the great satisfactions for an audience is to figure out 'who dunnit,' before the curtain comes down. The great mysteries take you to the penultimate page and then pull the rug out from under you one last time. 'Sleuth,' in my opinion, is two acts in a rug factory."

Personally, I am not good at solving puzzles or playing games of most any kind, but I enjoyed this drama nonetheless. I got a lot of chuckles, and was anxious to see the resolution at the end.

"Sleuth" runs through March 27 at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. in Everett. Shows are at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Phone (425) 257-8600 or visit www.villagetheatre.org for ticket information.



Caption: M.J. Seiber (Milo Tindle) and David Pichette (Andrew Wyke) Photo by John Pai. Property of Village Theatre.