Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER at Guthrie Theater

A perfectly planned murder, a water tight alibi, and a sizable fortune sitting just out of grasp. What could go wrong?

The Guthrie Theater has brought the classic “We know who did it but will they get away with it?” mystery, Dial M for Murder, to the stage in gorgeous fashion. Based on Frederick Knott’s spellbinding play and here adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, DMFM changes the mystery game by not hiding who the killer is but instead uses the suspense of if the killer will be caught, as it’s plot device.

When Maxine, an up and coming author, decides to pay a visit to her previous lover, Margot, she learns that one of their love letters has been stolen and Margot is being blackmailed because of it.  Thinking her husband, Tony, has no idea about the affair, Margot conceals it from him. Unbeknownst to her, he knows everything and has plotted to murder his wife for her enormous fortune. With everything planned, Tony sets into motion his plot to have Margot killed but when she kills her assassin instead it becomes clear that Tony’s plot was not fool proof and has now taken an unexpected turn.

Bringing suspense to the stage can be a tricky feat, you don’t have the luxury of sly camera angles to create mood or tension for the audience. Everything is on full display at all times. Which is why Dial M for Murder works so well as a stage production. The audience already knows all of the information and can relax knowing who planned the entire thing….or can they?

The audience may know all of the background information but the suspense builds from the uncertainty of if Tony will get caught for his salacious plot to murder Margot. Providing just the right amount of tension can be a difficult chore but director, Tracy Brigden, does a wonderful job. She has given her actors a large amount of space to navigate and interact with one another. Her biggest gift to the audience is building tension while the dialogue is heated. She brings her actors together, almost to give us the sense that with them being in such close proximity and taunting one another, that someone may lash out and get physical.

Providing wonderful direction is important but within a story that relies on suspense, lighting can sometimes provide the best narrative. In this case, the lighting felt under utilized. While there certainly was uses of mood lighting, in a story that relies heavily on suspense and intrigue, it would have been interesting to be more playful with the lights. This is the type of production that could have really gone for a noir feel and done some creative things but sadly it felt a tad safe.

It is not difficult to see who the story of Dial M for Murder has stood the test of time, it is an ingeniously written play that doesn’t ask the audience to spend too much time trying to piece together clues. It is a story that allows the viewer to go along for a murderous ride that comes to a fantastically plotted conclusion.

D

ial M for Murder is a wonderful night out at the theater. Even if you have never seen the original play or Alfred Hitchcock film, you will certainly find it a ravishing event.

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