Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER at Geva Theatre

There is perhaps no genre more storied and timeless than the ‘whodunit’, spanning classics from the early 20th century to today including everything from “Clue” to “Murder on the Orient Express”, many of which are reflected on the page, stage, and screen. This is especially true of “Dial M for Murder”, currently playing at Rochester’s Geva Theatre, which was made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film but originated as a play in 1952.  

The production of “Dial M for Murder” currently playing on Geva’s Wilson Stage is a new adaptation of the classic Hitchcock film, which was based on an original play by Frederick Knott. In it, Tony (Danny Gardner) is convinced that his wife Margot (Awesta Zarif) has been cheating on him. Now it seems that the affair is over, but in his jealousy, Tony spins a web of suspicion and deception that will tighten around them and ensnare them both in danger, recrimination, and murder.

Geva’s production of “Dial M for Murder” captures everything that makes murder mysteries such a crowd pleaser; it’s witty, tongue-in-cheek, and leaves the audience on the edge of their seat. It has all the intrigue of the classic Hitchcock film, but grabs the audience’s attention even more effectively when presented on a stage with a live audience. And with comedy infused throughout—particularly from Evan Zes’ Inspector Hubbard—the production pivots on a dime from smoky intrigue to slapstick British farce; it’s a real treat to behold.