Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Welcome back to the 1930’s in Renaissance City Theatre Inc.’s opening show of their 19th season, “The Game’s Afoot” by Ken Ludwig. Ludwig sets this show at Christmas time in December 1936. The Broadway star William Gillette is playing Sherlock Holmes and is shot at during a performance. A couple of weeks later he invites his longtime friend, Felix, his wife Madge, newlyweds Simon and Aggie as well as his mother, Martha and an unwelcome guest gossip columnist, Daria. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the merriment begins when Gillette tries to find out who did the crime. Who did it? Are there more then one suspects? When an inspector shows up in Act 2, everyone soon becomes a suspect in the crimes. Vincent Lupino directs this whodunnit comic romp wonderfully with its clever twists and turns in this well written script. He obtains hilarious performances from one and all.
Lupino provides his cast with wacky antics and shtick with wonderfully timed entrances and exits as well as topnotch line delivery. Marcus J. Fisk tackles the role of Gillette and delivers a tour de force performance while doing so. Gillette has been attacked after a performance but when one of the guests is bumped off becomes the moment he switches into high gear to find out who did the crime. He commands the stage in this role. Judy George is a hoot as the befuddled mother who might know more then you think she does. Her antics are priceless.
Marc Vakassian and Lee Rush as Felix and Madge deliver strong performances as the best friends of Gillette. Their argument scenes are funny. Marc and Marcus’ trying to hide a dead body continually is worth the price of admission. Warren Usey has many one liners as Simon Bright who is a newlywed party guest. Chelsea Ordner as Aggie also delivers a strong performance as this young actress who with the others has some hidden secrets in her past. The most unwelcome guest at this gathering is Paula Glen as the bitchy critic Daria Chase. She has written deplorable things about everyone in attendance and threatens each one of them. Paula is splendid in this role. In Act 2 Karen Kessler as Inspector Goring takes over the reigns of the investigation. She has many funny antics while investigating the crime and explains she also wanted to be an actress in her younger days. Lupino and his talented cast provide a splendid opening show for the audience to savor and enjoy from start to finish. Renaissance City Theatre Inc. is the producing entity at the Granite Theatre and what a fabulous way to start their 19th season in Westerly.
THE GAME’S AFOOT (22 March to 7 April)
Renaissance City Theatre Inc., Granite Theatre, 1 Granite St, Westerly, RI
1(401)596-2341 or www.granitetheatre.com
