"Holmes/Poirot" at Park Square Theatre

A year and a half after cancelling the remaining shows in their 2022-2023 season, Park Square Theatre is back! After experiencing financial difficulties, they took a season off to reassess and regroup, and are coming back with a four-show season on their main stage in the Historic Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul. First up is one of those cancelled shows - a world premiere new mystery combining two of literature's favorite detectives. Holmes/Poirot was inspired by a dream that Steve Hendrickson (who has played Holmes multiple times) had, and told to prolific local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher. The result is not one but two thrilling and well-plotted mysteries, brought to life by a fantastic nine-person cast. Park Square has a long history of presenting summer mysteries, and while it is now finally, thankfully, fall, Holmes/Poirot fits well in that popular tradition. Playing Thursdays through Sundays until November 3.

"The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Guthrie Theater

My 20th season as a Guthrie Theater subscriber begins with a play that was part of my 7th season - the Oscar Wilde classic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. This is the fourth production in Guthrie history, the most recent being in 2009 (the year before I started this blog, so no record of my experience exists). Earnest is an absolute confection of a play, full of delicious language, ridiculous characters, and silly situations. This new production is absolutely delightful, from the three gorgeous sets, to the scrumptious costumes, to the fantastic performances by familiar faces and new. See it on the Wurtele Thrust Stage now through October 15.

"The Family Line" by Stage North at the Capri Theater

For their second production, new #TCTheater company Stage North, based at the newly renovated Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, is bringing us a new play by Playwrights' Center Core Writer Lee Blessing. The Family Line is a road trip play with a grandfather and grandson getting to know each other for the first time. Set in May 2020, it includes all the despair and complexity of that time in our recent history, but not without some humor, and a whole lot of humanity. With strong performances by the two-person cast, simple yet effective design, and relevant topics discussed, it's another strong outing for this promising new company (through April 17, click here for more info).

"Agatha Christie: Rule of Thumb" at Park Square Theatre

Park Square Theatre's final show of their 2018-2019 season opened during a busy July, followed by a busy Fringe Festival, so I'm finally seeing it now in the final two weeks of its run. As has become tradition at Park Square, they're presenting a fun summery mystery. Or in this case, three fun summer mysteries. Agatha Christie: Rule of Thumb is a triptych of short plays written by the famed mystery writer. They're performed by a talented and diverse nine-person company of actors, on the same set with some tweaks, all under the directorship of Austene Van who keeps the tone light, fun, elegant, and very dramatic. It's a delight to watch this team play together in this yummy summer mystery.

"Blithe Spirit" at the Guthrie Theater

If you're looking for a fun, light-hearted, escapist night at the theater (and really, who isn't in need of that?!), look no further than the Guthrie's sublimely entertaining production of Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit. Featuring Guthrie favorites and newcomers in this perfect concoction of a cast, breath-takingly gorgeous design, and the witty words of one of 20th Century England's favorite writers of comedy, Blithe Spirit will keep you warm with laughter on a cold winter's night, and make you forget about the seemingly endless despair happening outside of the theater walls (this is why I prefer to say in the theater as much as possible). Blithe Spirit continues through January 18 and is a hilarious duet partner to that other ghost story across the hall.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders" at Park Square Theatre

The old adage "the show must go on" was tested last night. On the day that Park Square Theatre's world premiere play Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders was scheduled to open, Steve Hendrickson, aka Sherlock himself, underwent surgery for an aneurysm. The good news is he's going to be fine and will hopefully return to the show soon, but what to do about opening night? Director Peter Moore to the rescue! With one emergency rehearsal and script in hand, he took the stage to embody one of the most iconic characters in literature and film. And it was a success. Even though he often looked at the script (not even a show biz vet like Peter Moore can learn an entire play in a few hours), he never broke character and was able to convey that distinct Sherlock Holmes-ness. It probably helps that he's surrounded by a great cast playing multiple characters, acting a script written by one of Minnesota's best playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher, based on a novel by Larry Millett, based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. That's a recipe for success that's able to withstand last-minute challenges.

In Larry Millett's story, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty partner Watson are on a three-month tour of the US in 1896. They're about to depart Chicago to head back to London when they read about the strange disappearance of a wealthy groom in St. Paul. The mystery is too much for Sherlock to resist, so they take a detour to St. Paul to see what they can find. What they find is a daughter and son of wealthy businessmen with a stake in the Winter Carnival, about to be married in the Ice Palace until the groom disappears and the bride suspiciously returns her wedding dress. Holmes and Watson team up with a local barkeep/ex-cop named Shadwell Rafferty, along with journalist Miss Pyle who wrote the article enticing them to come to St. Paul. They discover a horrific scandal in the groom's past, and secrets that the bride is keeping as well. Suspects abound, from family members to Ice Palace workers to the town burglar. It's great fun to watch these two sleuths uncover the truth, especially in the second act as the clues start falling into place with greater speed.

