Murder for Two played two sold-out seasons last year in Sydney’s Hayes Theatre so its arrival to Melbourne already comes with a whiff of success. Both indulging in and mocking the familiar tropes of the mystery genre, this production is a veritable showcase for the musical comedy duo who rock the Cluedo-like set-up with indefatigable energy and charm.
Witness: the writer dead in the drawing room of a mansion, but whodunnit and whydunnit?
In this cosy, tastefully-furnished room surrounded by walls of leather-bound volumes, heavy drapes and a blue chaise longue, a man lies bleeding, shot in the forehead with a carpet of books around him. He was the famous crime novelist, Arthur Whitney, and it was supposed to be his surprise birthday party. The scene is set for a typical closed-room murder mystery as Gabbi Bolt and Maverick Newman reprise their roles, with Bolt as the ambitious police office Marcus Moscowicz, hoping to close this case within an hour (with silent partner Lou) and thus ultimately climb the ranks to detective, and Newman playing a dozen other people, including the motley crew of suspects.
This is not a new play, but one that was first performed in the US in 2011, with a clever meta-narrative book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian that has a touch of the Agatha Christie about it. At any rate, the universality of the crime genre makes its export to Australian shores an easy translation.
Not only is Murder for Two rollicking good fun, but it’s also ridiculous and hilarious.
When this reviewer attended, the small Fairfax theatre in the Arts Centre erupted in all manner of mirth – from titters and giggles to full-throated guffaws.
Newman is particularly funny, as he goes through his paces at transforming from one unlikely character to another. All jostle for attention.
His elastic limbs, contorted facial impressions and wonky-sharp range of accents are on point. Just a pinched face and pout turns him into a haughty ballerina. Crouched over into a hunchback form accompanied by a vaguely Germanic accent and he’s a psychiatrist unfazed about client confidentially, while shuffling around on kneecaps with a squeaky unbroken voice transforms him into a boy scout.
The highly individualised characters are enacted with exaggerated glee. There are no costume or wig changes; Newman wears a scarlet silk shirt and tan trousers throughout. Via body language and voice alone he manages to convince us that he’s playing one or the other of the author’s frenemies. Though there are only two actors, it feels as though the stage is populated by a whirligig of dozens.
Meanwhile, playing the “straight man” Bolt, in a more demure blue shirt and waistcoat, anchors the performance and riffs off Newman’s dedicated silliness with a disarming earnestness. Naturally Officer Moscowicz has a tragic backstory that’s aired to great hilarity. With a heart full of lost love and a voice big enough to sing about it, Bolt holds her own.
Under Richard Carroll’s direction, Newman and Bolt make full use of the small stage, darting about, coming in and out of doors, singing and dancing and – is there no end to their talent? – also playing piano, as a solo or duet. These musical numbers are not just stand-alone entertainment pieces to break up the tension of mystery-solving but interwoven into the plot. The pair bounce off one another, impeccable in their comic timing and physical comedy; their synchronicity is pleasing to the eye and to the ear.
The actors are undergirded by a strong narrative that plays with all the classic mystery elements, including red herring characters, false endings and fake confessors, last-minute saviours and truly unexpected twists (watch out for a truly inspired audience participation moment).
Read: Music review: Silence & Rapture, Adelaide Town Hall
Murder for two succeeds in being both homage and parody. The pace is relentless as everything is wrapped up within a short, sharp 100 minutes, sans interval.
This musical theatre may start with a bang, but there are no whimpers by its end. A joyous, raucous standing ovation was the reception on opening night.
Arts Centre Melbourne and Hayes Theatre Co present
Murder for Two
Book: Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian
Lyrics: Kellen Blair
Music: Joe Kinosian
Director: Richard Carroll
Musical Supervisor: Damon Wade
Choreographer: Shannon Burns
Set and Costume Designer: Keerthi Subramanyam
Lighting Designer: Priyanka Martin
Sound Designer: Daniel Herten
Stage Manager: Anastasia Mowen
Dialect Coach: Linda Nicholls-Gidley
Cast: Gabbi Bolt and Maverick Newman
Tickets: $49-$69
Murder for Two will be performing until 25 August 2024
