Comedy – an intuitive perspective

A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder! could also be called the Land of a Thousand costumes. This boisterous comedic musical runs across Turn of The 20th Century England landscape and cultural environs. And with four named characters who appear in any number of situations and an ensemble who play multiple roles and at times act as a Greek Chorus, costumes abound. And that doesn’t even include the D’Ysquith Family! More on them later. But my sincerest thanks to Costume Designer: Cas Mayhall for pulling this off.

This is a highly effective send up of rom-coms, murder mysteries, musicals, English operettas, colonialism, and the British aristocracy. Not even the Earl of Highhurst can maintain his stiff upper lip. And for those of you of a certain age you might detect a tip of the hat or two to Monty Python gags.

The chorus. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

But first we meet our Greek Chorus, warning us of the mayhem and the gore that is to follow and the squeamish may want to leave now…and then a warning is sent to the first two rows…that they may be splattered with blood and such and that they may want to move back. Ignore them! This is a small intimate theater with general admission seating. Get there early to secure the front rows! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

left to right: Emily Mertens, Jonathan Riker, and Shannon Messplay. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

And now to the real story. We find Monty Navarro sitting in a jail cell waiting for the jury to decide if he is innocent or guilty of murder. Concerned that no one will understand how he came here, he is writing his ‘true’ memoir. That is the major conceit of the musical, Monty narrates a bit and then the cast plays out the story for our ears and eyes. Jonathan Riker gives us a determined but unconcerned Monty. Telling his story seems more important than his potential fate. But once we get the story underway, Riker is the main boisterous voice and is the center of attention from here on out…but Riker still plays it cool as he learns he is eighth in line to be Earl of Highhurst…a discovery brought to him by his mother’s best friend after her funeral. She had married for love and was disowned and cast out from the family. His disbelief turns to acceptance and he begins the journey of ‘joining’ the family while improving his chances to be Earl…with a bit of cleverness and steadiness that Riker playfully brings to the stage.

Jonathan Riker and Emily Mertens. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

Oh and the guide to love? Monty is in love with Sibella Hallward, a charming young lady who also happens to be in love with Monty. Emily Mertens is very effective as the sexy and flirtatious Sibella and she seems quite attached to Monty. But his low class position doesn’t suit her ambitions and she marries another gentleman with a motor car. But that doesn’t mean she and Monty are through…not by a long shot.

Shannon Messplay and Jonathan Riker. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

Shannon Messplay is the shy, coy, and cool as a cucumber Phoebe D’Ysquith. She is completely taken with Monty’s mother’s story…able to marry for love! And is equally attracted to Monty himself. And not being in line ahead of Monty for the Earldom, he too is taken with her and wholeheartedly accepts her proposal to wed. Messplay is a delight as Phoebe.

Ezra Quinn. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

And then there is The D’Ysquith Family! Every single one of them played in joyous over the top performances by Ezra Quinn! From the pastor, sister, cousin, son, father, janitor, and Earl, Quinn leaves nothing behind…having far too much fun I would hope! And Quinn is one of the reasons you want to be down in front…Quinn gets to act out one grisly death scene after another and produces some of the best laughs in the play. You don’t want to miss a single overwrought death throe!

And my congratulations to Director Kimberly Laberge for convincing this gang of talented people to play this treasure trove of misfit characters and making it all work so smoothly and without any missed bits or false steps.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder was written by Robert L. Freedman, Book and Lyrics, and Steven Lutvak, Music and Lyrics, and based on a novel by Roy Herniman. (still feeling a bit silly after attending yesterday’s matinee, I wanted to write: based on a novel by a man named Lear so so bad…if you don’t know…you can Google it)

left to right, Shannon Messplay, Jonathan Riker, and Emily Mertens. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective

Kith & Kin Theatre Collective will continue to present A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Inspiration Studios (1500 S. 73rd St, West Allis) through May 18, 2025.

More information here and ticket information here.

And Extra Credit Reading: The Playbill

A mid-play plaint from Lauren. And then Theresa and Marty assure her they are acting.

