When I told a friend I was going to see a show called "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," he said, "That sounds like a dinner theater show" -- in a tone that very clearly let me know he had no interest in seeing something that sounds like a potential dinner theater show.
Well, it's not dinner theater, but it's not "Mamma Mia," either. I'm going to preface the next thought by saying I've seen what I would consider to be a fair amount of musicals. But upon beginning this review, I realized they've all been relatively modern. Even when the the setting wasn't, the music had a modern feel. Derivative of Victorian-era theatrical team Gilbert and Sullivan ("The Pirates of Penzance," "H.M.S. Pinafore"), GGLAM -- the operetta style -- is a new venture for me. In the score, the cadence of the script and even the singing style of the actors with their British accents, the 2014 Tony winner for Best Musical is a throwback to turn of the century theater -- which, conveniently, is where the story is set.
FAQ
‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’
WHEN — showing through Sunday
WHERE — Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville
COST — $35-$74
INFO —443-5600, waltonartscenter.com
Don't let any of that discourage you, though. "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" has humor for everyone and is pure entertainment for entertainment's sake. Despite the darkness suggested in the title, the show is full of silliness, character humor in the absurd members of the D'Ysquith family and sharp writing with quick jokes.
Writing a memoir from his cell before he is to be tried for murder, the show opens with our "hero" Monty Navarro (Kevin Massey) offering the truth behind the events that landed him behind bars. After discovering he is a member of the rich banking family that disowned his mother -- and is ninth in line to their huge fortune -- it takes only a tiny push to turn Navarro down the path that will avenge his mother and claim the fortune as his own.
Actor John Rapson brings all eight (technically nine) of the D'Ysquiths to life in a stunning performance. Quick change after quick change -- most, he told me in a previous interview happening in less than 20 seconds -- only adds to the humor of the show while Rapson never misses a beat. Men, women, old, young(er), sober, drunk -- Rapson makes each one a completely distinct character with a completely distinct accent, and immediately acquaints the audience with their mostly horrible personalities.
"There's a great moment when [the first murder] happens where you sort of feel the show switch tracks," Rapson said in our What's Up! interview. "And the audience and the actors kind of have this great collective moment together. It's a really neat, very theatrical thing that could really only happen with live theater."
The beautifully animated projection screen at the top of the stage gives life to this first death, as it were, before returning to its usual role as an extension of the equally beautiful sets. When not scheming on how to bring the next D'Ysquith to their demise, Navarro is juggling his two love interests -- sexy, self-absorbed Sibella (Kristen Beth Williams) and perfectly lovely Phoebe (Kristen Hahn). This love triangle leads to my favorite number of the show, "I've Decided to Marry You," in which both women are at Navarro's home at the same time, separated only by two doors and a small hallway. The slamming doors choreography and three-part song certainly had me laughing.
I have to note on the evening I saw the show, between the (wonderfully done) English accents, quick wording and/or the singing style, I didn't quite catch every word that was said from anyone in the cast. It felt to me like an acoustics issue. However, I'm told the problem was brought up at the Walton Arts Center's executive meeting the following morning and the audio engineers were working to correct it. It wouldn't be live theater without having to work around little kinks here and there!
From the opening number, I remember thinking, "This probably won't be for everybody." It's not the kind of show I would recommend to one who tries to avoid musical theater. But if you know going in that the singing leans toward operatic, the characters are big and the story is meant for fun, and you're still up for the ride, you ought to have a dreadfully good time.
-- Jocelyn Murphy