It's Only Murder

As the curtain went up on this quirky adult comedy the set had me intrigued from the start. It included a house exterior, a seating area, and a city skyline, a small office for the seedy private detective, a gaol cell, prison walls and a giant tin of red paint! It was witty and creative and the moving tree which turned an indoor sofa into a park bench was a touch of genius.

The plot has nerdy, wealthy, recently married Jerome Teppel CPA (certified public accountant, and proud of it), discovering that while on one of her many shopping trips, his ditzy wife Francine has bought a gun. Soon afterwards his next door neighbour Lenore tells him that her husband and Francine are having an affair. When Lenore’s husband is murdered Jerome is the key suspect; and there follows a twisty, funny, action packed ride which includes sandwich swaps, treachery, intrigue, more murder and mayhem, champagne, a prison break and hand grenades!

This skilfully directed play was fast moving with freeze frames, blackouts and slick scene changes underpinned by great lighting, sound effects and music.

Joshua Blake was brilliant as dull, strait-laced, Jerome with his flashes of despair, desperation and sheer gullibility, while Amie Barden was perfectly cast as the disingenuous ‘doll’ he has married, running rings around him with her good humoured butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth attitude. Her facial expressions beautifully contrasted with Jerome’s total bafflement at what was transpiring and the comic timing was excellent. I liked Jerome’s prison outfit and Francine and Lenore’s wealthy women costumes

Nitty Scott was scarily believable as loud cantankerous yet sneaky snake in the grass Lenore and David Burton equally so as the cynical, uncompromising, on-the-make, seedy private eye Sid Decker. In total contrast David also played the judge. Kieron Hammond as Foreman of the Jury and prison guard was, as usual, excellent.

The hilarious and well-timed delivery by this talented cast generating appreciative laughter from the audience throughout and was testament to an accomplished and successful performance of It’s Only Murder.

 

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