Steve Hendrickson has played Sherlock multiple times on Park Square's stage (most recently in The Adventure of the Suicide Club two years ago), so those of you who see the show after his recovery are in for a treat! But even now, Peter Moore does a fine job filling in for him, and Bob Davis is so comfortable in the skin of Dr. Watson (a role he has also played multiple times) that it seems like a quite natural pairing. As their new partner/friend/adversary Rafferty, E.J. Subkoviak is a delight with his Irish-by-way-of-Boston accent and roguish charm. Tamara Clark and Taylor Harvey do as much as they can with the roles of the plucky reporter and the bride with secrets (the world of Sherlock Holmes has always been a boy's club, but it's too bad a modern update doesn't have better roles for women). The rest of the cast ably plays multiple roles, including Neal Hazard as the affable driver and the grieving father; Jason Rojas, reveling in the opposite roles of the bride's spurned and moody lover and her spoiled rich boy brother; James Cada, almost unrecognizable in his three roles of the Swedish Ice Palace guard, the father of the bride, and the gruff police chief; and Stephen Cartmell, deliciously creepy as the cross-dressing burglar and mysterious as the ice sculptor.

The stage is mostly empty, surrounded by a scroll frame, with images that look like book illustrations projected on a screen at the back of the stage to set the scene. There are some creepy cool effects in this murder mystery, and a charming sled (scenic design by Lance Brockman). Amy B. Kaufman's period costumes are lovely, especially the hats worn by the would-be bride.

Despite the opening night set-backs, Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders is a smart, funny, and entertaining mystery, with plenty of local references and jokes. The audience also seemed to enjoy the references to other Sherlock Holmes stories that I didn't get, not being a huge fan of the series. If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes, or if you're looking for a light and fun summery mystery (set in the winter), you might want to check this one out (continuing through July 26).

 
Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders from Park Square Theatre on Vimeo.

"Romeo and Juliet" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

No one does Shakespeare like Ten Thousand Things. They manage to boil the text down to its bare essentials, and convey the heart of the story in a way that feels fresh and modern. This season they bring their unique Shakespeare style to perhaps his most well-know play, the story of star-crossed lovers that inspired all others, Romeo and Juliet. In the typically minimalist production (since TTT performs on location at prisons, homeless shelters, and community centers, the paid public performances are also in a small, fully lit room with little in the way of sets and costumes), director Peter Rothstein and his fantastic cast of eight playing multiple characters bring this familiar story to life in a unique way.

You all know the story so I won't recount it here. Several scenes stand out in this production. The party scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet is nicely done in the small space, with the cast dancing around the audience. The balcony scene is sweet and charming (how do you create a small and easily portable balcony? with a chair on top of a table). The fight scenes are dynamic (choreographed by Annie Enneking), made all the more real because of the close proximity and the perceived danger of an injured party falling into the front row of the audience. The final death scene is beautiful and heartbreaking.

the famous balcony scene
(Anna Sundberg and Namir Smallwood)

As the titular lovers, Namir Smallwood and Anna Sundberg are a compelling pair. Namir gives Romeo a passion and single-mindedness in being with his love, and Anna portrays Juliet as a modern young woman, speaking the Shakespearean language naturally. Six other actors portray all of the characters necessary in this stripped down version. Regina Marie Williams is Juliet's somewhat flighty mother, in contrast to her portrayal of the stern-faced Prince. Bob Davis expresses Juliet's father's love for her, and frustration when she doesn't do his bidding. Karen Wiese-Thompson is entertaining as always as the comic relief nurse, the apothecary, and a mustachioed servant. Dennis Spears is always interesting to watch, and here plays the helpful Friar and Juliet's slain kinsman. David Darrow makes his TTT debut, nicely differentiating the young rebel Mercutio from the nerdy Paris (both with great death scenes). Kurt Kwan is Romeo's sturdy friend Benvolio and a blustering servant.

As always, Peter Vitale has created a soundtrack that sets the mood for the story, whether a party scene or a fight, with help from Jason Hansen on multiple instruments. Boxy black and metal stools and tables are the only set pieces, cleverly arranged as mentioned above to create the balcony, as well as Juliet's bed and tomb (designed by Erica Zaffarano). Trevor Bowen's costumes are modern yet classic, with touches of red for the Capulets and purple for the Montagues, with lovely youthful dresses over leggings for Juliet.

Every time I see Romeo and Juliet I think, why doesn't Juliet just run away with Romeo when he's banished? Why doesn't the stupid Friar get the message to Romeo? Why doesn't Romeo wait a moment longer before taking the poison? But to great frustration, it never changes. Another thing that never changes is Ten Thousand Things' high quality budget productions. The absence of the usual bells and whistles of theater allows the acting and the story to shine.

