The Mystery of Edwin Drood is Voted a Delight at HP&P
by Aimee Ferenz
The 1985 Musical rendition of Charles Dickens’ Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes is an absolute wonder at Haddonfield Plays and Players. The musical follows a group of performers at the Music Hall Royale putting on a production of the titular Dickens tale in December, 1892, which is 22 years after the story was left unfinished by the author’s untimely passing. The musical flows between the actor’s perspectives as they perform and the story that they are performing, introducing the actors in their character roles to the audience as they enter. When the performers reach the end of what Dickens had written, the audience is invited to vote on the end of the story and the decision of the audience dictates the entire ending. The actors must learn various endings so that they can be ready to perform whatever the audience votes on at a moment’s notice. There are three votes held in act two, one for who the detective is, one for who the murderer is, and one for which two characters fall in love during the process of the tale. When entering the theater, make sure that you scan the QR code for the playbill as the pamphlet they are giving out is a prop of the show and does not contain any information about the 21st century performers and production staff that you are supporting that day.
The direction and choreography of Brian Rivell is a marvel throughout the production. Not only is there an excellent pace to the show, but the choreography is crisp and charming. He is accompanied by Sean McGarry with fight and intimacy coordination throughout the production. The success of the performance is furthered by the sensation that is Mike Doheny’s music direction. Granted, he is gifted with a deeply talented ensemble to work with, the choral moments in the show are perfectly balanced with precise consonants and elegant phrasing. Stage manager Casey Clark handles the show with grace, particularly near the end of the show where she must alert the cast about the audience's vote in real time. The set design pairs perfectly with the direction of the show, bringing the Music Hall Royale to life through the work of Mark Lenard. Lenard worked with Set Production Assistant Maryann McKenzie in the furthering of this artistic vision while Props Designer Debbie Mitchell supplied the details of the scenes. Costumes are provided by Costumes by Donyl while Wardrobe Styling/Alterations were perfected by Al Fuchs. Lauren Patanovich finalizes the well manicured look with her wig design. All of this is under the stellar production design of Michael Rios and the incomparable artistic direction of Chris Miller.
Since the cast is made of actors performing as actors performing as characters, there are very few moments where the cast has left the stage. Many can often be found lurking around the edges of the scene or in the box seats that are included in the set design. Two performers who are particularly consistent on stage are CJ Kish, who performs as Mr. William Cartwright, the chairmen of the theater and later Mayor Thomas Sapsea, and Craig Hutchings, who plays John Jasper/ Mr. Clive Paget. These two have masterful control of their various characters through incredible vocal technique and deeply rooted character development. Kish commands the stage from his first musical phrase, catapulting the audience into Dickens’ world with the ease of a professional. Hutchings is simply hypnotic in the role as the brooding antagonist with a magnificent voice, showing incredible dexterity when he flips from his character to the charming actor (the fictional Clive Paget) who portrays him. Each cast member interacts perfectly with these two masters of the stage as they develop the captivating mystery.
Some of their most common cohorts on stage include Carol Labinski (The Princess Puffer/Ms. Angela Prystock), Paul McElwee (The Reverend Crisparkle/Mr. Cedric Moncriefe), Martha Marie Wasser (Edwin Drood/Miss Alice Nutting), and Layne Cochran (Rosa Bud/Miss Deidre Peregrine). These four serve as key storytellers and plot points with which Hutchings and Kish experience throughout. Labinski fills the shoes of the local Red District leader and Opium dealer turned insightful detective like the role was always meant for her. She is charming, rowdy, and sounds sensational throughout her musical interludes. Her stark alternate, Reverend Chrisparkle, is given an elegant regality by McElwee which serves as an excellent contrast to Labinski and works in great harmony with Hutchings. In the case of our performance, McElwee was voted as the murderer which, I remind the reader, changes each night. Martha Marie Wasser is a marvel in the role as the arrogant Alice Nutting which continues in her representation of Mr. Edwin Drood. I was blown away by the fantastic quality of Wasser’s voice as she is truly a powerhouse on stage. Cochran, who serves as ingénue Rosa Budd/Deidre Peregrine, is a clear choice due to her phenomenal vocal prowess. Her interactions with the different people on stage are well calculated as Rosa works through her own complex feelings. Together, these four not only serve as excellent storytellers but as highly trained sections of the same well oiled machine.
The cast continues with a myriad of stars, including Jennie Santiago (Helena Landless/Miss Janet Conover), Patrick Waldron (Neville Landless/Mr. Victor Grinstead), Joe Carlucci (Durdles/Mr. Nick Cricker Sr.), William Reid (Deputy/Master Nick Cricker Jr.), and David M. Mooney-Todd (Bazzard/Mr. Phillip Bax). Santiago’s fiery depiction of Helena is an example of her exquisite dedication to her character, which we saw on extra display as she was voted the detective the night that I was in attendance. Waldron performs as Helena’s stoic brother, both of which maintain a solid grip on their exotic and unnamed accents. Waldron is a great red herring throughout the play, giving the audience plenty to think about in the discussion of what happened to Edwin Drood. Joe Carlucci proves once again that he thrives in the role of the comedic, often drunk, supporting character as he coaxes laughter from the audience with ease. His protégé on stage, William Reid, matches his energy perfectly with slapstick success. These two sing in “Off to the Races” with Kish, which seems to be a cast favorite in the score. This grouping is completed by Mooney-Todd who plays a role that was left suspiciously short by Dickens. He is given a short song for his troubles to which Mooney-Todd does a great justice with a gentle, lovely voice.
The cast is rounded out by Kat Corvino (Stage Manager/Miss Jane Throttle), Sara Vattimo (Alice/Miss Isabel Yearsley), Bertie Dryden (Beatrice/Miss Florence Gill), Kristine Bonaventura (Isabel/Miss Gwendolyn Prynn), Emersyn Rath (Margaret/Miss Sarah Cook), and Marisa Kniper (Jenny/Miss Violet Balfour). Corvino excels in her comedic timing, particularly with the various instruments that she is given for dramatic effect. Vattimo, Dryden, Bonaventura, Rath, and Kniper served as key singers and support throughout the show, assisting in the liveliness of the play with beauty and grace.
Overall, I had a lovely time at the show. The cast is made up of incredibly strong performers throughout and therefore creates a phenomenal experience for the audience. I will admit that there were points where I struggled to follow along to no fault of the actors or production staff. Due to this being an unfinished work, there are points where the writers of the 20th century musical rendition had to guess what may have been the intention behind Dickens’ final writings. Between the writer's own liberties and the actors having to switch between the actor that they are pretending to be and the character that THAT actor is pretending to be, I sometimes struggled to keep up. I would recommend taking a quick look at the story before seeing the musical to wish the best success to the viewer. That being said, even when I was not grasping the story, I had a phenomenal time because the performers on stage are just that good. Anyone who comes to see this show, homework done or not, will have a fantastic time enjoying the performances of some of the greatest voices in South Jersey. The Mystery of Edwin Drood runs until December 21st and tickets can be found at https://haddonfieldplaysandplayers.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=509