The Next Act description of Circle Mirror Transformation doesn’t quite do the play justice. Although every word in the description is true, the play that you will see when you attend transcends your expectations. And although a comedy, there is enough angst, pathos, and confusion to bring us all into an awareness of human frailties as well.

Playwright Annie Baker hasn’t given us a straight forward comedy either. Her Circle Mirror Transformation tells its story through a series of vignettes or skits delimited by black outs that represent the passage of time and allow the cast to change costume and sometimes moods or personas. Our overall setting is a community center class in acting. The action occurs over six weeks and includes a number of games or exercises performed by the five class participants and then candid interactions between class members outside the parameters of the class. The nuts and bolts of this play will resonate with theater insiders and long time theater buffs as well.

The Cast of Circle Mirror Transformation. Photo courtesy of Next Act Theatre.

Director Cody Estle has very carefully assembled a cast that could clearly represent a typical community center class roster. But it is more complex than that and transformation is part of the title and he has deftly brought about the transformations that each character exhibits as the play progresses…not all of them for the better it would seem…but maybe that’s not my call.

Marty is the class leader. Tami Workentin brings us a very confident and in control Marty who without a doubt leads her class through exercises that seem redundant and at times silly to those of us in the audience. I thought Baker was having a bit of fun with theater basics here but I was assured these are actual exercises. And who knew that it is so hard to count to ten as a group. But Workentin doesn’t remain the direct taskmaster throughout and brings on an incredible empathy as she gets to know her students and their issues…well except for Lauren’s late payment for the class. But the confidence that Workentin brings to the class does bring them all out of the shells and lets them feel themselves in a safe space.

left to right, Mark Ulrich, Tami Workentin, and Elyse Edelman. Photo courtesy of Next Act Theatre.

Mark Ulrich is James, Marty’s husband. At first he is rather stiff and maybe a bit resistant and Ulrich gives us a sense that he has to be there…maybe to make sure there are enough students to hold the class? I have been in classes like that. But he does have a fun side that he feels free to exhibit at last, including taking a spin at the hula hoop. And Ulrich gets it. Later Ulrich shows us some tender moments as well, which weren’t quite expected.

Milwaukee favorite Elyse Edelman is Theresa, an actor who has recently relocated to this small community, Shirley, Vermont. We don’t immediately know that she is here because she is hurting after a break up with a boy friend. Edelman is free flowing and natural in this role and brings a sense of direction and purpose to Theresa. Everyone in the class admires her.

Chloe Attalla and Reese Madigan. Photo courtesy of Next Act Theatre.

Another Milwaukee favorite, Reese Madigan plays Schultz, a divorced local man who seems to be here to forget his troubles. Madigan’s Schultz takes an immediate shine to Theresa and Madigan gives us a very shy unsure man as he tries to open up conversation with Theresa. And they seem to hit if off well until Madigan shifts to a clingy lover and ends up pushing Theresa away. But as an actor wannabe, he throws himself into the class wholeheartedly except for the occasional groan when the counting to ten circle fails.

And Chloe Attalla is Lauren, a sixteen year old high school student who is interested in acting. At first Attalla gives us a perfect example of reticent sixteen year old, which is totally expected given she is the only high school aged student in the class. But Atalla also can be explosive when she asks the question in the title or when she shouts at Theresa: “You are a real actor, why aren’t you teaching the class?”. And she too apparently has a issue at home as she dodges Marty’s questions about payment. Attalla plays down to sixteen years old exquisitely. I hope we get to see more of her on Milwaukee stages.

The cast of Circle Mirror Transformation counting to ten! Photo courtesy of Next Act Theatre.

Next Act Theatre is performing Circle Mirror Transformation from now until May 18, 2025. The play runs two hours without intermission in their shared theater building at 255 South Water Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

More information and tickets here!

Tag: Comedy

Kith & Kin Theatre Collective: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder! Lyric Storytelling In A Grand Style!

Next Act Theatre’s Circle Mirror Transformation: “Are We Going To Do Any Real Acting In This Class?”