ROPE
Spotlight Theatre Company: 5/16 – 6/13
Finally a thriller that thrills!
Left to Right: Brandon Palmer and Drew Hirschboeck
Patrick Hamilton’s play, “Rope” is the one
on which the 1948 Alfred Hitchcock film was based. You know the one that’s
hyped as being completed in one continuous camera shot. If you haven’t seen it,
you need to. But only after you see this play!
It's this reviewer's interesting point of view that the stage version works better for a
number of reasons. Not only are the characters in the play in close proximity
to a certain item causing suspense to escalate, but we as audience are, too.
What’s more the playwright has given us information that the play’s characters
must struggle to discover.
The play is inspired by the real life 1924
Leopold and Loeb murder case.
Cardell’s direction expertly maneuvers our
growing awarenesses of the characters’ suspicions in such a way as to create
huge tension.
Led by Drew Hirschboeck, Brandon Palmer
and Todd Black, the cast is a good one.
Mr. Hirschboeck is exceptional in his
ability to express the covert deviltry of Brandon Shaw; this devious character
who believes a high IQ makes one immune to the dictates of morality. Brandon
Palmer’s paranoia as Phillip Morgan is palpable. Todd Black takes on the part
of Rupert Cadell, played by James Stewart in the film, in good form. Having
seen the film and not read the play one wonders whether the cane is really
necessary for his character.
The supporting cast includes such fine
talents as Sheri Wright and Claude Diener as well as Gina Walker, Jaclyn Walsh
(a recent transplant from the jolly old theatre garden across the pond) and
Michael Martinkus.
Director Cardell, who also created the
excellent scenic design, is assisted by the very fine sound design of Luke A
Terry and costumes by Rosemary Smith. Vance McKenzie does the lighting of the
opening scene- so crucial to the set-up – with true expertise. Marlowe's Musings
Spotlight Theatre
Company presents
"Rope”
May 16 - June 13
Fri/Sat and Mon.,
June 1 at 7:30 p.m. /Sun at 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, June 13 at 2p.m.
Tickets are $21
Adult/ $19 for Students/Seniors
The John Hand
Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place, Denver, CO 80230
Free parking.
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