“Real Inspector Hound” opening Thursday at Ringgold Playhouse
There’s a hilarious mystery brewing in North Georgia as The Ringgold Playhouse (TRP) prepares to open its absurdly funny sevenperformance production of “The Real Inspector Hound” beginning Thursday, Sept. 14 at the historic Ringgold Depot.
Over the next two weekends, TRP will offer the whodunnit story to audiences as its closing production of the 2017 Season.
Director Greg Rambin, Sr. says the show, which adds a comedic touch to the classic murder mystery genre, has a lot of offer audiences.
“I can’t wait for the audience to see these actors bring Inspector Hound to life,” Rambin said. “It is both funny and thought-provoking. I almost wish I could ride home with audience members to hear the discussion afterwards because the play is not simply a satire of murder mysteries. Don’t get me wrong, if you love “The Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes stories, you will enjoy the ribbing that those get from Tom Stoppard. Hound also pokes fun at theatre critics….and pokes fun at humanity. I have watched the show many times and I still find something new to laugh at.”
The production includes the playwithin-a-play setup that begins with two theatre critics preparing to watch a whodunnit, but by night’s end, the two become completely engrossed in the madness. Play synopsis: It is a foggy and foreboding day at Muldoon Manor, a charming, but isolated, English country house populated by tortured and suspicious characters. A game of bridge results in raised temperatures and veiled threats; a mysterious man, possibly mad, shows up to charm the lady of the house and her young friend; and a dead body lies under the sofa, waiting to be discovered. All the while, a pair of pretentious critics comment on the action, munch chocolates, complain bitterly about their professional rivals, and ogle the attractive actresses. In “The Real Inspector Hound,” Tony and Academy awardwinning playwright Tom Stoppard has crafted a witty, surreal, and compelling tale in which identity is as changeable as a moustache, or a pair of boots, and a hack production of a tired whodunnit can be the cover for a masterful revenge plot, trained on the professional members of the audience.
The cast includes TRP veterans Laurie Shaw, Joshua Chisholm, Chuck Nalley, Jennifer Bryant, and Adam Cook, as well as three very polished actors making their TRP debuts; Katie Olsen, Trevor Miles, and Jim Eernisse.
“It is such a strong cast, this is the perfect show for an enjoyable evening at the theatre,” Rambin opined. “The show takes Shakespeare’s line from “As You Like It” almost literally: ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts’. I invite everyone to see what part they play in ‘The Real Inspector Hound’. Come see it!”
The show opens Thursday night, Sept. 14, and will run Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through Sept. 23 with a special matinee performance Sept. 23 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for seniors and students. Tickets are available in person at Ringgold City Hall, over the phone at 706935-3061, or online at cityofringgoldga.gov.