Theater Review - Dial "M" for Murder

Dial "M" for Murder

Written by Frederick Knott

Directed by Steve Tague

Where: Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts

(University of Delaware, Newark, DE)

When:  Sunday, March 21, 2pm

Photo by the REP

Several years ago on this blog, I completed a quest to watch all of Alfred Hitchcock's talking pictures.  During this Hitchcock Fest, I naturally reviewed the thriller Dial M for Murder, a film that I thought I had enjoyed in prior years, but found disappointing when watching the flick for the fest.  So, admittedly, I was hesitant heading into the University of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players' production of playwright Frederick Knott's 1952 play Dial "M" for Murder on which Hitchcock's film is based.  In my Hitchcock Fest review, I mention that the film is too talky, feeling almost as if I was watching a play rather than a cinematic experience.  However, rather pleasantly, what doesn't work in the film works incredibly well onstage.  Director Steve Tague plays up the 1950s melodrama and even injects a cinematic-type musical score by Lindsay Jones which while initially a little off-putting ends up elevating the tension and excitement of the large amount of expository verbiage which works on the stage much better than it did on the screen.

Dial "M" for Murder isn't really a whodunit.  Right from the opening act we know that the suave, yet smarmy ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (REP's Michael Gotch) is planning to murder his rich wife Margot (REP's Elizabeth Heflin) in order to gain her inheritance.  The question the play poses is can he succeed and get away with it.  To assist him with the perfect murder, the devious Tony convinces former classmate Lesgate (REP's Mic Matarrese) to commit the act which ultimately takes a bit of an unexpected turn.  Two people -- a police inspector named Hubbard (REP's Stephen Pelinski) and Margot's former lover and television crime series writer Max (REP's Lee Ernst) -- suspect Tony's nefarious nature, but they may not be able to prevent a heinous act from occurring.  

The quintet of REP actors are all pros and they all sink right into their roles with ease.  Ms. Heflin is always a joy to watch, displaying an elegant charm reminiscent of Grace Kelly in the film, but carrying an aire of maturity and gravitas that I don't recall in Hitchcock's piece.  Kudos must also be doled out to Michael Gotch whose debonair looks mask a hideous and manipulative mastermind who proves to be a joy to watch.  Gotch turns from easygoing rich elite to underhanded deviance in mere seconds and seeing his nefarious machinations unfold onstage was a true treat.

As mentioned, director Steve Tague does a great job creating a tension-filled atmosphere particularly considering that this play is quite a talky one.  There's a lot of dialog and surprisingly little action, but Tague is able to take the script and make this an edge-of-your-seat adventure peppered with bits of humor and romance throughout.  While this doesn't quite reach the levels of the REP's fantastic Wait Until Dark two seasons ago, Dial "M" for Murder comes awfully close with all aspects of the production -- the costumes by Andrea Barrier, the set by Stefanie Hansen, and particularly the lighting by Matthew Richards -- adding to the fantastic 150 minutes that is currently unfolding onstage in Newark, Delaware.