Dial M for Murder – Play – Review – Village Theatre – Shows I've Seen

@showsiveseen "Dial M for Murder" #play at Village Theatre. Effectively built audience anticipation. Surprised & relived this wasn't a tired comedic melodramatic whodunit mystery. "Money, fear, jealousy, revenge, and protecting someone you love." Review: showsiveseen.com/11446 Photos: Auston James Director: @adamimmerwahr5 Stage Mgr: Ruth Eitemiller #hitchcock #showsiveseen #theatre ♬ Crazy – Oliver Peters & Liv Clark

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Dial M for Murder play at Village Theatre. Effectively built audience anticipation. Surprised & relived this wasn’t a tired comedic melodramatic whodunit mystery. “Money, fear, jealousy, revenge, and protecting someone you love.”

Recommendation:
See it.

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Maybe

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Yes

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): Without revealing too much of the plot, this play revolves around two lesbian ex-lovers, a damning letter that exposes their affair, revenge, extortion, murder, and investigation.

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Murder has a familiar ring. Tony married his wife for her money, and now he plans to murder her for it. But when his perfect plans go awry, he has to improvise — and now his wife’s former lover Maxine and a wily inspector from Scotland Yard must race against the clock to unravel his schemes. This spine-tingling new adaptation is brimming with more unexpected turns and diabolic plot twists than Hitchcock’s timeless film version. Will Tony get away with it, or will justice be served? You’ll be guessing until the very end of this fast-paced, stylish thriller. Get ready for a criminally good time.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Just 5 scenes

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Just one, a living room

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes, but with only 5 scenes, it veered towards more dialogue than action

Union Actors: 4

Total Actors: 5

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium to fast speed especially for a dialogue-heavy play

Was there an intermission? Yes

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours – This could feasibly be shortened to a single-act show.

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Refreshing Plot: Based solely on the title without reading the synopsis or seeing the film, I initially expected another cheap comedic melodramatic whodunit mystery like Clue. However, instead of the typical mystery where the audience is kept in the dark, it focused on how the mystery unfolded for the characters themselves, with the audience privy to all the details from the start. In a refreshing twist on the classic mystery formula, this play keeps the audience on edge not by hiding the truth, but by letting us watch the characters unravel in real-time. The production and script also frequently elicited anticipation from the audience like when one of the characters contemplated using an ice pick as a weapon in a “will he or won’t he” moment.
Fight Choreography: Although the main fight scene was brief, fight director Ian Bond crafted a stunning climax to the thrilling scene that had the audience (myself included) audibly exclaim.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Blackmail: I’m surprised in the woke PNW, we’re still using the word “blackmail” on stage. Shouldn’t it be “extortion” now?
Fingerprints: The play frequently referenced obtaining fingerprints from paper, which initially seemed impossible to me. However, I later discovered that it is possible after a Google search.
New Character: I’ve always found it improper for a play to introduce a major new character in the second act. For one, I can’t help but feel bad for the actor, having to wait through the entire first act and intermission before taking the stage!
Taproot Theatre: This production reminded me of Taproot Theatre, known for old-timey, dialogue-driven works. Additionally, Richard Nguyen Sloniker and Calder Jameson Shilling, who frequently feature in Taproot Theatre’s productions, added a familiar touch to this performance. In fact, they starred as the main characters in Taproot Theatre’s recent Happy Christmas, Jeeves!
Scenic Design: Paige Hathaway’s green scenic design was reminiscent of the recent Blithe Spirit at Seattle Rep.
Transitional Music: The music between scenes felt a bit too melodramatic. But maybe it was an intentional ode to campy murder films.
Public Bias: It’s incredible how homophobia and misogyny can shape public opinion, particularly in earlier time periods. I’m intrigued to compare this production through the lens of the original script, which didn’t include the lesbian affair. That being said, it was refreshing to see lesbian visibility on-stage for a change.
Glassware: Do people not wash their cups after drinking from a home liquor bar? Gross.

Theatre Company: Village Theatre

Venue: Village Theatre

Venue Physical Address:

Village Theatre’s Francis J. Gaudette Theatre: 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
Everett Performing Arts Center: 2710 Wetmore Avenue, Everett, WA 98201

Price Range: $75-123

Ticket Affordability Options: See the theatre’s official page about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances

Dates:

Issaquah: January 21 to February 23, 2025
Everett: March 1 to 23, 2025

Seating: Assigned Seating

Parking:

Issaquah: Free street parking and certain free parking lots. Lot parking availability is very difficult to find though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, you can always find parking at the library but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that mostly only locals know about.
Everett: Free street parking and some paid parking lots/garages.

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Auston James.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.