BWW Reviews: Rover Dramawerks Serves Up Delicious Pie in BLOODY MURDER

I have a confession to make. I am an addict. I am addicted to Law & Order. I don't care what variation of the franchise is on - original, SVU, Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury, LA - I could care less. If it's on my TV, I'm going to watch it, legs propped up on the couch, popcorn in hand and beverage nearby. My love for Law & Order is so intense that I even named Toshiba laptop Mariska Hargatay from the SVU spinoff. Yeah, this addiction is really bad.

What attracts me to the show? It's simple. I have a dual love of whodunit murder mysteries with notables such as Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr, and slapstick British comedy shows like The Benny Hill Shows, which all date back to my childhood.

Whodunit stories were always appealing to my young, inquisitive mind because it allowed me to process complex stories lines with clues provided throughout the storytelling and arrive at a conclusion over who had murdered a character in the story. More times than not, I was correct based on my keen awareness of details and process of deduction.

Likewise, British comedy shows attracted me because the English language being spoken was different than my northern Midwest style of English. It was lyrical, it was campy, and when combined with sketch comedies that were sometimes a little too risqué for my young mind, it drove the storyline and resulted in quite a few laughs for me.

Sitting in the audience at the Cox Building Playhouse for Rover Dramawerks production of "Bloody Murder", written by Ed Sala and directed by Lindsey Humphries, was like sitting on my couch watching those shows that roused my childhood fascination of both genres and entertained me thoroughly.

I have another confession to make. I broke an unspoken theater critics' code that requires us to be silent, emotionless observers of the productions we review. In short, I LAUGHED and laughEd Loud throughout this wickedly delicious piece of work.

Major accolades go to the set designers Jason Rice and Liz Rogers for transforming that flexible performance space into an exquisite production set. For anyone who loves British comedy, no detail was left out form the antique hanging chandelier, wing chair, Victorian print sofa, multiple brandy sifters, English victrola and phone, and large Lilith inspired print anchoring the set.

Catherine Luster, Robbi D. Holman, and Stephen Wantland who served as Lighting, Sound, and Costume Directors respectively each deserve kudos for their astute attention in breathing life into the set created by Rice and Rogers through their production responsibilities. The synergy of the entire production team is what makes great theater and it was evident in this production.

The 6-member acting ensemble, led by Artistic Director Carol Rice completely fleshed the efforts of the production team and made for a wonderful theater experience. Rice, who was barely recognizable in her role as the dry and salty Lady Somerset, was a huge delight throughout the entire play, telling the audience in the beginning "we are all characters in a story, a tawdry story."

Simply put, Lady Somerset has come to the conclusion she and the other characters are being used for selfish reasons by the author, are being recycled in countless stories as the same stereotyped characters, and want to take their future into their own hands.

"Cliches will always be in demand!" and with that, Lady Somerset enlists the support of the other characters in a rebellion against their creator. The characters take a vow to cease committing murders and the action begins.

Stan Kelly as Major Paul Quimby and Rice were the only ensemble members to play their characters throughout the play. Kelly was graceful and stoic, with a perfect dry wit to her genre archetype of the military man with plenty of stories about his global travels.

The extremely talented and funny Walt Threlkeld portrayed 2 characters (Charles Pomeroy and Inspector Phelps), stealing many scenes with his debonair yet quirky characterization of the Charles character who is the nephew of Lady Somerset.

Dale G. Gutt served as 3 characters, Devon Tremaine, a famous alcoholic thespian; the mysterious Mr. Woo; and Inspector Phelps. Gutt was particularly effective as the narcissitic Devon for whom the entire world was his stage and his cocktail his mistress.

Ashley Markgraf really showed her strength and flexibility as an actor through her portrayals of Emma Reese, a fresh face yet naïve, ingénue type girl, and the Countess, a concoction of smoldering womanhood with her trademark blood red dress on long cigarette holder.

Likewise, Danielle Shirar played 3 characters (Jane, Stranded Motorist, Nun) and demonstrated you don't need a lot of stage lines to make a creative impact. Her role as Jane the Help opposite every character in the story was done with excellent comedic timing helped to drive the plot to it's ending.

So, are the characters successful in their literary mutiny against their creator? Well, that's a clue you'll have to receive by attending the performance, which has a final twist that is creative farce at its BEST.

"Bloody Murder" runs through Nov. 15, 2013 at the Cox Building Playhouse, located at 1517 H Avenue in Plano, Texas. Evening performances are on Thu-Sat at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 for Thursday performances and $20 for Friday & Saturday performances.

The box office opens one hour before each performance and doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance. General seating applies and no late seating will be permitted. To purchase tickets, contact Rover Dramawerks at 972-849-0358 or visit: www.roverdramawerks.com.

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