MURDER FOR TWO Gives the Mystery Genre a Humorous, Musical Twist
Instead of a movie, families and folks looking for a fun escape from the summer’s heat should head to the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center and catch the comically twisted musical mystery Murder for Two, by Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair, directed by Michael Kostroff. The plot is easy to follow, the comedy is broad, physical, and frequent, and the clever music is accompanied by the performers, who take turns (sometimes competitively) at the piano.
The wife of a successful author has planned a surprise birthday party for her husband and, when they hear his arrival, everyone hides, the lights are turned off, and … the author is shot in the dark, just as he’s entering the room! Marcus and Leo, local police officers, arrive just as the murder occurs, but do not see who fired the fatal shot. The author’s wife mistakes Marcus for a detective and, leaning into his ambitions, Marcus plays along, informing everyone to stay at the house while he assesses the crime and interviews them. Each guest has been (or is about to be) the subject of one of the author’s books, making them all suspects in this over-the-top funny spoof of murder mysteries. Will Marcus discover the killer before the real detective arrives? And, more importantly, can he ever get over his past and find love again – perhaps with the famous ballerina or the author’s niece, if neither of them is the killer?
Jeremiah Ginn plays the author’s party planning wife, and all of the guests turned suspects, creating distinct voices, personalities, and physical expressions for each of them, with the occasional accessory to help complete the picture. In addition to the theatrically inclined Mrs., character highlights include the aloof ballerina complete with dramatic sighs, the old doctor with a thick accent and more than a hint of Freud, the always quarreling couple, three young boys who form a choir and slightly delinquent gang, and the author’s crime-loving, hair smoothing niece, who takes an immediate fancy to Marcus. Ian Fairlee is appealingly ambitious and slightly awkward as the eager-to-prove-himself Marcus, maintaining a sincere but serious demeanor as he tries, with increasing desperation, to solve the crime before the real detective arrives at the scene. His reactions to Ginn’s ever-changing characters are increasingly funny, as are his reactions when Ginn pulls an unexpected character switch. Ginn and Fairlee have pleasant, if not spectacular, voices and capably handle the singing while also creating great chemistry, whether one of the suspects is flirting with Marcus or the two are playfully wrestling for control of the piano keys.
Solving the murder is clearly secondary to the comedy in this musical genre mashup. The plot is here to serve the laughs, resulting in fun character interpretations, a bit of slapstick and misdirection, and a clever enough resolution. The show avoids being offensive, even though a few of the suspects are a bit thin and predictable. Kostroff directs with a sure hand and is keenly aware of the comedic timing essential to getting the laughs out of the musical while treading carefully around caricature and stereotype. Well-executed transitions and a commitment to the exaggerated emotions as well as some unexpectedly funny subplots, including the much-lamented purloined ice cream, help the audience to buy in to the silliness.
The piano is the centerpiece of Ann Beyersdorfer’s attractive set design, but there are a number of doors and just enough seating to amplify the humor. Ginn’s music direction keeps the pace lively and the tone light and cheery. The lighting design, by Sean Savoie, and sound design, by Hankyu Lee, provide additional focus and emphasis, while Erica Jo Lloyd’s costume coordination helps to accent Ginn’s various characters without distraction or clutter.Murder for Two at Stages St. Louis is one act with no intermission – and runs about the length of your typical movie comedy. The murder itself is quick and not at all gory or violent, and the dialogue and subject matter are generally suitable for all ages. The show will particularly appeal to fans of comedy, mystery, spoofs, and clever musical numbers, there’s a little something to make everyone laugh. So, pick up some concessions in the lobby on your way in and enjoy the musical mystery mayhem that follows!
