Review: MURDER ON THE LINKS At North Coast Repertory Theatre

Who knew murder could be so much fun? North Coast Repertory Theatre brings the world premiere comedy of MURDER ON THE LINKS to the stage with a talented cast through May 21st.

Agatha Christie revivals are all the rage on stage and screen with all their kooky characters and twists and turns of plot. But rarely, are they as fast-paced and funny as this world-premier production.

Omri Schien brings the quirky, and painstaking punctilious private investigator Hercule Poirot hilariously to life with a Belgian accent, a trademark mustache, and a delightfully deadpan performance.

Poirot was sent a letter asking him to investigate a crime, but when he and his companion Captain Hastings played by Kim Morgan Dean arrive, they find that the person who wrote to them was recently murdered on the golf course he was having constructed.

Soon the plot thickens as family members, servants, love interests, a competing detective, and even acrobats all come and go both complicating and illuminating more details to the mystery. Jennifer Erdmann, Brian Mackey, Jessica Mosher, and Matthew Salazar-Thompson bring the multitudes of other characters to life over the course of the mystery.

Written and directed by Steven Dietz, he wisely allows this strong comedic cast to bring a playful zaniness to these fast-paced hijinks. As the plot gets more complicated, the cast and the staging get sillier without sacrificing the mystery. There are quick costume changes, moments where a performer is playing two parts and alternating between two costume pieces in rapid succession, and two very helpful cupboards on either side of the stage for props and clues to appear and disappear with ease.

The show could easily feel too silly, or lose steam as the characters and complications start to come in ever-increasing frequency, but this cast and direction always played everything they do seriously while leaving the audience laughing. Usually, comedy gets even better as the cast settles in and gets truly comfortable and even though it was opening night, this cast was so quick on the lines and the gags that you would think they had been performing it for ages.

Schien's Poirot is delivered with a twinkle of mischief in his eye, as a master manipulator he is both having fun solving the murder and getting others to do any "dirty work" that he doesn't want to do. Dean's Captain Hasting is smart and charming while also succumbing to sentimentality and being very easily turned by a pretty face which is not always ideal in a murder investigation.

The set design by Marty Burnett is colorful and clever and is well utilized with lighting design by Matt Novotny. Costumes by Elisa Benzoni bring a wonderful 1940s flair, and Peter Herman's w wigs and beard are a lovely finishing touch. Sound design and music composition by Robertson Witmer set the scene and mood.

How To Get Tickets

Catch the world-premier comedy MURDER ON THE LINKS at North Coast Repertory Theatre through May 21st. For ticket and show time information go to www.northcoastrep.org

Photo Credit: North Coast Rep and Aaron Rumley

To post a comment, you must register and login.