By Timothy Ruppert
Step right up, folks! The ever-spirited creative team at R-ACT Theatre delivers yet another delightful production with Murder Under the Big Top, an interactive show in which jokes and clues alike emerge like clowns from a tiny car.
Colorful balloons, calliope music, and a poster of Pickles the Clown render a properly carnivalesque atmosphere for the Segriff Stage as Ringmaster Larry Spinnenweber, the show’s playwright and director, prepares us to meet the principals of the once-beloved but now-imperiled Schnitzel Brothers’ Circus. These performers, who in time become suspects in a brutal homicide, include the romantically involved trapeze artists Danny Dubois (Calvin Brookins) and Bibi Bennett (Alexa Burak); the clairvoyant Magda Petrovsky (Joan Schwartz), whose insights seldom go beyond the patently obvious; the animal specialists Lillian Graham (Jenn Rian), who trains the elephants, and Rex Maxwell (Brian Shumaker), who tames the lions; Joey Grimaldi (Zack Mitrecic), the irascible roustabout; and the wisecracking Willie “Pickles” Emmett (Tom Abbot), who seeks mirth even in the direst of situations. Pickle’s merrymaking gets tested with the arrival of devil-hearted attorney Charlene Twitch (Apryl Peroney), a partner in the Amber, Grombie, & Twitch Law Firm, who gleefully delivers the news that the circus’s late owner died without a known heir – barring the reappearance of a Schnitzel family relative,
Twitch will auction off the circus, permanently dispossessing its performers. Because Twitch bullies and outrages each character, it is understandably difficult to discern who arranged for the lawyer’s hilariously performed off-stage death at the paws of a voracious lion. After the murder, and with each character under suspicion, both the cast and audience have an opportunity to interview each of the suspects.
The ensemble works together superbly. Brookins demonstrates his talents for physical comedy as he crafts a likable counterpart for Burak’s guileless, sweet-voiced acrobat. Schwartz anchors several scenes with her unflagging attention to detail, particularly in the Eastern European accent she affects. Shumaker and Mitrecic execute their roles with appropriate emotional investment, and Abbott wonderfully blends the joie de vivre of Clarabell with the existential angst of an Albert Camus protagonist.
As Twitch, the always-exceptional Peroney strikes the sadistic lawyer chord perfectly. Jenn Rian gives an especially noteworthy performance, playing the long-heartbroken elephant handler with a terrific sense of a character who weaves between Blanche DuBois and Blanche Devereaux. Her dynamic interpretation, in concert with the other performances, sharpens the wit and elevates the heart of this new and highly enjoyable comedy. Praise also goes to Max Boffo for the technical features of the show, as both the lighting and sound design were superb. Consider also that the costuming and make-up prove impressive, particularly Charissa McMahon’s work in rendering a classically detailed appearance for Pickles. And Eric J McAnallen’s knife board certainly adds thrills to a very nicely designed show.
Despite several characters’ assertions that Schnitzel Brothers’ Circus offers “the most mediocre show on earth,” I found the goings-on there invariably fun and engaging, and the mystery presents an authentic challenge. Overall, “Murder Under the Big Top,” like cotton candy at a circus, is a splendid treat.
-TR
“Murder Under the Big Top” runs until March 20, with tickets available at R-ACT’s Segriff Stage, 134 Brighton Avenue, Rochester, PA 15074. For tickets and additional information, please visit
https://www.ractproductions.com.
