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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews A Christmas Carol Murder Written by A.S. Waterman
WhoDunnit Murder Mystery Theater has another mystery to solve, this time with an especially clever twist. Just as an annual production of A Christmas Carol is about to premiere, the actor who has played Ebenezer Scrooge for 20 years has been murdered, but instead of the usual detective trying to solve the crime, this original script presents the ghost of the deceased actor being led through an examination of his rotten behavior by another ghost, the recently deceased actor who had been playing Marley's ghost, in a manner similar to Charles Dickens' classic story. The production is not satisfied, however, with simply echoing Dickens, eventually taking an unexpected turn that affectionately pays homage to another, cinematic holiday classic. If I were to name the movie it might spoil the mystery somewhat, but the reference works to deepen the story beyond what one would expect from the interactive mystery theater format, which necessarily limits the length of the scenes, in part to allow the serving of a meal.
The fine cast handled themselves in good form, including Jane Mattingly, Shaun Hickerson and E.C. Sharp as some of the suspects. All of the characters mingle with the crowd between scenes, offering clues to the mystery in their interactions, but Graham Bell, as the ghost of the actor who had played Marley's ghost, was almost too creepy to be welcome at my table. Of course, I mean that as a compliment. On the other hand, I couldn't get enough of the charming Erica Goldsmith, who was most endearing as an actress worried about leaving her children at home during rehearsal. Special praise must also go to Frank Whitaker's irascible murder victim, who, when he sat at my table for a few moments, was such an unsavory character that I found myself sympathetic to the as-yet-unidentified killer. Sets were minimal and the costumes were solid choices, with a few offbeat touches. Joe Monroe's direction was lean and focused. My only complaint was that I felt the script contained ideas that could have stood up to a fuller production than the format allows, but I suppose it's always better to leave the audience wanting more.
A Christmas Carol Murder
Posted Nov. 16, 2008
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