Ludlow Quinn presents: The Man Who Mystified Herrmann
By Steve Moulds
Directed by Amy Attaway
Review by Keith Waits
Entire contents copyright © 2014 by Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
Even though the saga of Ludlow Quinn has come to an end, Theatre [502] is not done with magic and The Baron’s Theatre just yet. For the second run in their Small Batch Series, they are still entranced by the lure of the vintage magic posters that decorate the walls of the intimate performance space in the Whiskey Row Lofts.
For this first entry, playwright Steve Moulds deliberately echoes The Stranger and Ludlow Quinn by once again introducing a confident magician in an encounter with a mysterious woman. But the Man of the title is Harry Thurston, a more mature and accomplished prestidigitator, and the woman here is more of a femme fatale, but every bit the instrument of destiny that Ludlow’s Stranger was.
The brief story has the feeling of a chamber piece, a duet with the interpolation of one young boy who somehow seems to be channeling the legendary Herrmann. Gregory Maupin and Abigail Bailey-Maupin, exemplified by their glamorous formal attire, play Thurston and his lady friend with a wit and elegance worthy of Noel Coward (quick! Somebody cast them in Private Lives!), and Connor Davis does a solid job, giving the Young Boy just the right amount of sass.
Ludlow Quinn himself was present to introduce this inaugural piece, giving Eli Keel another opportunity to flourish his cape, and Mr. Keel is one of the playwrights who will be contributing to this series in coming months, along with Diana Grisanti, Brian Walker and Rachel White.
Ludlow Quinn presents: The Man Who Mystified Herrmann
June 6, 2014
Next up:
Ludlow Quinn presents: George and the Triumphant American Tour
By Diana Grisanti
July 4, 2014 @ 7:00, 8:00 & 9:00pm
Theatre [502]
The Baron’s Theatre
131 East Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Theatre[502].org
