Stage Review: Sleuth (BCT)
Stage Review - Sleuth
Presented By: Bremerton Community Theatre (BCT) - Bremerton, WA
Date Reviewed: Friday, September 1, 2023
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
With the turning of the calendar to September comes a new theatre season in Kitsap County and beyond. Almost every theatre has a show premiering this month, and not just on the peninsula, but in Tacoma and Seattle as well. Bremerton Community Theatre (BCT), however, is getting a jump on the others by putting its latest show, and the opener to its 80th Season, up a week before any other venue opens up their first shows of the season. Further, BCT is looking to ride the wave of momentum from its 79th Season closer, Murder on the Orient Express, by presenting another whodunit, this one also directed by Jeffrey Bassett. Sleuth, written in 1970 by playwright Anthony Shaffer and turned into a feature film two years later, tells the story of well known (and wealthy) mystery writer Andrew Wyke and his house guest for a particular and peculiar evening, Milo Tindle. It turns out that Milo is prepared to run away with Andrew’s wife, something the former isn’t altogether upset about, but he also isn’t willing to give her up so easily. The two gentlemen, after a night of drink and chat, devise a plan, a caper so to speak, to make Milo’s supposed indiscretion a little more palatable to his games loving host.
Sleuth is truly an actor’s production. Especially for the leads, to say that Sleuth is dialogue heavy is to make a severe understatement. In the vein of helping reduce some of the workload, BCT is rolling out two sets of 5-person casts, running on alternate weekends. The cast for the first weekend, including the opening night production I attended, is headlined by Jeffrey Bassett, doing double-duty as director and portraying Andrew Wyke, and Raymond Deuel as Milo Tindle. The alternate weekend leads are Gary Fetterplace (Wyke) and Kristopher Jones (Tindle). While I am only going to be able to review the cast I saw, which includes supporting actors Edmund E. Royal, Dayne Moulder, and Leander “Lee” Moudy, Jr., I’m also confident that Gary and Kristopher are experienced and talented enough to handle these roles, and handle them well. Jeffrey and Raymond are simply marvelous. The sheer amount of dialogue is unfathomable, but the pair’s discourse is natural, flowing, and conversational. A few opening night missteps aside, each covered well, it’s clear that these two put their time in. Accents are spot on, in fact Jeffrey’s Wyke shifts accents quite a bit when quoting his books or impersonating characters, and there’s no hiccup in any of the transitions.
As an actor’s show, Jeffrey and Raymond could have easily pulled this off with minimal production detail, but if I’ve learned anything about the director’s productions, is that there’s nothing minimal about them. The set, designed by Gary Fetterplace, is georgeous. It’s multi-level, with enough structure to hold multiple large pieces of furniture on the upper floor. The set is replete with passageways, nooks ,and crannies, and is used to its fullest by Jeffrey’s blocking. It’s also got a ton of detail. From family crests for each of the actors adorning the window of Wyke’s home, to a plethora of vases, wall hangings and furniture, it’s a lot, but each and every set piece is there for a reason and crucial to the storytelling. There’s also a lot of motion in Sleuth, and it’s quite the dance to move each of the actors in and out of each particular area of the set. Jeffrey has done a nice bit of work here, the actors sitting for more casual parts of the conversation, rising as the emotions increase and seemingly using the altitude of the stage and set to match the increased level of suspense.
The opening night show wasn’t perfect of course, few are, but again, any misstep was covered as if this cast has done this sort of thing at least a time or two. It’s a show that excels across the board, from the talent onstage, to the stage itself, and further to the creatives and crew behind the scenes. Shows like Sleuth rely on lighting, sound, and stage craft to be successful, and this one hits all the marks. Dale Borer’s lighting and Kevin Matthew’s sound accentuate the mood and suspense throughout the show, and Ta’Mara Bale’s management of the set and all of its components is part and parcel to the show’s success.
Kitsap County has a full menu of live theatre to choose from in September, as the new season opens across the board. On that menu, near the top of the list, has to be Sleuth at Bremerton Community Theatre. Jeffrey Bassett has directed a wonderfully presented caper turned whodunit that has so many twists and turns, when it’s over, you won’t know which side is up. It’s funny, it’s dramatic, it’s edge of your seat suspenseful, and it’s entirely enjoyable.
Sleuth runs onstage at Bremerton Community Theatre through September 24. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.bctshows.com/. Note that there is adult language and gunshots in this production, and as such may not be suitable for younger patrons.
Photo credit: Kristi Ann Jacobson
