'Dial' Cast turns in good performances

Battle Creek Enquirer
June 3, 2005
By Christopher Tower

"Dial M For Murder" is not supposed to be funny. The murder-mystery penned by Frederick Knott and immortalized in the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly is the story of a jealous husband plotting to kill his wife.

And, though Knott wrote in some whimsical dialogue, the big laughs at the Barn Theatre's opening production of its 60th season Tuesday night came in places the actors did not expect.

These laughs were not the product of the play's poor quality. On the contrary, director Dusty Reeds and her impeccable cast and crew ratchet up the suspense to the breaking point, and the audience expels its nervous tension with laughter. People seemed genuinely amused by the breakdown of the husband's fiendish plot to have his wife killed. Feeling included in the joke that Murphy's Law dictates the failures of the best laid plans, the audience roared with delight.

The performers generate some laughs with their performances but not nearly as robust as those brought on by mishaps of the criminal mastermind's murder plot. Barn veteran Dick Fuchs returns to the Augusta stage with Peter Falk's Columbo version of Inspector Hubbard to the great pleasure of the packed house.

But, witty repartee between ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Joe Aiello), his wife Margot (Mary Mulligan), and her former lover and American TV crime writer Max Halliday (Eric Parker), generate only chuckles compared to the boisterous guffaws at the miscalculations of Tony Wendice's plans to "hire" Captain Lesgate (Howard McBride) to kill his wife.

Acting talent and deliberate pacing by director Reeds make this show an enthralling night of theater.

Though the show runs just more than 2-1/2 hours and starts a little sluggishly, soon the time flies by as the story gains momentum, and Tony Wendice must improvise to deal with the unforeseen consequences of his murder scheme. Patrons who considered themselves amateur sleuths will enjoy trying to match wits with Tony Wendice and predict the mistake that will find him out.

This production also celebrates much that's new at the Barn. Mary Mulligan makes her debut. Well known to Chicago and Wisconsin audiences, Mulligan appeared in the film "Road to Perdition." She proves herself with a performance of great intensity and measured excellence.

On opening night, producer Brendan Ragotzy and crew unveiled a new roof to the historical theater. Constructed much the same as the hull of a ship, the Barn Theatre is a unique structure, on of only a few such barns in the state. So far, there have been no sightings of Barnie the Bat since the remodeling.

Also, a new season brings a new company to Augusta and a new series of musical revues in the Rehearsal Shed Lounge following the main stage production. Highlights of this show feature promotions of new menu items with hilarious riffs on recognizable songs - be prepared for a "cheesy" Village People number - and previews of upcoming musicals.

As always, the Barn Theatre provides some of the best theatrical entertainment in the Midwest and judging by the sold-out house on Tuesday, this is no secret.

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