“The Murder Room” at 2nd Story Theatre

By Richard Pacheco

            There are times when it is jus pure fun and sheer delight to see a play that is purely superficial and totally for laughs and nothing else. That is “The Murder Room” by the prolific Jack Sharkey at 2^nd Story Theatre for their summer season. It follows right after the opening of their winning version of Agatha Christie’s long running, “The Mousetrap” and continues in conjunction with it.

            This spoof pokes fun at plays like “The Mousetrap” and does so with wanton abandon and mischievous fun.  The characters, the continually plot twists and shifts are hilarious good fun from beginning to end. Sharkey didn’t begin writing stage plays until he was 44 in 1965 and wrote them and them only from 1975 until he died in 1992. He was nearly too prolific and published his plays under four pseudonyms, Rick Abbot, Monk Ferris, Mark Chandler and Mike Johnson. While he never had a play that made it to Broadway, community theaters everywhere loved his work. He gave audiences what they wanted, fast paced farce, hysterically fast and polished dialogue and very broad comedy, not an once of subtlety in them. This play is no exception and pure fun from beginning to end, sparked by solid performances and perfectly poised comic timing in line delivery and physical comedy, it’s a production you can’t help but love for it being so much sheer fun.

It revolves around Edgar Hollister, a prominent gent in the community who marries for the second time a woman who might be a gold digger and fortune hunter. He is awaiting the arrival of his daughter after her graduation from college in America, but Hollister disappears before she returns and when the cat goes missing after Hollister feeds it some hot cocoa meant for him. Hollister confronts his wife and tells her he followed her to a strange apartment and overheard her conversation with a strange man. She tells him she resents his blatant accusations and then shoots him. She calls her lover to help her get rid of the body. To cover her tracks, she calls the police to report her husband missing. Things get more and more convoluted and confused with sinister motives arising all over the place as the play moves on.

Al Terego is on the mark as Edgar Hollister, and wealthy and suspicious man who does not trust his new wife.

Sharon Carpentier is his second wife, Mavis, a conniving, sneaky and untrustworthy woman. Ms. Capentier is pitch perfect as the manipulative wife with deep, dark motives of her own. She is funny and menacing with deft doses.

Susan Bowen Powers is the maid, Lottie, a bit daffy, a bit meddling, a bit afraid of her own shadow. Ms. Powers is pure glee with her Irish accent and curious manners.

The inspector who shows up to investigation the disappearance is Inspector Crandall played by Jeff Church. The Inspector is in his own way methodical and determined to solve the case, albeit prone to forgetfulness when questioning. Mr. Church is hilarious as the Inspector, in his fumbling determination and being befuddled by certain questions and at a loss. His Scottish accent is impeccable and fun.

Constable Howard shows up on the doorstep to return the cat, part of another investigation. He is methodical and determined, a typical Bobbie. Mr. Sullivan is sheer pleasure in the role, making the most of his character’s sincerity and confusion.

The daughter Susan arrives home to find her father missing and shows up with a new fiancée, a rich Texas millionaire she met on the boat over and who proposed to her shipboard. Susan is likeable but dense and a bit dippy. Ashley Hunter Kenner handles Susan’s foibles with comic skill and finesses, making it all fun along the way.

Tim White is Barry Draper, Susan’s fiancé. His Texas accent is perfect and he makes a delightful foil for Susan, with a down home friendliness that is at once appealing and funny.

Ed Shea directs this merry escapade as the pure fun it is. It will get rid of your doldrums no matter how bad they are.

The set is the same set as for The Mousetrap and pure delight. The costume designs by Ron Cesario, in particular the lavish arrays of costumes for Mavis are deliciously rich and extravagant.

It will be presented at Second Story Theatre, 28 Market Street, Warren, RI in repertory with Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, “The Mousetrap” until September 1. Tickets are$25 and under 21 for $20. 401-247-4200 or http://www.2ndstorytheatre.com/tixfaq.htm