Art of Murder - Seven Angels Theatre

There are three essential ingredients for a murder mystery to work on stage:

1. The believability factor
2. The understandability of the plot
3. Some twists and turns

The Art of Murder, playing at Seven Angels in Waterbury through November 30, contains all three, making it a diabolically entertaining show.  It’s not a whodunnit, but a whydunit.  Playwright Joe DiPietro - Broadway (Nice Work If You Can Get It – book, Memphis - book and lyrics), Off-Broadway (The Toxic Avenger - book and lyrics; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - book and lyrics) – has infused the show with comedy and drama, which allows for a more relaxing theatrical experience.

 

Without giving away much of the intrigue, the action takes place in the living room of a quaint Litchfield County home, impeccably rendered by Scenic Designer Kimberly Jackson.  An appealing detail by Ms. Jackson is the inclusion of paintings from the Mattatuck Museum that decorate the walls.  Uber artist, Jack Brooks, an arrogant, ego-centric painter, resides in the abode with his wife, Annie, an artist in her own right, and live-in maid, Kate.  A visit by Jack’s New York City art dealer, Vincent, is the catalyst for, as the saying goes, the plot to thicken. 

 

The strength of Art of Murder is the number of deceptions and artful trickery permeating the script.  Just when you think the play will tilt one way, it takes a sharp 180-degree turn.

 

Director Travis Kendrick-Castanho keeps the constantly changing machinations at a well-paced tempo.  His decision to have of Jack (Constantine Pappas) and Vincent (Tom Simonetti) play their roles in a more over-the-top manner enlivens the production.  He incorporates Charles O’Connor’s Lighting Design and his own Sound Design to effectively add a spine-tingling jolt to the show.

 

The cast is game for whatever comes their way.  Charlene Hong-White is suitably deceptive as Annie, delectably imbuing her character with both submissiveness and strength.  Tom Simonetti is delightfully bombastic, providing vitality and comedic affectations as Vincent.  Gemma Berg, in the underwritten role of Kate is, nonetheless, an integral part of the thriller. Constantine Pappas, the Artistic Director of Seven Angels, deserves a special nod in the role of Jack, having to step in at the last minute to replace the actor Reid Sinclair, who was ill.  Even with script-in-hand, Pappas was able to portray the self-important artist with vivacity and zeal.

 

There are just a few performances remaining of Art of Murder, playing at Seven Angels through November 30.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.