Deathtrap

By Ira Levin

Directed by Harry Friedman

Produced by MainStage Irving-Las Colinas and Evelyn G. Hall

Audience Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission

Accessible Seating: Available

Hearing Devices: Available

Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available

ASL Showing: Not Available

Production Sound Level: Comfortable volume, some parts may be loud for certain patrons

Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: High pitched sounds, screaming, appearance of murder and death, flashing lights, sudden lights and sound changes.

Reviewed by Natalie Shaw

Jealousy and greed are driving forces in many stories that we read and see throughout history. Together these two themes have driven plots found in the earliest narratives of ancient and modern times. As a young child, we saw these elements in stories like Snow White, Cinderella, and The Lion King. We grew older and read about them in Greek Mythology and in plays such as Julius Caesar, Macbeth, The Crucible, and novels like The Great Gatsby. Jealousy and greed make for excellently scandalous drama! We simply can't get enough of it! Season after season of reality TV shows like Love is Blind, Survivor, and The Bachelor/Bachelorette fuel our guilty pleasures --even murderous crime dramas catch our attention on a daily basis! We could say these themes are what make TV worth watching, Marvel movies worth seeing, and many plays worth witnessing!

There is nothing like a good crime drama and Deathtrap remains one of the best in the business! Unlike the detective-style whodunnits, Deathtrap's protagonist is better described as a down-on-his-luck anti-hero. Sidney Bruhl (Tim Bass) is a well-known murder mystery playwright, who is pining for the past times of his theatrical triumphs. Doubling as a writer and a professor of his craft, Sidney reconnects with a former protégé, the handsome and talented Clifford Anderson (Dominic Mangiocco,) who has written (so it seems) a masterpiece play that he's titled Deathtrap. Bass' exceptionally convincing Sidney reassures his fearfully hesitant wife, Myra Bruhl (Kim Winnubst) that killing Clifford and stealing Deathtrap for his own success is the best way to get him back in the game! After all, isn't she tired of financially supporting him? Her poor, weak heart is overworked and needs a break. Sidney proceeds with his plan, inviting Clifford to his home to "work out some kinks" on the Deathtrap script. Unable to cope with the idea of her husband becoming a murderer, Winnubst's delicate Myra does her best to detour Sidney's scheme, pressuring Clifford to collaborate and partner with Sidney as co-author for many future promising plays. Her attempt is in vain. And, moreover, her meddling is a nuisance. Speaking of a meddling nuisance, clairvoyance neighbor Helga ten Dorp, (played by the hilarious Suzanne Reeves) shoves her way into the storyline, using her ESP to continuously warn us and the other characters of the dangers that lie ahead. Danny Macchietto plays the concerned legal advisor, Porter Milgrim, who also has a certain interest in the Deathtrap script idea in circulation, with a momentary forgetfulness to stay in his lane, which may cost him his life.

Director Harry Friedman impressively crafts this epic tale with a sensational cast and creative team! Tim Bass captures an exhilarating realism and charismatic vitality in Sidney Bruhl, that has us hooked from the word go! Dominic Mangioccco plays the dominant upper hand with a vigorously youthful Clifford Anderson, who is slightly more clever and cerebral than his aging counterpart. Kim Winnubst's Myra Bruhl is gracefully timid, but cautiously outspoken, being careful not to rock the boat too much in her interfering.

Set in the 1970s, Deathtrap takes place in Westport Connecticut at Sidney's at-home work studio, which boasts wall-to-wall weaponry props (designed by Meredith Butterfield) from his past mystery thriller productions. Set designer Dave Tenney and Master Carpenter Ellie Wyatt provide a functional and attractive set design with felt-covered hunter green walls, traditional wood floors and beautifully suspended wooden beams above the stage, which is such a lovely touch to the overall design. Effective and creative sound design is provided by Rich Frolich, and Hank Baldree's lighting design is a masterpiece to behold in and of itself, with fireplace flames that efficiently "burn" through stacks of paper and dramatically enhance murder scenes with blood-red hues in a darkened backdrop. Fight choreography by David Saldivar is both refreshingly realistic and safe for the actors. Appropriate costumes, circa 1970s is provided by Michael A. Robinson/Dallas Costume Shoppe. Sound/Light cues, set changes and costume changes go off without a hitch under Cathy Parks Bardin.

Deathtrap is exhilarating-- a chilling heart-stopper, full of twists and turns that you'll never see coming! Get your tickets to this epic thriller at mainstageirving.com before it's too late!

Until Next Time,

Natalie

You can read more about Deathtrap in the Extended Review on the DTJ Patreon page!