By Harry Duke
Reviewing a mystery/thriller is always a challenge. One wants to leave a play’s twists and turns for the audience to discover on their own, but in evaluating the play one can’t but help give a bit away. This is my way of saying this entire review should be prefaced with a “spoiler alert.”
The readers have been so notified.
Ira Levin’s Deathtrap is Broadway’s longest running comedy/thriller. It debuted in 1978 and ran for four years. A film adaptation starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve followed in 1982. Its small cast and single set have made it a popular choice over the years for community and regional theaters. Healdsburg’s Raven Players have a production running at the Raven Performing Arts Theater through Oct. 27.
Poor Sidney Bruhl (Craig Peoples). It’s been 18 years since the playwright has had anything close to a hit after the smashing success of his comedy/thriller, The Murder Game. He’s been reduced to giving writing seminars and living off of the largesse of his well-to-do wife, Myra (Elizabeth Henry).
He’s contacted one day by Clifford Anderson (Christopher Johnston), an attendee at one of Sidney’s recent seminars and an aspiring playwright. Anderson’s written a play and wants Sidney’s thoughts. Sidney thinks it’s a guaranteed hit, and one that he would kill to have written. Myra encourages Sidnett to invite Clifford over in the hopes of them collaborating. Much to Myra’s consternation, Sidney starts to conjure up a plan to get his hands on the play that involves getting his hands on Clifford’s throat. But he’s only kidding.
Clifford arrives and the three settle in Sidney’s study. The walls of the study are covered in a variety of weapons, from guns and knives to battle axes and broadswords, as well as a collection of handcuffs. In no time at all, Sidney puts one of the items to use and the collaboration is over.
After disposing of Clifford’s body, Sidney and Myra’s discussion of what just happened is interrupted by visiting psychic Helga ten Dorp (Diane Bailey). She’s had visions of terrible pain emanating from the Bruhl’s home and has come to warn them. After Helga’s departure, Sidney and Myra prepare for bed and …
If you think I’ve given too much away at this point, believe me, I haven’t. There are about a half-dozen more twists and turns that I’ll endeavor not to reveal.
Director Steven David Martin has a solid cast at work here. Craig Peoples does well as the beaten-down Bruhl, but he needs to raise the stakes for the character as the plot untwists. The same goes for Johnston’s Clifford. Henry might be Sonoma County’s new scream queen, as she’s required to do a lot of that in this show, and she does it well. Bailey is fun as the flamboyant Dutch psychic whose premonitions are slightly off, but close enough to cause the characters some concern.
Set designer Julie-Raven Smart puts the expansive Raven stage to good use, and production manager Beneicka Brown did an excellent job of acquiring the menacing wall-mounted props. Dan Spears’ lighting is effective, from the cavernous theater bathed blood-red pre-show to the climactic lightning storm.
Typewriters, landlines and references to Merv Griffin may date the show a bit and there’s a lot of “inside” theaterspeak, but Deathtrap remains an effective stage thriller. The Raven Players have mounted a solid production that’s a good choice for theatergoers looking for Halloween-season entertainment.
‘Deathtrap’ runs through Oct. 27 at the Raven Performing Arts Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg. Thu–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $10–$25. (707) 433-6335. raventheater.org
