Published: Wednesday, July 27, 2011
‘Afoot’ a laugh-out-loud farce
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Photo by Erik Stuhaug
Natalie Ann Moe and Jenny Cross in Taproot Theatre’s production of “Something’s Afoot.”
It is a laugh-a-minute bullet train through murder, mystery, romance, comedy, drama and song and dance.
It is farce, spoof, ironic and straightforward, a Cracker Jack box of outrageous coincidences exploding with off-the-wall surprises.
It is that rarest of all live theater experiences: silly so well done you don’t know whether you are coming or going and don’t care. Board Taproot’s “Something’s Afoot,” and hang on. The ride is everything.
Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians” structures this, what producing artistic director Scott Nolte calls a “mash-up.”
The setup is a whodunit: Strangers, a murderer among them, are isolated together and dropping dead right and left. The script is tongue in cheek. The marvel is what Tap does with tongue in cheek.
Kudos to a with-it cast on the zaniest wavelength imaginable -- gasps, freeze frames, double takes and unexpected outbursts into song exaggerate this production’s whirlwind pace to hilarious effect. The walls at Tap are still shaking with laughter, I’ve no doubt.
And Miss Tweed costumed in tweed? Miss Hope Langdon, radiant in pink chiffon? Who says costume designer Sarah Burch Gordon isn’t on her game?
As for Sherlock Holmes’ amazing powers of deduction, let’s not talk about the outrageous conclusions Jenny Cross’ Miss Tweed arrives at. A student of Holmes, she is. Graduate level? Not.
For a show-stopping duet to die for, you really must see Tim Tully and Deanna Sarkar do “Problematical Solution (The Dinghy Song).” Tully is the handyman with hands on women whenever he gets the chance; and Sarkar, the maid from Cockney that’s been around the block. Suffice it to say, the question “The Dinghy Song” answers is: Does size matter?
This is a terrific “mash-up” of a time-tested theater staple. Recommended without reservation.
‘Something’s Afoot’
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, through Aug. 13
Where: Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., Seattle
Tickets: $27-$35; call 206-781-9707 or visit www.taproottheatre.org
Reactions? Comments? Email Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net or entertainment@weeklyherald.com
It is farce, spoof, ironic and straightforward, a Cracker Jack box of outrageous coincidences exploding with off-the-wall surprises.
It is that rarest of all live theater experiences: silly so well done you don’t know whether you are coming or going and don’t care. Board Taproot’s “Something’s Afoot,” and hang on. The ride is everything.
Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians” structures this, what producing artistic director Scott Nolte calls a “mash-up.”
The setup is a whodunit: Strangers, a murderer among them, are isolated together and dropping dead right and left. The script is tongue in cheek. The marvel is what Tap does with tongue in cheek.
Kudos to a with-it cast on the zaniest wavelength imaginable -- gasps, freeze frames, double takes and unexpected outbursts into song exaggerate this production’s whirlwind pace to hilarious effect. The walls at Tap are still shaking with laughter, I’ve no doubt.
And Miss Tweed costumed in tweed? Miss Hope Langdon, radiant in pink chiffon? Who says costume designer Sarah Burch Gordon isn’t on her game?
As for Sherlock Holmes’ amazing powers of deduction, let’s not talk about the outrageous conclusions Jenny Cross’ Miss Tweed arrives at. A student of Holmes, she is. Graduate level? Not.
For a show-stopping duet to die for, you really must see Tim Tully and Deanna Sarkar do “Problematical Solution (The Dinghy Song).” Tully is the handyman with hands on women whenever he gets the chance; and Sarkar, the maid from Cockney that’s been around the block. Suffice it to say, the question “The Dinghy Song” answers is: Does size matter?
This is a terrific “mash-up” of a time-tested theater staple. Recommended without reservation.
‘Something’s Afoot’
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, through Aug. 13
Where: Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., Seattle
Tickets: $27-$35; call 206-781-9707 or visit www.taproottheatre.org
Reactions? Comments? Email Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net or entertainment@weeklyherald.com