Whodunnit? The Butler, of course!
It might seem unfair to assume that the poor butler is always the culprit in the 30s-style murder mysteries we love so much. But in the play-within-a-play comedy The Butler Did It, premiering soon at the Studio Theatre, the butler is the obvious suspect. Why? Because all the characters have the same last name — Butler!
Described as the Off-Broadway equivalent of Deathtrap, The Butler Did It, written by Walter Marks and Peter Marks, is a diabolically clever comedy thriller that mixes murder and mayhem, laughter and chills in the glittering world of the theatre.
The scene is set where Anthony J. Lefcourt, writer and director, is rehearsing his newest work, a classic “whodunit” (in which, as mentioned, all the characters either play a butler or are named Butler) hoping to regain his former glory as a playwright. Desperately eager to spur his cast on to great performances, he “stages” the murder of one of the actresses, after which the plot begins to twist and turn with such dazzling ingenuity—and hilarity—that soon actors and audience alike have lost track of what is real and what is make-believe. Finally, a surprise ending sets matters straight in a most bizarre and ironic way. It’s a “genuinely amusing burlesque of those good old ’30s movie thrillers in which the killer is unmasked in the final moments” (NY Daily News) and just the sort of light-hearted fare that makes for great summer entertainment.
The Butler Did It is directed by theatre veteran Patricia Parry (who helmed last December’s successful The Wonderful Story of Mother Goose) and stars Paul Roach as the Director, Anthony J. Lefcourt; Norman MacDonnell as Mr. Butler (and Robert Lattimore); Julie Heney as Mrs. Butler (and Angela Simpson); Satinka Schilling as Vickie Butler (and Claudia Barnes); Charles Henderson as Aldo, the Butler, (and Michael Severino); and Garry Welch as Detective Mumford (and Sam Farber).
The show premieres Thursday July 3rd and continues July 4, 5, 11 & 12 at 8:00 pm, and July 6 & 13 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $22 (cash; exact change if possible) at The Book Nook, 60 Gore Street E., and at Tickets Please, 39 Foster Street, (613) 485-6434, www.ticketsplease.ca which accepts credit card and phone orders (a convenience fee applies). Tickets at the door are $24, and students with ID pay just $10 at the door on show night.
The laughs continue in August with the Studio Theatre’s second great summer show, Oscar Wilde’s classic social satire An Ideal Husband, premiering August 14th for 8 performances. And when you purchase tickets for both The Butler Did It and An Ideal Husband you’ll pay just $40 for both shows. For details, dates and show times be sure to visit studiotheatreperth.com.
