BWW Reviews: Plodding WRITER'S BLOCK Debuts At Chaffin's Barn

 

There's nobody who loves a tautly written thriller more than I - you know, the type of mystery where there's much conniving going on, one's baser desires are satiated, intelligence triumphs over the dull and commonplace. Unfortunately, despite having the requisite components, Writer's Block (the new play now onstage at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre) just doesn't measure up; it is neither thrilling nor taut.

Instead, Writer's Block is rather boring and stiltingly written, which is a surprise given the play's pedigree: John Chaffin, who both wrote and directed the mystery, has a resume already filled to the brim with smart, classically plotted mysteries, and the cast features a clutch of very capable actors to bring the fictional characters to life. But Writer's Block seems hurriedly crafted - the characters are never fleshed out to become at all real and the mystery, while cunningly laid out before you, is somewhat predictable, wildly manipulative and ultimately disappointing.

In Chaffin's new script, mystery writer Richard Karas (played as a boringly schlubby and self-absorbed loner by Phil Perry) is facing a publishers' deadline for his latest murder mystery, which rankles his more glamorous wife, Eileen (Jennifer Richmond), who prefers the high life to the dull existence the two live on their mountaintop estate. At curtain, while Richard (clad in soiled trousers and a misbuttoned cardigan) struggles to create a viable murder mystery on his laptop, Eileen is dressed to the nines in a beaded evening gown. There's a big social event planned that evening (at one point, it's a preview of a new movie, presumably; at another Eileen refers to the awards presentation - so lord knows what's really going on) and the doorbell rings to reveal Ben Stapleton (Richard's smarmily distasteful literary agent - is there any other type of agent in all of theater? - played by Warren Gore) and Richard's eager young assistant Beverly (Jenny Norris-Light).

Since it's a mystery, which means most rules pertaining to the creation of a dramatic plot might be tossed aside for the sake of storytelling, Eileen ends up going to the preview/awards "thing" with Ben and Beverly, who's wearing a lovely pink cocktail dress, stays behind to encourage Richard and to hopefully glean newfound knowledge from the brain of the superstar mystery novelist. When Eileen and Ben return at 4 a.m., Beverly lies sleeping on the sofa when the phone rings: Apparently, it's some doctor delivering the news that Richard's jig is up in three months. We are left to presume the jig is his life, but this is a mystery, so it could mean anything really. Perhaps the biggest mystery is this: who in the world has ever heard of a doctor making a phone call at 4 a.m. to deliver bad (or good, for that matter) news? Why is Beverly lounging around in a cocktail dress and stiletto heels? Why are the pants of every man in the play too damn long? And why is Beverly's boyfriend (the homicide detective played by Trey Palmer) so dense?

Incredulously, the plot spirals even further into complete disarray with the ensuing scenes in which the mystery's plot is laid out in all its glory.  It does have its moments of whimsy and fun, however few and far between, but the mystery's pay-off is not at all unexpected. In fact, it plays out as a disappointingly shallow piece of work. The bare bones of the script work, but the devil is in the details, and this play needs some devilishly delicious machinations to transform Writer's Block into a believable and engaging stage mystery.

Luckily, the pace moves quickly (which leads to those nagging questions you have about the plot points that strain credulity) and the cast generally acquit themselves admirably. Perry is steadfastly believable as the writer (whose sartorial tastes and habits are changed by an apparent near-death experience: his sweater is buttoned properly and he sports an ascot - yes, an ascot!), Richmond is genuinely vixenish and vapid as his wife, Gore delivers yet another of his stock-in-trade portrayals, Norris-Light makes the most of her time onstage and Palmer cuts a dashing figure (his pants are the correct length) as he pushes his hair behind his ears in search of a character.

Other than that, the roast beef was delicious.

Writer's Block. Written by and directed by John Chaffin. Presented by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, Nashville. Through October 15. For details, visit www.dinnertheatre.com; for reservations, call (615) 646-9977. 

 

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