28 January 2024
Tony Wendice is a snake.
Few would argue otherwise after attending the Guthrie Theater’s new production of “Dial M for Murder.” In Twin Cities-based playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s fresh adaptation of Frederick Knott’s 1952 theatrical chestnut, Tony comes off as a charmer, a warm English gentleman savvy in the social graces.
So when Tony tells an old acquaintance that he married for money, you might imagine him just being whimsical. But no. He’s intent upon hiring an assassin to murder his wealthy wife. And, in this quite entertaining and exceptionally well-designed drama, you’re invited to watch his plot unfurl and unravel, but perhaps be salvaged by Tony’s improvisational skills.
This classic villain is brought to compelling life by David Andrew Macdonald in the Guthrie’s very involving take on this tale of treachery among the upper classes. So charismatic is Macdonald that you might almost be tempted to root for him to get away with his Plan B as he concocts it. Almost. Yet two clever characters engage him in a war of wits, leaving you to delight in the multiple twists and gamesmanship and be assured that evil will not likely triumph.
David Andrew Macdonald (Tony Wendice), Lori Vega (Maxine Hadley) and Gretchen Egolf (Margot Wendice) in the Guthrie Theater’s production of “Dial M for Murder,” which runs Jan. 20-Feb. 25, 2024, at the Minneapolis theater. (Dan Norman / Guthrie Theater)
For those who’ve experienced “Dial M for Murder” on stage or screen — Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 version is a fine example of why he’s called “the master of suspense” — Hatcher changes things up a bit for this Knott-estate-approved adaptation. The socialite at the story’s center, Margot Wendice, has not only had an affair, but one with another woman, which would ratchet up the potential for scandal (and pre-emptive blackmail) in 1950s London.
In this version, her former lover, Maxine (Max in the original) is now an author of murder mysteries and Tony is her publicist. This lends a delicious layer to the story, in that Maxine is in the business of dreaming up murderous scenarios and now finds herself in the middle of one.
“Dial M for Murder” isn’t a whodunit, but a will-he-get-away-with-it akin to an episode of “Columbo” (a TV series for which Hatcher wrote early in his career). And there’s a bit of that show’s rumpled, smarter-than-you-think-he-is protagonist in Inspector Hubbard, the investigating detective.
But subtle homages emerge throughout, such as the kind of heart-stopping surprises found in Knott’s “Wait Until Dark” and Hitchcock’s device of characters lightheartedly imagining murders while a real one is afoot (see “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Strangers on a Train”; really, you should).
Director Tracy Brigden makes many wise choices in bringing this story to the Guthrie’s expansive thrust stage, the invariably engaging cast of five making full use of Walt Spangler’s opulent set, each door inviting our curiosity as to what’s behind it. Aiding the suspense immeasurably is Xavier Pierce’s mood-perfect lighting and John Gromada’s sound design, which employs sizzling cymbals, menacing drums, distant footsteps and clicking door latches to excellent effect.
While Macdonald is the standout, Lori Vega’s Maxine and Brian Thomas Abraham’s Inspector Hubbard also take full advantage of the scenes where they seize the spotlight. And Gretchen Egolf as Margot and Peter Christian Hansen as Lesgate skillfully flesh out characters who could otherwise be consigned to pawns in Tony’s plot. They help make this spine-tingling drama feel disarmingly real.
‘Dial M for Murder’
When: Through Feb. 25
Where: Guthrie Theater, 818 Second St. S., Minneapolis
Tickets: $77-$17, available at 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org
Capsule: A consistently entertaining update to a twist-filled tale.
Rob Hubbard can be reached at [email protected].
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