Review Preview: "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940"

Here you go, fresh and fun, just as I promised,.

Theater review
If you want to go:
What: “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940”
When: through Dec. 9
Where: Bickford Theatre, Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morris Township
How much: $30l $27 members, $15 students
Info: (973) 971-3706; www.morrismuseum.org

By WILLIAM WESTHOVEN
Staff Writer
With variations of “A Christmas Carol” as common as sidewalk Santas this time of year, the stage door is wide open for counterprogramming. The folks at the Bickford Theatre not only have found a way to avoid what everyone else is doing, they’re doing almost everything else with a single show.
Slapstick comedy, satire, mystery, murder, romance and even a little music make “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” something of a buffet for humbugs who have had their fill of Tiny Tim. By the time it’s over, you can even cheer a victory over the Nazis.
Even better, John Bishop’s lively tribute to the golden age of pulp cinema is so rarely seen that most people can enjoy the whodunit portion of the show, which often is a problem with the recycled choices made by other revival houses.
Artistic director Eric Hafen has a knack for finding out-of-circulation mysteries such as “Dead Certain” and “Catch Me if You Can,” both produced here in recent years. Now, he delivers another refreshing mystery, although he’s turned the director’s chair over to Deirdre Yates, who has earned raves for past productions with the Women’s Theater Company and the Celtic Theatre Company, and she’s done another good job with this tricky show.
Patrons also will be hard-pressed to find a weak link among the 10-member cast (five Equity professionals), one of the larger and more talented ensembles the Bickford has recruited in years.
They assemble at the elegant Westchester County estate of Elsa Von Grossenkneuten (Angela Della Ventura), a wealthy patron of the theater. A big-shot producer, Ken De La Maize (Bill Timoney), has organized a backer’s audition of his latest show. The writers, Roger (John Correll) and Bernice (Georgette Reilly Timoney) and the hired cast arrive just as a blizzard conveniently snows them in.
This troubles Roger, who notes the creative team is the same as a fated production shut down by the unsolved serial murders of three showgirls. But there’s no coincidence: Elsa is working with a police detective (Shaka Malik) to trap the killer.
The masked murderer, however, is one step ahead of everyone. He commits his first murder within seconds of the opening curtain, and the body count rises as quickly as Bernice’s blood-alcohol level.
Everyone’s a suspect, from the German maid, Helsa (Ruth Darey) who may also be a victim, to the sultry actress, Nikki (Diana Cherkas), who clearly has fudged her resume. The actors, meanwhile, are eyeing the ladies. Eddie (Chris Barber), a bad comedian just hoping for a job, adds Nikki to his wish list, while hunky Irishman Patrick (Christopher Yates) is focused on Helsa.
Scenic designer Jim Bazewicz is another key member of the production. His expansive drawing-room set, framed by tall walls of rich, paneled wood, is as attractive as it is functional. Hidden doors, spinning bookcases and false fireplaces allow the murderer easy ingress and egress to and from his prey.
Costume designer Fran Harrison also gets to take a bow the authentic 1940s fashions that add to the considerable visual appeal of this spirited romp.
Of course, a comedy can’t settle for merely looking good, leaving most of the responsibility to the cast to pull off this complex caper. But Yates has her crew well-prepared and hitting all of their marks, no easy feat as the potential victims scurry from one hidden passage to another in search of their hunter.
Some of the jokes fall victim to the pace, as some punchlines are lost in the confusion. But there’s plenty of humor to go around and the opening-night audience certainly got its share of laughs.
Barber generated most of the snickers, channeling Bob Hope as the jittery comic who somehow summons the courage to fight back and win the gal. Georgette Reilly Timoney is a lovely lush, while Correll gets the best of Bishop’s pen as the jaded music writer.
Fresh and fun are two words not often associated with 20-year-old comedy, but here they, just in time for the holidays. What better time of year to indulge yourself?