Review: Sleuthing and Secrets: DIRTY DEEDS DOWNEAST at Portland Stage

Brent Askari’s new play, set on an isolated island in Maine, explores the secrets , insecurities, and yearnings of a handful of quirky characters brought together by a murder investigation.  DIRTY DEEDS DOWNEAST is an amusing and touching portrayal of small town life, the secrets the townsfolk keep, the iconoclastic barriers they erect around themselves, and the bumbling, yet uncannily accurate instincts of the island’s only policeman, who himself harbors a history of mental struggle and deep insecurity.

Askari’s script, which relies heavily on incisive character portrayal, is well-constructed, wryly humorous, and peppered with moments of genuinely poignant revelation. If the first act could use just a little tweaking for length, the tension in the plot builds masterfully in the second, culminating in some unexpected twists and a sweet dénouement.

Skip Greer directs with a keen appreciation of dialogue and character and an excellent sense of pace.  Events unfold with quietly steamrolling force, and there is always the sense of some truth concealed beneath the surface. Anita Stewart’ s attractive decor solves the problem of multiple locales by creating a unit set that changes easily with a few flies and props. Kendall Smith’s lighting skillfully helps to define place and add atmospheric color, while Seth Asa Sengel’s sound design with its musical underscoring for the transitions helps to preserve the flow. Kathleen Payton Brown supplies the casual, everyday look of the costumes, and Stage Manager Meg Lydon ably anchors the production.

The five-person cast, two of whom play dual characters, forms a closely knit ensemble.  Patrick Noonan portrays Gerard, the island’s one-man police force and self-appointed investigator into an unexpected drowning, with empathy.  He is a sweetly anxious, awkward man-child, who desperately wants to prove himself and earn the community’s respect and his own self-esteem.  Lori Prince is the tough-talking, kind-hearted waitress with unfulfilled dreams of her own, who kindles affection and friendship with Gerard. Christopher Price gives the raunchy, tough-talking, Louis an underlying air of subtle danger. Brigitt Markusfeld plays the contrasting roles of Gerard’s overprotective mother, Margie, and the island’s controlling businesswoman, Edith, with nicely limned delineation.  And Dustin Tucker relishes the roles of the two local fishermen, Dick, the blunt, sharp-tongued marina owner, and Cole the explosive, over-the-top, bizarre lobsterman, demonstrating yet again his impeccable skill at portraying multiple characters.

Portland Stage has a longstanding commitment to new work and especially to championing worthy voices from Maine writers. Brent Askari’s DIRTY DEEDS DOWNEAST makes playful use of the detective genre, while probing beneath the surface to capture vividly the spirit of a special breed of Mainers – island folk whose small town milieu carefully conceals a simmering world within – where dirty deeds are done, secrets are kept, and hopes quietly nurtured.

Photos courtesy if Portland Stage, Noli French, French’s Fotos, photographer

DIRTY DEEDS DANCING runs at Portland Stage, 25A Forest Ave., Portland, ME from October 29-November 23, 2025  207-774-0465  www.portlandstage.org