Art Beat Review: There are plenty of knives and laughs in “Murder Inn”

Sept. 13-Oct. 6, Wade James Theater, 950 Main St., Edmonds

Fall doesn't officially begin until September 22nd, but with the chill in the air, school starting up again, and pumpkin spice making a comeback at Starbucks, it's starting to feel like a spooky season. What better way to celebrate than with the Driftwood Players' Murder Inn.

The house music before the show and during the break sets the mood, with favourites such as Psycho Killer, Hotel California and the title song for the film Halloween.

When a storm forces a tour group exploring the ghosts and ghouls of New England to make an unscheduled stop at the Barnsley, the unfortunate situation goes from bad to worse. What seems like an awkward and inconvenient detour soon turns into a night of chaos and madness as knives start appearing… in the most unexpected places. As the storm intensifies and the body count rises, the survivors try to figure out if the inn's supposed poltergeist, Marco, with a penchant for knives, is behind the murders, or if someone among their own ranks is to blame.

Everyone in the cast seems to have something to hide and each character's unique quirks provide plenty of laughs for the audience.

The innkeeper Martha Talbot (Rachael Risbell Walters) seems annoyed by the unexpected guests. She repeatedly tells them that Marco, the inn's poltergeist, “doesn't like guests this time of year!” Does Marco not like guests, or does Martha have a reason to keep the guests away?

New Age enthusiast Muriel Lampmann (Codie Wyatt) decides to contact Marco via a Ouija board. Her character gets plenty of laughs, such as when she tries to visualize a beach while in the middle of a panic attack. Dry-spoken Doris Brooks (Jeanine Early) later says in a moment of tension, “Where does Muriel keep the beach?” Lampmann seems ridiculous, but is it all just an act?

Doris Brooks and Grace Sharp (Jennifer Nielsen) are the Mrs. Marple-like detectives of the series. They seem old and innocent, but do they have something to hide?

The hilarious Donald Schultz (Thomas A. Glass) just wants to sleep. But is he really tired or is he using his nap to sneak around?

The entire cast brings it all. The owner's quiet son Jake Talbot (Adam Nyhoff), the insufferable Agnes Tate (Ingrid Sanai Buron), Agnes' niece Carolyn Pickett (Olivia Alderton), tour guide Ellen Halsey (Tina Devrin), lovelorn Patricia Simpson (Carol Richmond), hilarious laugh-out-loud Todd Currier (Landon Whitbread) and Lawrence Currier (David Hayes), a professor who is constantly quoting, work together to keep the audience laughing and guessing.

Manufacturing Murder Inn Even more exciting, playwrights Kieth McGregor and Howard Voland are locals. The show opened on April 28, 2000, at the Off the Wall Theater in Monroe. Director David Alan Morrison set the show in 2000 as a tribute. Many of the original cast members were in the audience at the premiere, wearing T-shirts from the original production. McGregor, who died earlier this year, was honored with a photo on the set wall.

You can't go wrong with a show at Driftwood. Any seat in the house is a good seat! Get your tickets (range $25-$28) here.

Content Information: This production has been deemed suitable for all audiences. However, it contains some mild adult themes, weapons and alcohol, and references to the supernatural.

Running time: This production is expected to last two hours plus a 15-minute intermission.

— By Elizabeth Murray

Elizabeth Murray is a freelance writer who is grateful to call Edmonds home. When she's not busy with her two children (and husband), she plays the ukulele. She can be reached at [email protected].