By VANESSA SKILDUM
The Beloit Civic Theatre (BCT) held its opening performances of its current show, “Dial M for Murder,” in the Elizabeth Reinholz Theatre this past weekend. The show is a murder mystery involving love letters, money, blackmail, plots, and, of course, murder. It is a new version of a 1952 murder mystery written by Frederick Knott, with the latest adaptation by Jefferey Hatcher.
It takes place in London when an author, Maxine, drops by her former lover Margot’s flat while promoting her new murder mystery. During the interaction, Maxine finds out Margot is being blackmailed for a letter Maxine sent to Margot after their affair ended, which went missing. Margot is sure that Tony, her husband, has no idea about the affair, but he knows everything and is plotting to murder her. He unveils his year-long plot in the making for a perfect murder, but it all goes wrong when Margot kills the man he hired in self-defense, sending his perfect plan spiraling into unexpected territory.
This was my first time attending a BCT show, so I had no expectations, but the cast delivered an excellent performance. Melayna Berkman played Margot Wendice, and her mannerisms throughout were spot on. When her character was nervous, she fiddled with her hands and paced slightly. I also enjoyed her British accent; it didn’t slide in and out like some other cast members, but it was consistent throughout.
The show used real props, including the liquid they drank, a bucket of ice to make drinks, and even cigarettes. Anastasia Johnston played Maxine, the lover, and she even made some smoke rings during the opening scene, which was quite the talk during intermission among viewers.
An audience member, Morgan Rasmussen, was quite impressed with the overall performance: “I think the cast did amazing, from the chemistry between Margot and Maxine’s characters to Mr. Wendice’s malicious intent. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to guess how it would unfold.”
Jeremy Ramsey played Lesgate, a man with many names and just as many murders on his conscience. He was hired to kill Berkman’s character, and both actors displayed an impressive performance during the murder attempt. Both characters tumbled onto a desk as Ramsey tried to strangle Berkman, but instead ended up getting stabbed with scissors in the neck instead, a wound that would cause his death.
Donna Balsley and Mary Mowers brought the characters to life as the costume department. Maxine’s outfits were my favorite. Her blue dress and the hat accessory epitomized excellence, but when she wore her white suit, it made her stage presence even more powerful. Maxine’s first outfit was a bit rough, I must admit, mainly due to a belt that was quite shiny and reflected the stage lights back at the audience; while it was correct for the time the play was taking place, the 1950s, it didn’t quite work for the stage. Inspector Hubbard, played by Rod McFall, had a simple yet elegant costume, and he wore a very put-together suit with a pocket watch and chain. It was what I always imagined Sherlock Holmes wearing.
According to the BCT’s website, its mission “is to provide high-quality theatre for area audiences at an affordable price.” I would say they did just that. There were technical difficulties, such as the lights being late to turn on and some microphones being too quiet or not turning on for some scenes. Johnson’s mic experienced these difficulties, but she took it in stride, projecting her voice so that the audience members, even those towards the back, where I was, could hear her lines.
The play lasted about two hours, with a twelve-minute intermission between the acts. It was fast-paced, and no part particularly dragged, making it a great way to spend an evening. Tickets cost $10 at the door and shows run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Feb. 8. You can find more information about times and future shows on BCT’s website.
Featured Image: Dial M for Murder poster; Beloit Civic Theatre
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