Marriage is Murder
presented by Rising Star Productions
The Butlers Did It ~ Review by Ed Phillips
January 16, 2009
A small but enthusiastic audience enjoyed the Jan. 16 opening performance of Marriage is Murder at the Kelso High School auditorium. The comedy by Nick Hall follows the basic Neil Simon formula - clever, cutting repartee among the protagonists, in this case between the protagonists, as there are only two actors.
In this play the odd couple is a recently divorced pair of moderately successful, middle aged, hack mystery writers. Their one success is a short series of Charlotte Hayakawa (a.k.a. Miss Charlie) mysteries. In this case the total (the Butlers) is greater than the sum of the parts (Polly and Paul). As independent writers neither have had much success. She has putatively sold one script and he has perfected the martini sans olive.
She is orderly and disciplined; he is slovenly but creative and engaged in writing an unfinished novel mirroring their previous existence together. Their creative skills are obviously complementary and between them lie the possibility of one more mystery novel and possible movie scripts and a television series. Their working technique involves acting out the possible methods of murder and the play's hook is how much they mutually desire the enactment to be the real thing as they work through the pain of their divorce.
Thus ensues a giant game of "gotcha" as each serves up surprise methods of homicide.
This plot has them reuniting (she from California) in their former apartment in Manhattan now solely occupied by him. (The set is too spare, given that it is an apartment they occupied for a number of years.) They rehash their relationship as they work though plot devices for their new mystery. Much of the dialogue is very clever and quite humorous. It is the basic sit com formula (zingers galore) and, for the most part, works well. No need to dwell on logic or coherence, go with the gags. As a variation on The Odd Couple it works well. The play is an audience pleaser and has a very funny third act featuring family friendly bondage. The play's arc is predictable but the path to the conclusion is sufficiently strewn with plot devices to remain constantly enjoyable.
I only have one complaint with the play and that is the connection among the protagonists. Their emotional connection is not obvious. It's not clear whether they were ever romantically involved or just connected as a matter of convenience; more of a business connection than a love connection. Modern romance, I hope not.
Steve Thorp as Paul Butler is outstanding. He milks every ounce of Paul's humanity from the script and is very funny, to boot. He is one of the community's better talents.
Jeanne Meyers as Polly gives a cool reading to the role. That said, she is outstanding in her physical comedy in the third act. It is the high point of the play.
The play is good, clean, family friendly, homicidal fun. Bravo to Rising Star Productions!
I like the venue at Kelso High School. The auditorium is not large, hence preserves the intimacy necessary for the play and the seats are comfortable, no small asset to the play goers.
Marriage is Murder provides the family with an excellent beyond Disney opportunity over the next couple of weekends.
