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Peer Reviews If at First You Don’t Succeed… By Joe Monroe, II Entire contents are copyright © 2008 Joe Monroe, II. All rights reserved.
"...switch allies and try again." That was the theory used by the characters in Derby Dinner Playhouse's production of Murder at the Howard Johnson's. Ron Clark and Sam Bobrick have devised a hilarious two-act, three-scene play that focuses on a couple of couples that can't seem to get it right, but no one would even be thinking of murder if half of married couples didn't want to leave their other half and form a new bond with another. The show starts out one week before Christmas, and Arlene Miller (Janet Essenpreis) and Mitchell Lovell (Paul Kerr) are in a hotel room plotting to kill Arlene's husband Paul Miller (Cary Wiger). Paul (who was also my wonderful waiter) is a used-car salesman looking to make a deal on some stolen cars. When he gets to room 907 at the Howard Johnson's, he finds out about Arlene and Mitchell and their plan to kill him. He seems to be more disappointed in finding out there were no stolen cars than finding out his wife was having an affair. In their defense, Arlene and Mitchell do give Paul a chance to just give Arlene a divorce, but he is stubborn. He refuses to give a divorce, then he refuses to die, and thus begins the cycle of failed murder attempts.
The next two scenes show how the tables can turn as the year progresses, and that even with the best laid plans, no one can consider every variable that might arise. There were no standout characters, but the most memorable line of the show was Paul calling Mitchell a big baby several times. The set by Lee Buckholz was great, and although this was not the best production I've seen at Derby, it is definitely worth seeing.
Murder at the Howard Johnson's January 8 - February 17, 2008 Posted Jan. 17, 2008
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