Accomplice

Accomplice
by Rupert Holmes
Directed by Tom Noga
THEatreArtistsStudio
Scotttsdale
October 1 – 18, 2009
602-765-0120

Have you ever seen a show which can only be classified as a conundrum inside a puzzle inside a mystery? That is just about the only way to describe this marvelous play currently being offered by one of the best companies I have found since I began writing this column. ACCOMPLICE by Rupert Holmes (also the author of that quixotic musical EDWIN DROOD) is such a convoluted, wonderful, comically superb murder mystery that it is impossible to do it justice in a review. You simply must take a trip out to North Scottsdale and see it for yourself! If you don’t, you will be missing one of the funniest shows I have viewed in my 60 years of theatergoing.

            The show has a very small cast of just four characters (business partners John and Derrick and their wives Melinda and Janet) but as an ensemble and individually, they are picture perfect. Director Tom Noga has done a masterful job of using these four talented people to create a tale which will keep you guessing from start to finish. It is clever, witty, enthralling and unique in its ability to create more twists and turns than the best Shakespeare. Dominik Rebilas, Debra Rich, Alan Austin and Heidi Haggerty are all to be commended for their very fine work. The plot is almost a joke on itself in many ways as a play within a play unfolds before us. The ending of  Act One will leave you gasping with awe and laughter; in Act Two, the plot thickens even more as we are regaled with comic situation after situation and the ending of this act rivals the first for excellence. One of the characters states that in a mystery, you have to keep the audience guessing but if they guess too much, they might get it right. Truer words were never spoken, but in this mystery, you could guess all night and you would not figure out the ending!

            There really is not much more for me to say in this review or I will give away the secrets which make this show so marvelous. Listen well to my advice though. DO NOT MISS ACCOMPLICE! IT IS THE FINEST PIECE OF THEATER YOU MAY EVER SEE IN THE PHOENIX AREA . Kudos to a fabulous costume design (by Marney Austin), to an excellent lighting design (by Rick Hamouris), to a lovely yet utilitarian set (by Tom Noga) replete with wonderful special effects, and to a cast and script that is unbeatable. ACCOMPLICE is only playing until October 18, so hurry!