Review: DEATHRAP at Tower Groves Abbey

Crime just might pay for a washed-up playwright in Stray Dog Theatre’s Deathtrap. Written by Ira Levin (who also wrote The Stepford Wives, Boys From Brazil, and Rosemary’s Baby) and directed by Gary F. Bell, this suspenseful production takes the classic whodunnit and turns it on its ear.

Filled with plenty of twists and turns, the production leans heavily on the story-within-a-story premise, allowing the tension to simmer. Set in Westport, Connecticut in 1978, the plot centers around Sidney Bruhl, a down-on-his-luck Broadway playwright whose creative peak is behind him.

Making a living by presenting writing seminars, Bruhl is bitter and clings to hopes of a comeback. Willing to compromise his moral scruples for a return to fame, he sees an opportunity to achieve his dream after receiving a script from Clifford Anderson, a former student.

Titled Deathtrap, Bruhl is floored by what he reads. When he discovers that no one else knows of the script and that Anderson has only made one copy, wheels begin to turn.

A sinister idea emerges, much to the alarm of his wife, Myra. Blinded by a return to success, he jokingly suggests murdering Clifford and claiming the play as his own work. Her concerns manifest further after her husband invites the young writer to visit them.

From here, Bruhl’s best laid plans go awry as skullduggery and shocking events cause him consternation. Brought to the brink by his lust for rekindled acclaim fame, he resorts to drastic measures to get what he wants.

Deception and treachery soon follow as betrayals, manipulations, and waves of unexpected deeds are revealed as Bruhl’s machinations spiral out of control. Like any good mystery yarn, no one is who they seem, leading to an intense second act.

Playing on traditional crime tropes and then tossing them all aside, Deathtrap is a textured psychological thriller filled with snappy dialogue, double crosses, and a vacuous protagonist. At its core is a diabolical dance between Sidney and Clifford that leads to a stunning climax.

Starring a Bruhl, a man with no moral turpitude, is Stray Dog alum Stephen Peirick. Unsavory from the start, his performance as Sidney is Hitchcockian in scope. Onstage, he is gleefully vile and frightening. Channeling darkness, he is the perfect villain.

Playing alongside him is fellow Stray Dog regular Victor Mendez as Clifford. Delivering a layered portrayal of a character whose emotions run hot and cold, his performance mixes the charming and the chilling.

Together, the scenes between Peirick and Mendez are a masterclass in building suspense and tension. Working in tandem, the duo is ferocious as their characters indulge in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Also fantastic is Liz Mischel as Helga, Bruhl’s wacky psychic neighbor. Serving as a harbinger of what is to come, her character is brought to life with a vivaciousness that is both funny and forboding. Highlighted by pitch-perfect timing, she shines in the role as she interjects herself into the maesltrom of dramatic tension.

Filled with gamesmanship, deception, death, and creative differences, Stray Dog Theatre’s Deathtrap is sleuthing at its finest. Well-acted and draped in the unexpected, the production’s apprehensive atmosphere and inventive plot contortions cause audiences to gasp as the drama reaches a bloody crescendo.

It doesn’t take a master detective to know that this dramatic rendering of Deathtrap is a delightful crime spree filled with angst, greed, death, and lots of (back)stabbing.