Its reason for being is mystery, and those who did not see “Rehearsal for Murder” on television will be delighted with the surprising denouement. The piece is one of those “Oh, he did it, ah, no, so he did it” double whammies, during which the audience learns that the real killer is not the only one who’s been led down the primrose path.
Delicious stuff, this: Playwright Alex Dennison (producing director Robert Smyth, who also directs) has gathered together the company of his most recent flop, “Chamber Music,” which opened a year ago. Following the inauspicious premiere’s final curtain, Monica Welles, Dennison’s leading lady and fiancée (Deborah Gilmour Smyth), was an apparent suicide, at least according to the police. Convinced that Monica would never kill herself, Dennison writes a script titled “Killing Jessica,” in which those who were involved in “Chamber Music” are the major suspects. One by one they are forced to confront their possible culpability. Most are angry, to say the least.
They are director Lloyd Andrews (Doren Elias), producer Bella Lamb (K.B. Mercer,) ingénue Karen Daniels (Colleen Kollar), juvenile Larry Gibbs (Jon Lorenz), and leading man Allan Matthews (David Cochran Heath). Also present are Ernie the stage manager (Patrick J. Duffy), Dennison’s new assistant (Season Duffy), and a man (Mike Sears) that Dennison conceals in the empty theater to make sure no one leaves. Also in the company of “Rehearsal for Murder” is Jim Chovick as the Detective who originally investigates the apparent suicide.
With the exception of Sears, who makes his company debut, all the actors are Lamb’s Players veterans. The play itself, adapted from Richard Levinson and William Link’s teleplay by D.D. Brooks, is a bit of elegant fluff elegantly done. Ensemble work is one of Lamb’s Players’ fortes, and this is a prime example. As always, Jeanne Reith’s costumes, especially on K.B. Mercer, are an eyeful. Nate Parde’s lighting, particularly the playwright’s initial light board testing, is an amazing example of the theatrical art. Mention must be made of Deborah Gilmour Smyth’s original piano music enhanced by Duffy’s sound design.
There is no scenic design credit because there is no scenic design. The action takes place inside Lamb’s Players’ bare, black stage, concrete stage house. The practical stage doors ” center for loading and up left for people’s egress to the street ” bring reality and humor to the finely conceived and staged work. After all the others leave, Robert Smyth’s brief, final scene speaks poignantly to the silence.
“Rehearsal for Murder” continues through May 21 at Lamb’s Player’s Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. Curtain takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $24-$44 and may be purchased at www.lambsplayers.org or by calling (619) 437-0600.
