Equally as impressive is the man keeping our cast in order the Chairman and Mr. William Cartwright, Darryl Maximilian Robinson. He has the audience rolling in their seats with his penchant for flair and mastery of comedic timing - including some very well timed pointed stares and slow blinks.
Though the show calls for high energy as it is a comedy, for this writer, at times it felt as though keeping the play as campy as possible was the primary direction and the meat of the story got muddled in the many meta-theatrical layers and over the top acting.
Emphasis on Characters and Costumes
The show is rather tech light with minimal set pieces and projections used to set the scene. That did leave room for the costumes designed by Sandra Leander to take center stage alongside our actors and we’re presented with a wonderfully textured display of Victorian garb.
The sound and music has its ups and downs throughout the production. The actors don’t have mikes to assist in carrying their voices and so at times the music drowned them out and using pre-recorded music meant the timing could be slightly off in their musical numbers.
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD is a delightful romp combining many fun layers into a laughable night out at the theatre. It might not be the best fit for those looking for a more down to earth musical. But it is an excellent fit for those looking for a campy, over the top musical mystery with a lot of audience participation.
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Note: This is now added to the Picture this Post round up of BEST PLAYS IN CHICAGO, where it will remain until the end of the run. Click here to read — Top Picks for Theater in Chicago NOW – Chicago Plays PICTURE THIS POST Loves.
