Reviewed by James Karas
Murder-on-the-Lake is a “Spontaneous Theatre Creation by Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak” (that is how it is billed) that had its world premiere at the Royal George Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Some details please. An audience member is chosen and “interviewed” as a potential detective to solve the mystery of a murder. He gives us his occupation and is allowed to use that as a cover while doing his investigation into whodunnit. A different audience member is chosen for each performance and on the date, I saw the play it was Brian.
The first scene takes place in the office of the Niagara Regional Police Department where the prospective volunteer for the stage and as detective is interviewed. His real name is Brian and that is all I will reveal. He is told that the play has thirteen characters played by eight actors because that is all they could afford. He is introduced to the idea of doubling in the theatre. He is given a detective’s badge and sent to Butler’s Island Bed and Breakfast where the murder occurred one year ago.
In a beautifully furnished room, we meet the people who were at the Bed and Breakfast a year ago and are gathered again for a memorial service for Jan, the murder victim. Brian is miked to communicate with HQ and searches for clues around the room and interviews the four guests to pinpoint the murderer. There are some clues. Jan’s ghost, unseen by anyone other than Brian, appears to help with the investigation but she recalls almost nothing. She was murdered by a fruit of a plant that makes her death look like a heart attack.
There are suspects, of course, the most obvious being her husband. They were married for a few hours when she died and he has ended up as a millionaire. Clearly a motive for snuffing her.
Brian is the star of the show. He is on stage throughout the show while the eight actors come on and off the stage. He must adlib his role throughout and he is hilarious. The audience knows that he is an amateur thrown on the stage without any preparation and finds most of his lines hysterical. The actors must improvise around his lines and the result is highly entertaining.
The eight actors are Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, Sochi Fried, Virgilia Griffith, Martin Happer, Bruce Horak, Rebecca Northan and Travis Seeto. Creator Northan also directs the show.
The actors take on different parts at random for each performance and the show is never the same because so much depends on the volunteer and the replies that he/she inspires. The actors have to be on their toes and come up with funny replies. The detective mentioned the United States and an actor said she does like the U.S. Someone lost a lot of money by investing in Tesla. The audience roared.
Much of the entertainment relies on a very friendly audience that wants to laugh and support the volunteer on the stage. They would not be that friendly without him and the show works up to uproarious applause of appreciation.
Judithe Bowden’s set shows a well-appointed room in the Bed and Breakfast. John Gzowski’s original music and sound design gives us thunder and lightning in the background and music appropriate for a murder mystery. Jeff Pybus helps with the lighting design to create the right atmosphere as we look for the murderers.
Rose Tavormina dresses the actors in primary colour outfits because they do not know what role they will be playing.
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