Romeo and Juliet plays through November 2 at Open Book and the MN Opera Center. With a loyal audience and small performance spaces, shows have a tendency to sell out, so you'll want to order tickets in advance.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club" at Park Square Theatre

I must admit, I'm not that familiar with the stories of Sherlock Holmes (although I have been to the site of his literary death - Reichenbach Falls outside of Meiringen, Switzerland). I've never read any of the four books or 56 short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that form the basis of the popular detective story, or seen any of the countless movies (unless you count the recent Robert Downey Jr. version). My only real familiarity with the story is the fantastic new show Elementary, CBS's modern-day NYC-set take on the story. So I don't have a lot of attachment to or knowledge of the mythology of Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately that is not required to enjoy Park Square Theatre's current version, in which prolific and talented local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher takes the familiar characters from Doyle's stories and applies them to Robert Louis Stevenson's trilogy of short stories The Suicide Club. The result is a new creation that is amusing, clever, and deliciously suspenseful.

As in most of the original stories, this tale is narrated by Holme's trusty sidekick Watson (ably portrayed by Bob Davis). As the story begins, Holmes is despondent (by his own admission) and exasperated, a little worn down by the trials of life and his work. But he's still at the top of his game - curious, observant, and clever. Steve Hendrickson easily slips into the skin of the titular character (the third time he's played the role at Park Square), creating a character just as memorable as he the one he played in another mystery play, Deathtrap at the Jungle earlier this year. Holmes finds himself investigating a group called The Suicide Club, in which people who want to take their own lives but are unable to do so agree to kill each other in a random fashion. They draw billiard balls from a hat - the one who draws the black ball is the lucky one to die, and the one who draws the red ball does the deed. (One wonders how such a club that meets every night keeps their membership up.) Club member Prince Nikita (a charismatic as ever Bryan Porter) alerts Holmes to some suspicious happenings in the club, which seem to lead back to the mysterious Club Secretary (Charity Jones, sleek as a cat). But who is she really working for? Watching Holmes decipher clue after clue to lead him to the answer is half the fun of the play.

There's not a weak link in this multi-accented cast. In addition to those mentioned above, highlights include Nathan Christopher as the cream puff-eating club member who invites Holmes into the club, Bruce Bohne as the wheelchair-bound and uber supportive club member, and Karen Wiese-Thompson as Holmes' landlady and several other characters. All the men are dressed in top hats and tails (costumes by Andrea M. Gross); why not dress up for death?

Michael Hoover (set design) and Todd F. Edwards (projection design) have together created a very clever and effective backdrop for this familiar story. At first glance the Park Square stage looks empty - with few set pieces and trapezoidal screens of varying sizes in the background. But as the scenes change, still images fill the screens to create a specific world - Holmes' book-cluttered apartment, the billiard hall, the dark and lonely London streets. It's an elegant way to affect the change of scenes without moving a lot of bulky set pieces around, which makes for smooth scene transitions (accompanied by appropriately creepy music).

I'm catching this one near the end of its run - only five performances remain. If you're able, check it out this week for a fun and thrilling take on the classic detective genre.

"Nice Fish" at the Guthrie Theater

In 2008, Mark Rylance won a Tony for his Broadway debut in the play Boeing-Boeing and gave an inexplicable speech about wearing uniforms. He won again in 2011 for Jerusalem, and this time he talked about walking through walls. These weren't just weird ramblings as they appeared; he was reciting poems by Minnesota poet Louis Jenkins. The two men didn't know each other at the time of the first speech, but by the second one they had begun collaborating on writing a play that consists of several of Louis' poems strung together (including both of Mark's speeches). The result is an absurd, hilarious, strangely profound, and yes, somewhat inexplicable play called Nice Fish (sort of like Waiting for Godot on ice), now playing at the Guthrie's Proscenium Theater.

The stage of the Proscenium Theater has been quite effectively transformed into a frozen lake by set designer Todd Rosenthal. A bare glassy surface with wisps of snow strewn about and a backdrop of a distant shore are all that adorn the stage when the play begins. It perfectly captures the stark beauty of winter. Later, complex fishing equipment is brought out, including a tent, a fish house with sauna, a vintage snowmobile, and neon palm trees - just your typical Minnesota winter scene. The visual delights continue with twinkling stars, objects that fly or float across the ice, and a delightful battle with the wind.

a typical Minnesota scene: two friends ice fishing
(Mark Rylance and Jim Lichtscheidl)

