The stage set was a
contemporary unisex hair salon decorated in neon pink and blue. In the
beginning the music was peppy and loud, foreshadowing the frenetic pace of the
performance that followed. Then six characters--two hair stylists and four
clients in need of their services—entered the salon at various times. Being a
comedy, there were several scenes of distracted stylists cutting hair and
shaving (nicking) a client’s cheek. At one point I was splattered with water
since we were sitting in the front row near the salon sink.
Toward the end of the first half, a
female concert pianist living over the salon was found stabbed to death with
hair scissors. We never saw the victim but through conversation snippets
learned how her life intertwined with people in the hair salon--who all had
strong motives for killing the woman. So, whodunit?
At this point, the detective/actor
questioned each suspect then asked the audience to yell out inconsistencies in
their stories. I was very surprised
when my friend pointed out a number of misstatements by the suspects as well as
overlooked clues. During intermission, one couple asked if we were actors
planted in the audience since my friend was just like “Nancy Drew.” (Perhaps
playing an amateur detective will inspire her to actually read a mystery. I can
only hope.)
During
the second half, the detective asked the suspects to reconstruct their actions
leading up to the crime. Since the first half was a series of chaotic scenes, I
admit that it was difficult for me to remember in what order events occurred.
Not so with my friend. She nailed what each person did and when. Not to be
outdone, I pointed out that the detective missed a pair of discarded gloves
with red (perhaps blood) on the fingertips. In the end, the murderer was caught
and it was nicely wrapped up with a twist.
What do you think is the best way to
keep a reading audience engaged? Have you attended a murder mystery party or
play?
I also took a friend to see Shear Madness when she came into visit me in NOVA, outside of D. C. Not only is the play a wonderful whodunnit, but seeing a play at the Kennedy Center is always a pleasure. At intermission, there are drink vendors in the lobby. You can stroll on the large balcony, which overlooks the Potomac River. Upstream, the lights of Georgetown are visible. It's a stunning sight and one of the best to take out-of-town guests to see. I hope you had a spectacular evening, Kara. I know Sallie and I had a blast!
ReplyDeleteThank you, E.B., we had a terrific time. The Kennedy Center truly is a gem and a wonderful place to take guests. The evening was particularly memorable because my friend enjoyed a mystery!
ReplyDeleteI've seen the play also. The actors were great at picking up suggestive questions from the audience that they wove into the resolution.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that play. I wish I could. I do go to a lot of community theater plays and many of them are mysteries. I always enjoy them. I've also attended a half dozen dinner/mystery events, too. I love those especially since I'm usually able to pick out the guilty person. I even won a weekend with dinner and breakfast at a local inn once.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen this play but we have a mystery dinner theater near here and I love going. The audience fills out little forms on whodunit, how, and why, and some of the guesses (read by the cast after the play) are even better than the play.
ReplyDeleteWarren, I was also impressed how quickly the actors were able to improvise and weave comments into the resolution. That’s a useful skill for an actor or writer.
ReplyDeleteGloria, it must have been fun to win a weekend at an inn because you figured it out whodunit. The perks of being a mystery writer! Your friends probably knew you would pick out the guilty person.
ReplyDeleteLD, I wish we had a mystery dinner theater near my house like the one in your area. I would love going, too.
ReplyDeletePeople can be so creative. A couple members in our audience came up with some outstanding theories.