It's Murder Mary!

A World Premiere Comedy: IT’S MURDER MARY!, by Andrew Black & Patricia Milton, Directed by Allen Sawyer. The New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) (Decker Theatre), 25 Van Ness Avenue near Market, San Francisco, 94102. (415) 861-8972, or online at www.nctcsf.org. May 9 – June 28, 2008.

5 ADDED DATES: July 5th at 8pm, July 6th at 2pm, and July 10th,11th 12th, at 8pm.

HUTCHINSON UPSTAGES COOLEY

P.A. Cooley has been---sorry IS-- an icon in San Francisco Gay Theatre since 1991 and once again displays comic timing, deadpan, aloof and straight-faced delivery of his lines that audiences appreciate. While Mae West, or was it W. C. Fields, advised never to get on the stage with children or dogs, it would be wise for Cooley to consider not sharing the stage with tall, white-haired John Hutchinson whose subtle, matter-of-fact delivery of his lines is hilarious and he rightfully earns the last line in this mad-cap, ingenious spoof/parody of murder mysteries. It’s not fair to single out individual performances since “It’s Murder Mary!” is an ensemble piece with seven talented actors each of whom has his/her turn in the spotlight.

Artistic Director, Ed Decker, an aficionado of Agatha Christie mysteries, who desired a gay murder mystery for NCTC “along the lines of “10 Little Indians”, commissioned the play. Playwrights Andrew Black and Patricia Milton accepted the challenge coming up with a gem. Seven diverse characters, with one exception, unknown to each other, received written invitations to a secluded Russian River resort. A mature drag queen named Lotta Miles (’Drew Todd) (as one character says, “You don’t look believable up close!” and when her alibi is questioned says “I would never do anything to divert attention from me.”), is the ostensible host. Turk Malone (David Bicha), is a blind paraplegic activist in a wheelchair. Buff Bodd (handsome, hunky Kai Brothers) is a mentally dense porn star in a spandex brief shorts accentuating his manliness. Who needs brains with a body like his? Bebe Buzzy (pitch perfect John Hutchinson), a perpetual drunk who lives in the past and a philosophy of, “At parties, I plant myself and stay potted.” Kale Underwood (Christopher Morrell) is a young student who has never heard of Judy Garland. Bebe threatens to take away his gay membership card. Then there is a gay married couple (P.A. Cooley and Roger Hanson) who dress in identical outfits and “Thank God they can’t reproduce!” (Costumes by Jeffrey Londe).

The inevitable happens. A thunderstorm with genre sound effects and frightening music (Sound by Michael Gurnari) with flashes of lightning and stage black outs (John Kelley lighting designer) to send chills up the spine. Of course, the roads are closed, the landline telephone is cut and cell phones will not work. (“Can you hear me now?) All this takes place on a charming living room set (Hunter Jamison) decorated with movie posters, of which one has peep holes for the eyes (now what movie was that in?) and the ubiquitous sliding doors.

Director F. Allen Sawyer keeps the characters moving as the slap-stick humor and verbal puns pile up and the phrase, “There’s only us here and one of us must be killer!” keeps getting repeated. If you expect to get clues for “Who’s the Killer?” and “What’s the motive?” you will not find it in this review. Do expect to hear a number of old jokes but also be ready to laugh at local references and political digs at George “W”. Even with the macabre nature of bodies falling on the sofa, tension building and an occasional joke falling flat, the evening is an unqualified success to lift your spirits. Running time less than 2 hours.
Courtesy of TheatreWorld Internet Magazine