The play begins with a series of short vignettes, some only seconds long, punctuated by lights out, that show us two friends setting up for a long day of ice fishing. Eventually they start speaking, to each other or thoughtfully to the air, little observations about life. Often the biggest laugh comes when the lights go out and the audience realizes that's the end of the scene. The scenes slowly build until we learn a bit more about these two fishermen - Erik (Jim Lichtsheidl) is an experienced fisherman, married with a couple of kids at home, while Ron (Mark Rylance, who also directs with his wife Clair van Kampen) is new to this fishing business and is on a bit of a quest to find himself. Jim and Mark are a great pair, an odd couple, and my favorite scenes of the play are those with just the two of them on the ice, talking about nothing and everything (I thought the same thing when I saw Waiting for Godot at the Jungle last year, which also featured Jim). Mark's Ron says everything in a sort of dazed way, as if he's as surprised by what's coming out of his mouth as anyone. He's easy-going and happy to experience all that life has to offer. Jim's Erik speaks with precision and certainty; he just wants to fish and is disturbed when things don't go according to plan. And they don't.

Erik and Ron have a few visitors out there on the ice. First, a DNR officer (a hilariously stern Bob Davis) wants to make sure they have their licenses in order, which of course they don't. Later, they run into a strange young woman named Flo (a charmingly spacey Emily Swallow), her brute of a boyfriend (a long-haired and imposing Chris Carlson), and his brother (Tyson Forbes, tall and silent). These three characters are odd, not of this cold and stoic state of Minnesota. They represent gods of Nordic mythology, and strange and wonderful things happen. There's music, dancing, and hockey. As the play ends, Ron and Erik transform into something else, and something else again. One of the characters says, "Old people leave this life like a movie - I didn't get it!" That's a little how I felt leaving the theater - I didn't quite get all of it, but it was a marvelous experience.

Nice Fish continues at the Guthrie through May 18 (which is probably about the time the ice will be gone from Minnesota's 10,000 or so lakes). Go see it, and bring your favorite fisherperson.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" at the Guthrie Theater

Who knew murder could be so funny?  I'd never seen the 1944 movie Arsenic and Old Lace but I knew the general idea - sweet old ladies who poison people.  It was great fun to watch it all unfold in hilarious fashion with a fantastic cast of Guthrie favorites, led by Sally Wingert (who has appeared in over 75 Guthrie productions) as Martha Brewster.  Her sister and partner in crime, Abby, is played by 1980-83 Guthrie company member Kristine Nielsen, whom I last saw as the storyteller in the weird and wonderful Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson on Broadway.  Both women are wonderful as the wealthy sisters who take their charity to lethal levels - putting "lonely" people out of their misery and giving them a lovely burial in their cellar.  They really think they're doing a kindness! 

Martha and Abby are not the only crazy Brewsters; madness runs in the family.  The sisters have three nephews.  Teddy (another Guthrie regular, Bob Davis) lives with them and thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt.  He dresses the part, thinks the basement is Panama, and yells "charge" every time he ascends the stairs.  Teddy's brother Mortimer (the always charming Jonas Goslow) seems quite normal and well-adjusted; he's a theater critic (which allows playwright Joseph Kesslring to get in many jokes about the theater and critics) and newly engaged.  His fiance Elaine (Kathryn Lawrey) is a smart and spunky minister's daughter, who's also a neighbor and friend of the Brewster sisters (and she wears fabulous shoes).  Mortimer loves his aunties and is quite shocked when he stumbles upon their dirty little secret.  Instead of turning them in, he tries to find a way to protect them and get them out of the situation, even though they don't think they need any help. 

The third brother is the long absent Jonathan, who left town as a troubled teenager, and continued in his devious ways.  He's on the run from the law and comes home to hide, bringing some baggage with him.  Jonathan (Tyson Forbes) is a tall, creepy figure out of an old horror movie (his face has been surgically altered to look like Boris Karloff).  Accompanying him is his plastic surgeon accomplice Dr. Einsten (the hilarious Kris Nelson, who recently showed his dramatic side in Ten Thousand Things' Doubt, in which he co-starred with Sally Wingert).  The aunts and Mortimer try to get rid of Jonathan, but he insists on staying.  He soon discovers their secret and uses that as leverage.  In the end, Mortimer devises a complicated plan to solve the aunts' problem as well as get rid of his criminal brother, with the help of some bumbling police officers who happen to come in at the right time.  And his fears about going mad like the rest of his family are alleviated when he finds out an interesting bit of news about his past.

The entire play takes place in the Brewster family home in Brooklyn.  The two-story set looks like a child's dollhouse cracked open to reveal the details of a charming traditional old home.

Arsenic and Old Lace, directed by Artistic Director Joe Dowling, is another quality production from the Guthrie.  Which reminds me, it's time to renew my season subscription!  The 2011-2012 season, which will be my ninth season as a subscriber, features Shakespeare, Greek tragedy, Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, a Cole Porter musical, and a production with the Penumbra Theatre Company.  A little bit of everything and a lot I'm not familiar with.  Which should add up to another great season.