Armchair detectives will love whodunit staged by Eden
Eden High School’s rendition of “Murder’s in the Heir” by Billy St. John is an interactive, immersive and intimate comedic murdermystery with more endings than one. With student-made sets, costumes and an ominous themesong, this whodunit mystery is larger than life.
The play takes place on a November evening, when billionaire Simon Starkweather invites his living relatives and household staff to discuss his will — and a murder occurs. Detective Mike Davis, played by Shieh Lively, puts on his thinking cap as he investigates all nine suspects in the Starkweather Mansion.
The intriguing mystery plot provides compelling factors to suspect anyone as the murderer. Taking a turn on the interactive side, the audience plays the role of an “armchair detective,” where they select who the murderer is, thus impacting the story’s end.
Balancing comedy and seriousness, ironic jokes of Mr. Starkweather’s death were made by the characters, who fit together like puzzle pieces and complemented one another despite their independent personalities. Rufus Jones the Handyman (Dante Palumbo) was a clueless staff member who often butted heads with Bensonhurst the Butler (Owen Culp). The audience chuckled as their mismatched personalities and strikingly different body language provided comedic value as one character’s enjoyment caused the other’s despair.
Paula Thompson the Southern Belle (Lauren Jonah) gained the spotlight with her peachy sweet, southern accent and cartoonish facial expressions that elevated her performance. Tasked with the responsibility of performing a multitude of possible endings, actors occasionally tripped over their lines, but quickly reclaimed themselves and moved steadily ahead.
Creative, personalized colour palettes and vision boards were created for all the characters, giving each a unique, larger-than-life look. From their accessories to their makeup, these visions were ably executed by the Eden hair and makeup crew, and costume design team, where they thoughtfully paired each aspect of the look together, making the characters bold and interesting.
Cleverly using the intimate-sized theatre, no microphones were used in this performance, giving a more personal experience; however, at times it was difficult to hear particular words. This issue was solved in the second act when the actors spoke more clearly.
Lighting and sound cues were on time with strategic entrances and exits that left the audience anticipating the contents of the next scene. Donovan Losier created the mansion’s hand-stencilled wallpaper that symbolized strands of the play, featuring a skull, a question mark and a pregnant woman. His attention to detail created realism and depth that made the audience feel as if they were in the mansion itself, with the set’s cozy yet eerie pieces of furniture and dark colour scheme.
Overall, Eden High School put on amemorable performance that will be remembered for years to come. “Murder’s in the Heir” highlighted student creativity and included details that left an impression on the audience’s minds, leaving them wanting more.