Murder for Two is a nice light evening out. If you’re a fan of both murder mysteries and musicals, with a peppering of slapstick, you’ll have a great time.
But be forewarned: though the music by Joe Kinosian, and clever lyrics by Kellen Blair are a highlight, the book by the same writers is less than adept. Skewering the murder mystery genre is a road well traveled, but without some genuine thrills and fleshed-out characters to root for, it’s a road of smooth, unending pavement.
The conceit is a clever one – a bare stage except for a baby grand, two doors, a couple of chairs and two actors in a suit or vest and pants, each about to play a multitude of parts. Add to that some musical numbers, and it could be a recipe for a rousing good time. Yet so much is a rehash of quite old material. The show opens with some rather expected shtick with the doors, ‘shave and a haircut’ being the universal go-to to announce upcoming hilarity.
As The Detective, Eric Longo bears a marked resemblance to actor Jim Carrell, and like Carrell, is instantly likeable and funny. “Protocol”, the Detective’s song-by-way-of-character-exposition, is catchy and well written, and Longo has a lovely tenor to deliver it , and plays the piano like nobody’s business.
The lion’s share of the script goes to actor John Wascavage, who plays The Suspects: Dahlia Whitney, the bespectacled widow of the victim; Murray and Barb Flandon, the completely expendable neighbors; Steph Whitney, a sweet young thing; Barrette Lewis, an egotistical prima ballerina; Dr Griff, a crazed psychologist, Henry Vivaldi, an Irish dancing red herring; and three members of a twelve member boy’s chorus.
Wascavage is a triple threat: he sings, he dances, he plays the piano – there’s a lot to watch, and a good deal of it is fun. But with such hackneyed lines given them, neither actor can really break free of the constraints of the script.
Yes, there’s laughter in the show, particularly with some of Wauscavage’s characters. An example in point: “A Perfectly Lovely Surprise,” sung by Wauscavage as Dahlia Whitney, is a nice twisty song about the birthday party that turned into a murder scene. But right before it, Dahlia has a long, unfunny monologue that wearies the audience before we get to the fun stuff.
In a nutshell: songs good, actors talented and doing the best they can, but the script is so expected that midway through the first act you’re really seeing what’s to come.
The actors often resort to mugging to keep up with the fast-paced script. With an over-the-top homage to murder mysteries and its thin characters, it would be nearly impossible for any actor to overdo the action, but at such a breakneck speed right out of the gate, the audience has little time to differentiate between characters or even pick up some of the minor plot lines.
A few more gems nestled within the show: Wascavage as the 12 boy choir (only three are seen), as they tell the Detective “We’ve Seen A Lot Worse” and there’s an ongoing bit with a cellphone that had me every time. Act Two has the best piece of the evening: “So What If I Did”, a thoroughly enjoyable bit of piano legerdemain, à la the Marx Brothers, with the two actors and the single baby grand in a frenzied and physical duet. More of that would have been welcome indeed.
You’ll guess whodunit within the first ten minutes, but that isn’t really the point anyway. Go see it for a nice evening out with two actors who are giving it their all even if the script isn’t.
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Murder for Two . Book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian . Music by Joe Kinosian . Lyrics by Kellen Blair . Directed by Alan Ostroff . Cast: Eric Longo as The Detective; John Wascavage as The Suspects . Choreography: Kimberly Schafer . Music Director: John Wascavage . Costumes: Molly Walz . Scenic Consultant: Trenae Waller . Lighting Design: Nathan Hawkins . Sound Design: Wes Shippee . Assistant Technical Director/Assistant Stage Manager: Meagan Spry . Stage Manager: Kate Kilbain . Produced by Infinity Theatre Company . Reviewed by Jill Kyle-Keith.
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