treat" full of "madcap nuttiness." *
A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody Review
Winner of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan New Plays Competition
New Year’s Resolutions Can Be Murder!
It’s New Year’s Eve at the Perry mansion, and Julia and Matthew Perry seem to have it all. But Matthew wants something more -- to be rid of his wife Julia so he can have some real fun!
He resolves to murder Julia by the new year’s end, and tells her so. She vows to stay alive, and tells him so. And so the game begins -- a hilarious year-long match of wits and the witless.
While Julia cleverly dodges Matthew’s devious murder attempts, the Perry friends and staff are dying off mysteriously. It seems Matthew is successful in murdering everyone but Julia.
As the bodies are falling, dim-witted daughter Bunny contemplates calling off her wedding to unwitting Donald since all the intended gift-bearing guests are dying. Enter Detective Plotnik -- a Sam Spade reincarnation who suspects everyone, but hasn’t a clue. That is, not until Donald stumbles upon Julia and gentlemanly butler Buttram in what Donald mistakenly perceives as a compromising situation. Donald jumps to the conclusion that Julia is the murderer -- trying to murder Matthew!
Donald and Plotnik plot to trap Julia, but their
plan comically backfires when Matthew confesses to the murderous deeds. In the end
all this murderous intent has sparked a romance between Matthew and Julia, and we finally
yet learn:
¨ Will Bunny marry Donald?
¨ That Donald is Buttram’s long-lost child.
¨ Will Bunny marry the son of a butler?
¨ Will Bunny marry the son of a criminal?
¨ That Buttram has repaid all the money he stole and is now a millionaire.
¨Will Bunny marry the son of a millionaire?
¨That Matthew didn’t kill anyone -- even by accident.
¨ And finally -- who really murdered Fifi.
*"One of the funniest and best comedies . . . irresistible . . . full of laughs, mayhem and hyperactive madness." -- "One of the funniest and best comedies . . . irresistible . . . full of laughs, mayhem and hyperactive madness." -- Waterbury Republican-American, Waterbury, CT
"A delightful surprise . . . an evening of fun . . ." -- Lansing (MI) State Journal
". . . the play has charm, and is really funny!" -- News Herald, Southgate, MI
". . . another win . . . a yummy treat . . . just enjoy the humor and the madcap nuttiness of the farce," -- The Advocate Messenger, KY
