Something's Afoot
Musical numbers strength of murder-mystery spoof
By Mark Collins, Camera Theater Critic
October 22, 2004
LAFAYETTE — Members of the Lafayette Community Players got a pleasant surprise during last week's opening of their new show "Something's Afoot." The musical that spoofs an Agatha Christie-like mystery played on Broadway for six weeks in 1976, and one of its three creators, Robert Gerlach, has relatives in Boulder County. Gerlach heard LCP was producing his play and altered a planned vacation to be in last Friday's opening night audience.
Gerlach appeared to enjoy the experience, as did much of Friday's audience. It was no surprise, as the LCP cast was having a good time on stage, and that easily translated to the audience. The murder mystery lampoon is set at the British retreat of Dudley Rancour, who has invited several guests for the weekend. But just before dinner is served, it's announced that poor Lord Rancour is dead.
Soon the guests and staff of servants start dropping the way characters in a murder mystery are supposed to. Is the ambitious nephew the killer? The destitute ex-wife? The bumbling Colonel? The grabby gardener?
The difference between "Something's Afoot" and a typical British whodunit is that the musical doesn't take itself too seriously and dishes up a healthy dose of puns along the way to solving the rash of homicides.
Much of the LCP cast, under the direction of Jim Kimbrough, falls prey to a mugging, overplayed style of acting. It works well in some places — as when Ray Viggiano as Colonel Gillweather portrays a stiff-legged demise. But not so well in most places. Comedy is a subtle craft, even when bringing broad characters to life. When a character is dimwitted or devilish, it takes more than wide-eyed dumb looks or sneering affectations on actors' faces to make it work. Good comedy is rooted in believability, even when playing stereotyped characters like the ones in "Something's Afoot." Too often, the LCP cast's overacting undermines the play's humor.
There are, however, some wonderful sight gags, involving mysteriously movable set pieces, that the cast and crew pull off to comic effect with the help of technical director Rick Hays.
The strength of the LCP production is the musical numbers. There are no weak musical performances in the show, and Judy Henderson provides a solid and simple accompaniment on piano for the singers on stage.
Especially good is the combination of Victoria Knight-Allen and Kirk Neuroth as the young romantics Hope and Geoffrey on the vamping love ballad "I Don't Know Why I Love You, But I Do."
Later, the pair is joined by Linda D. Orr for an effective "I Owe It All," an homage to the mystery writers to whom the play owes a debt. And Joni Kiesecker and Scott Watne, as the maid and gardener, turn in a fun version of the double- entendre ditty "Dinghy."
The entendres are buried deep enough to make this a family friendly show. LCP even offers free licorice to audience members at intermission — a fitting treat for a fun little musical.
Contact Mark Collins at (303) 473-1369 or dailycamera.com