Review: Deathtrap in a smart, hilariously twisted stage thriller

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It’s an author’s play, full of clever, funny lines, and lots of insider tidbits for those in the theater industry. Combine that with a plot that twists and turns in unexpected ways, and you’re caught in a death trap.

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new show by Teatro Live! (formerly Teatro La Kindicina) was a hit on Broadway and beyond (it debuted in New York in 1978 and was made into a movie in 1982 starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine). This play by Ira Levin was just one of the playwright’s many marketable works. He also wrote the novels Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, and A Kiss Before Dying.

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When Deathtrap opens in Sidney Brühl’s (Ian Leon) office in Westport, Connecticut, audiences find themselves in capable and creative hands… of destitution and obscurity. Imagine his envy when one of Brühl’s seminarians, Clifford Anderson (Jeffrey Simon Brown), landed on his desk a wonderful play written by him.

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“A juicy murder in Act 1. An unexpected turn in Act 2. Wholesome composition, good dialogue, laughter in just the right places,” he notes bitterly. “Highly commercial.”

His wife Myra (Kristin Johnston) responds sympathetically, as she has for 11 years. She believes another hit of the playwright behind The Murder Game is about to be revealed. In the meantime, why not consider working with a young prodigy to further improve the script? Co-creation could inject some much-needed inspiration and cash into the Brühl family. ?

Brühl himself is not convinced. He offers quicker and easier ways to profit from his protégé talents, such as banging him on the head with one of the many murderous props in his plays that grace the walls of Brühl’s office. I’m joking that there is

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These are the only plot points that can be revealed without revealing the insidious details of this wholly fascinating piece. This was Nancy McAleer’s first time directing at the Teatro as a director. But trust me, you will be amazed again and again.

Resurrection of the Teatro

first production of Teatro Live! The season brings change to a local theater company that has developed a loyal following for the work of resident playwright Stewart Lemoyne for over 40 years. Teatro La Quindicina’s pattern is to run four seasons of his theatrical performances from spring through fall, coinciding with his festival every summer on the fringes, where he plays one of the company’s many past hits. one will be performed.

As the company evolved, Teatro Live! changed its name (easier spelling, thank you very much) and changed seasons. The season he starts in November and extends through July. The number of shows is the same, but the spaces between shows are longer. Lemoine’s work continues to form the backbone of the ensemble’s organization, but stories by local and other playwrights are more frequently featured.

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The first show of the new season will also introduce the acclaimed Teatro Ensemble of several new performers (Leon, Simon Brown, Johnston, Koven Kuschnerik, who plays an interference lawyer named Porter).

Leon and Brown trade a lot in clever counterparty ways, but Johnston and Porter help keep the plot moving in a more or less brisk way. It’s a long piece with a lot of explanation, but laughter and patience are traded fairly as the play progresses.

The comic heart of the play rests on the character of Helga Tendorp (Gianna Vasilka), a psychic who is staying at a nearby rural property but stops by at key moments. The combination of murder and extrasensory perception is a winner, and the script is chock-full of humorous schtick. Perhaps it was a case of the opening night pacing that would later be tweaked, but Vacirca blasts the scene with such raucous energy that many of the jokes involved are jeopardized. Compounded by the fact that many of the references are dated and can be lost to younger members of the audience. Drifting is easy to miss.

However, there are many charms in this work. Chantal Her Fortin’ multi-layered set with a compelling fireplace is a feast, as is Allison Her Fortin’s dramatic lighting by Yanota. As a new tomorrow’s starter, Deathtrap sets up Teatro Live. Take the road with confidence.

yegarts@postmedia.com

review

Teatro Live!Crafting a Deathtrap

Playwright Ira Levin

directed by Nancy Macaria

starring Jeffrey Simon Brown, Kristin Johnston, Koben Kushnelik, Ian Leung, Gianna Vasilka.

Where Varscona Theater, 10329 83 Ave.

when From Tuesday to Sunday until December 4th

tickets from $30 at Theater.com.