Review: MORIARTY at The Invisible Theatre

Ken Ludwig's MORIARTY is now playing at The Invisible Theatre in Tucson. The play runs at breakneck speed and features a stellar cast of seasoned actors. MORIARTY is a thrilling and comedic tour de force. Directed by Nancy Davis Booth, MORIARTY is fast-paced and quick-witted. Booth successfully creates stage pictures that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. She gives the actors plenty to do and creates a living and breathing cast of characters. Many actors play multiple characters, and I was so impressed at how each character was portrayed and developed. MORIARTY is funny, but it is also exciting and has a great deal of heart.

If you are familiar with SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, you know that there are dozens of adaptations, some of them more successful than others. I even reviewed another iteration on a separate occasion. Sherlock has found his way into multiple timelines, including the present. MORIARTY works because it embraces its more absurd aspects while also remaining grounded in the traditional. It retains what makes Sherlock Holmes stories so popular: the thrill of the chase. At some point in every Sherlock Holmes story there is a showdown with his criminal nemesis James Moriarty. This play obviously explores that concept but shows some restraint along the way, leading to a satisfying payoff. The writing is quite excellent.

MORIARTY is a suitable choice for Invisible Theatre's Fall programming because mystery, murder, and mayhem line up perfectly with the Halloween season. Additionally, MORIARTY is incredibly witty and full of twists. It is exactly the sort of play I love to sit down and watch, but not passively. Especially because it moves so quickly, you will want to pay attention to this play. There is a lot of dialogue and the plot flies by, while also not feeling rushed.

The set design for MORIARTY is minimalistic, with the focus being primarily on projections. James Blair and Betsy Cruse Craig did fantastic work "setting the stage" with set design and helping audiences step into Conan Doyle's world. Again, it is refreshing that MORIARTY does not try to be too different or reinvent the wheel. There is plenty of great material to be found in the traditional. The projections by Jeff McLaughlin and lighting by John Dahlstrand brilliantly highlight the action that unfolds onstage. I particularly enjoyed when actors would interact with the projections themselves. Costumes by Maryann Trombino were the cherry on top of this fine production. There were dozens of costume changes and each was orchestrated brilliantly with each costume more breathtaking than the last. The period costume pieces were fantastic.

Josh Parra, who I have seen many times onstage now, is suitably charming as the title character. He has ticks and mannerisms, as well as vocal inflections, that immediately screamed "Holmes" to me. I have only seen the character onstage a couple times, and I like what Parra did with the role. He is less arrogant and a bit more sympathetic as Holmes, which I think made the character more likable. Supremely confident and relentlessly academic, Parra's Holmes is fascinating to watch. His dialect work is also quite good. Parra is an excellent fit for the role of Sherlock Holmes.

David Alexander Johnston, who I saw in WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Invisible Theatre, brilliantly captures the energy of Watson. He is charming and intelligent, the perfect Sancho to Holmes' Quixote. I appreciated the reference that the playwright made to DON QUIXOTE and how the relationship between Holmes, Watson, and Irene Adler mirrors Quixote, Sancho, and Dulcinea. Truly, this trio is just as legendary. Johnston's Watson also serves as the narrator to this story, helping audiences understand the meaning behind the play's events. He has great onstage chemistry with Josh Parra. The two of them play off each other very well.

Steve Wood, who plays Moriarty among other roles, is a triumph. I haven't seen him in very many projects, but now I want to see him onstage much more. Wood is conniving and sinister as Moriarty, but not in an obnoxious mustache-twirling way. A shiver went down my spine more than once when Wood was onstage in this role. He is cold and calculating in his performance, and it works. Allison Akmajian and Lori Hunt play multiple roles and add considerably to the fun. The puppet provided by Lisa Sturz was my favorite part of the show, and Lori Hunt stole the show in her puppetry performance.

Phoenix Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. TOOTSIE (Arizona Broadway Theatre)

18.1% of votes

2. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Stray Cat Theater)

7.6% of votes

3. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Starlight Community Theater)

7.1% of votes

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