Beth Ollliges, Ben Rogers, & Emily Eader in Murder by Midnight: The Case of the Missing Identity
Photo by Niles Welch.

 

Murder by Midnight: The Case of the Missing Identity

By A.S. Waterman
Directed by Niles Welch

Review by Keith Waits

Entire contents copyright © 2014 by Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

Dr. Angus MacCrimmon is back. For the opening production of their dual anniversary season (15 years, the last 10 in Louisville) WhoDunnit Murder Mystery Theatre reaches back in their history to mount a new production of one of the first MacCrimmon mysteries.

MacCrimmon, a Scottish physician residing in Rhode Island in the early years of the twentieth century, specializes in “finding the answers to very difficult questions.” Daniel Collins (John Collins) is a man with a difficult question: who am I? He has a name and a position but lacks memories enough to suggest amnesia.

A photograph leads them to Islemarch Manor and the Tallwood family. Matriarch Janice (Beth Olliges) is an unpleasant, zenophobic personality, son Jeremy (Ben Rogers) is an unpleasant drunk, and daughter Jesse (Emily Eader) is an eccentric flirt who borders on unpleasant. There is also Ellsworth Trent (John Lina), Janice’s “gentleman friend” and Mira (Rebekah Dow) a fortune-teller given to cryptic prognostications.

A.S. Waterman’s script is solid and taut, even though it includes one more scene than more recent WhoDunnit productions have been featuring. The additional time is well spent developing plot and character, and a grisly murder eventually does occur.

The production is led by a strong performance from Arthur Patrick Brophy as Dr. MacCrimmon. He employs a broader take on the character, complete with florid brogue, but it fulfills the expectation of the detective as a colorful character and the only one capable of solving the mystery. John Collins is also very good as the amnesiac; an actor that is better and better in each WhoDunnit appearance. Emily Eader display talent that belies her tender age, while John Lina delivers his customary understated polish. Beth Olliges makes her matriarch a difficult, conceited character matching the script’s requirements, and Rebekah Dow was a charismatic presence, although her dialect moved precipitously among continents.

MacCrimmon is Waterman’s signature character, and is featured in some of her best writing, including prose treatments of some cases available as ebooks.

Did I solve the mystery? I never have, but the fun is in the telling.

 

Murder by Midnight: The Case of the Missing Identity

Saturdays October 11- November 15, 2014 @ 7:00pm, doors open at 6:30pm

Tickets $45.50 (includes meal, show, tax, and gratuity). Group discounts available. Reservations are necessary: call (502) 426-7100
Meal choices: pot roast or blackened tilapia or vegetable lasagna

WhoDunnit Murder Mystery Theatre
Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Airport
2735 Crittenden Drive
Louisville, KY 40209
WhoDunnitky.com

 

[box_light]KeithKeith Waits is a native of Louisville who works at the Louisville Visual Art Association during the days, including being one of the hosts of PUBLIC on ARTxFM, but spends most of his evenings indulging his taste for theatre, music and visual arts. His work has appeared in Pure Uncut Candy, TheatreLouisville, and Louisville Mojo. He is now Managing Editor for Arts-Louisville.com[/box_light]