It is from Mary Katherine's point of view, and the holes are because she is telling it and she is insane.
I think there could have been more to the story but maybe that is the whole point. I was disappointed that it wasn't really explained why except that obviously these two people are crazy! Mary Katherine is just plain crazy, and Constance is stuck with her and isolated, so I think that makes here a little loopy too. It is a disturbing book, and I figured out the "who done it" before the big reveal, which made it a lot less intriguing. I missed the discussion, and the book came into the library well after the meeting. The core of Jackson's story is rich enough to support alternate endings and Wheeler brings it ably to the stage. Personally, I'd love to see a production of this, and might consider taking it on as a director at some point.
But still, there's a nice twist ending, plenty of atmosphere, and a good dose of comedy mixed into all of the horrible events. The townspeople aren't nearly as present and the climax of the story is very different indeed. Wheeler adds an extra character so Merricat has someone to talk to, since most of her talk in the book is with imaginary friends. But the real question is does it work on stage. It's condensed a little, particularly the descriptive passages that allow mood to slowly build in the book, but the stage doesn't have time for that luxury. Is it as good as Shirley Jackson's original? Probably not. Everything is unclear though: Did Constance really commit the murder? Who's crazy and who isn't in the family? Are the townspeople cruel and judgmental or are they justified in shunning the Blackwoods? Things are even more complicated when a distant cousin returns: is he there to scam the family for money or does he truly intend to lead them to a better future? Uncle Julian survived the poisoning, but is in a wheelchair and suffers from dementia. Her younger sister provides the spirit and spark to keep the family afloat, but lives in a bit of a dream world. Still, she's a little bit damaged and still under suspicion. The eldest daughter was accused of the poisoning but ultimately acquitted. It concerns a wealthy family whose survivors are shunned by the local community when several of their members are poisoned. It would make a nice addition to the repertoire of dark comedy and horror that graces the stages of local theaters. This is a good play, one that deserves to be produced. The previous review of this play seems a little harsh to me.
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