Stone Cold Murder
Rover Dramawerks
Reviewed by David Ellivloc
I’ve traveled a lot and I love it! Sometimes, to busy crowded cities and,
sometimes, to quiet lonely villages, both of which can be quite wonderful. But there are times when the village is more
lonely than quiet and the quiet becomes quite eerie. Such is the situation in Stone Cold
Murder, which takes place at a small hotel nestled among the mountains
of Britain, so remote that it’s mostly frequented by hikers. In fact, as the hotel is now closed for the
Winter, no guests are in residence and none are expected at the hotel run by
the relative newlyweds Olivia and Robert, played respectively by Katie
Macune and Trevor Smith. Macune
and Smith are quite believable as a loving young couple married only six
of the entire seven months that they’ve known each other. Both love and awkwardness are obvious, as Macune’s
Olivia struggles to share more of her painful past with Smith’s Robert,
who is frustrated and struggling to remain patient.
As the couple settles in for a warm night alone in front of
the fire, there’s a startling knock at the door. It’s Ramsey, played by Russell Sims,
a lone Scots hiker who says he’s been caught by surprise by the sudden Winter
storm and asks to stay the night. Sims’
Ramsey seems oddly fascinated with Olivia, all the while subtly
challenging Robert. The tension
builds as Sims, Macune and Smith all believably try to puzzle
out each other. Yet before they can
resolve anything, another stranger bursts into the hotel as Luke Georgecink’s
sexy creepy bad boy Sam arrives with a burst of cold Winter wind and
menace.
A special shout out to the cast, and their Dialect Coach, Tony
Magee, for getting the varied accents right. Also, kudos to Ms. Macune, who is
showing her range in this production after playing the hugely different and
flamboyant Irene Livingston in ACT’s recent Light Up
The Sky.
Rover Dramawerks’ Stone Cold Murder, as
directed by Carol Rice, is a coldly creepy “Who’s gonna do it?” full of
secrets and surprises that you’re sure to enjoy. Go and you’ll be glad you took the trip to
this lonely hikers’ hotel!
Accessible seating: Yes
Hearing Devices Available: No
Sensory Friendly Showing: No
Audience Rating: PG-13 due to violence and sexual
references and innuendo
Production Sound Level: Comfortable
Noises and Visuals to Know About: Yes, there are gunshots
and violence
See you at the theater!
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