Brandon Whitehead, Aimee Doherty, and Drew Anthony Allen perform a scene in Dial M for Murder
By Frank O’Donnell
In this day of CSI and NCIS and Criminal Intent, it’s hard to imagine or recall a time when criminal investigations weren’t scientific at all.
“Dial M for Murder” remembers. London in the early 1950s is the setting for the latest offering at Ocean State Theatre Company. Margot (Aimee Doherty) entertains Max (Bill Mootos), her television writer friend from the United States. It quickly becomes clear that they’ve had an affair, one which Margot regrets.
She’s learned that she loves her husband, Tony (Drew Anthony Allen), and really wants to make her life with him a good one. Just one problem: someone knows about Margot and Max’s affair, and has been blackmailing Margot.
Enter Tony, who seems content in knowing that Max is an old acquaintance of Margot’s and nothing more. As he draws Max into a conversation about committing the perfect crime – Max cranks out a murder mystery 52 times each year for television, after all – it’s evident that Tony has an ulterior motive.
There’s never any doubt who the criminal is – we get to watch the hatching of the plot. The mystery is in figuring out what mistake the murderer made, and how it’s going to be discovered.
“Dial M for Murder” is a definite period piece, harkening back to times when the only form of electronic communication was a rotary telephone landline. In the show, it becomes an accomplice to murder. The show moves at a slow and steady pace, allowing the petals of the mystery to unfold instead of bursting open.
There are some fine performances here, but most notable is Brandon Whitehead as Inspector Hubbard. A large bumbling presence, he’s part Columbo, part Sherlock Holmes. Watching him plod through the clues and piece things together is delightful.
It’s refreshing to watch brain power win out, without the advantage of science.
“Dial M for Murder” is a fun escape, a nice mix of murder, mayhem, blackmail, scandal and more.
And take a tip: don’t get up right at intermission. If you do, you’ll miss the removal of the victim’s body – a delightful little vignette including ransacking Bobbies and a good old-fashioned stretcher, according to our rowmate when we returned.
[“Dial M for Murder” runs through Sunday at Ocean State Theatre on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. Call 401.921.6800 or visit www.oceanstatetheatre.org for tickets and information.]
