Stage Review - Rope (Renton Civic Theatre)

Stage Review - Rope
Presented By: Renton Civic Theatre - Renton, WA
Show Run: April 12 - April 27, 2024
Date Reviewed: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

Rope, on stage currently at Renton Civic Theatre in a production directed by Artistic Director Bill Huls, is advertised as a “Hitchcock Thriller”. When you look into the details, the argument could be made that the description is inaccurate, and that argument would be both right and wrong. Sure, Alfred Hitchcock did direct a film version of Rope in 1948, and that film was based on the stage play of the same name, but in adapting it for the screen the screenwriters made a number of changes, in setting and characterizations, most likely to modernize the story and make it work better for the director. All that said, it’s clear when you look at the play itself, first performed in London and on Broadway in 1929, and largely thought to be based on the real life murder of a 14-year old boy by two University of Chicago students, it’s clear why Hitchcock liked it so much. It’s got all of the trappings of one of the master of suspense’s films, and despite the changes made from stage to screen, the plot between them is largely the same. The Renton production of Rope is replete with odd characters and is edge of your seat suspenseful, even despite the plot’s slow and deliberate unfolding, it’s a production of a certain quality that Hitchcock would appreciate.

Think of Rope as the opposite of an Agatha Christie whodunit. In her work, there are any number of characters who could be guilty, and the audience usually doesn’t find out until the end, or close to it, how the murder was committed or who perpetrated it, or them for that matter. From the beginning of Rope, the audience knows who killed whom, that English university students Wyndam Brandon and Charles (Granno) Granillo murdered fellow student Ronald Kentley for no other reason than because they felt like it, in their words a “motiveless” crime, if there is such a thing. The suspenseful part of Rope is whether or not anyone, more precisely their dinner guests, will be able to figure out what they did, especially because young Ronald’s body has been placed in the chest on which the two students are serving their guests’ food to them, sort of a buffet on a body if you will. Add to that, the conversations are littered with innuendo about the pair killing someone, and it seems like throughout the play they’re trying to admit to doing it, but rather it’s the opposite, they think that if everything is so obvious, there’s no way any of it could be taken seriously. It’s the arrogance of this, and the actions that come from it that create everything that is wonderful about this story.

To properly tell this story, let’s start at the beginning, and I adore the way this play starts. Before that, though, I think it’s worth mentioning Erik Furuheim’s set, as that’s the first thing anyone who comes to see Rope will take notice of. The stage dimly lit, the living room of the manor house shared by Brandon and “Granno” (remember them?) is shrouded in red hues, presenting the grandeur of the room, and honestly of the set itself, in what seems to be the perfect light to see the amount of detail Erik has applied here. The room feels like 1929 London, you can almost smell the stuffiness without it actually being stuffy, furniture is well appointed and the walls are adorned with red velvet panels. The play starts from darkness, the audience hears the rumblings about the room, with only the glow of the fireplace and the ends of two lit cigarettes doing what seems like their own choreography around the darkened room. Clearly, something has happened, a trunk lid slams and muffled babbling follows, babbling which later becomes clear that two people are talking about some horrific act about which they have no regrets. Jess Gable is responsible for the lighting, and it’s very well done here, especially at the beginning. Jess’ use of table lamps as a phase between darkness and fully lit is a nice touch, but it’s when the stage becomes fully it that I feel the lighting lets the story down a bit. First off, going from darkness to table light and then to full bright is shocking to the eyes. I expect that some of that shock factor is purposeful, though the same effect could be achieved with a softer white light. Further, when the stage is fully lit, Erik’s set washes out a little, some of those classic lines and details get lost in the brightness and it becomes less stunning as a result.

When the lights do come up, it’s Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo that we see, providing the full backstory to the audience about what has transpired earlier that evening, and their plan for rising above anyone’s suspicions about it. They’re heading back to school that same evening and have invited over a number of their friends in an effort to take this game to a new level. Cody Clark is Brandon here and Joshua M. Erme is Granillo. The two characters are polar opposite in their level of concern over their deed, Brandon completely remorseless and quite arrogant, while Granillo carries a nervousness about him. Both are very good. They do bring up that endless debate about accents, however, neither actor using one for these roles, but in the end it works, good acting without an accent is better than bad acting with one. And so it is here. Cody wears the despicable hat very comfortably. He acts mostly through facial expressions and delivery, those expressions consistent with the level of disdain he seems to have for everyone but himself. Additionally, the mustachioed Granillo is in good hands with Joshua, he’s nervous and jittery, and seems like he could confess at the drop of a hat. The pair work well together, too, their banter feels natural, with Brandon clearly the alpha in the relationship.

They’re not the only ones in the house of course. There’s Sabot, the trusty butler who is played nicely by Alan Peery. Sabot isn’t on stage as much as many of the other characters, but Alan’s performance is witty, mostly in a physical sense. His Sabot knows his place, but also isn’t afraid to throw in the odd proverbial eye roll at Brandon’s sometimes stark and not always sensical commands. Then there are the guests, Kenneth Raglan (Blake DeWitt) who we’re told is the spitting image of the late Ronald Kentley, friend Leila Arden (Xochitl Clare), Sir Johnstone Kentley (Sean M Vale), the gentleman with a familar last name and who is visiting the estate to see about purchasing a library of books that Brandon has recently inherited, and his sister Mrs. Debenham (Anne Rogerson), who speaks very little and when she does says virtually nothing. Each of these actors supports this story in their suspicions of the hosts. Brandon and Granillo continually challenge each of the characters, almost daring them to figure out the game. Again, like Sabot, these characters are not in the story for the majority of the time, in fact they spend a decent amount in a room adjacent to that presented on stage ostensibly to look at the library that Kentley has come to peruse. The music from the adjacent room is a nice touch from sound designer Ari Nikas. Though their time on stage is limited, each actor has a chance to shine a light on their character, challenging their hosts through conversation or other, more physical means. There’s not a bad performance in the bunch.

And then there is Rupert. Full name Rupert Cadell, this character is played here by Adam Granato in a performance that is so good, it carries the show. Rupert, a friend of Brandon and Granillo is an injured war veteran. He’s also contrarian and opinionated. Adam plays Rupert with a sly, snobby English accent, perfect for challenging anything that anyone says in the room, he’s a true disruptor and has the ability to bring a party to its knees with one comment. He knows this about himself, he’s very self-aware, so he stays behind when the others leave the room to look at the books. It’s in these scenes, when Adam is alone on stage with his character’s thoughts that is so outstanding. These are some of the edge of your seat moments I referred to earlier, but they happen when Rupert isn’t saying anything or doing anything other than thinking. Realizations paint across Adam’s face so subtlety, it’s as if they’re not really happening, but before you know it they have. It’s a frighteningly good performance, and Adam deserves top marks for his delivery.

Rope is a very well acted show, certainly, but when its source material is as good as this is, and when a production is delivered the way it is here, it can be excellent. Rupert’s discussion around the morality of murder is one of the highlights, questioning the difference between murder and killing in war. The way it is put here, it is quite the thought provoking moment in this show, perhaps the most serious in an otherwise fun and satirical play. Whether or not this ever gets resolved is key to how the show sits with the audience. One other thing to like about this show is how it handles time. The play is performed in real time, there are no jumps, even at intermission, and the idea of time (When are Brandon and Granillo leaving? What time are the guests arriving? What time is it?) is woven throughout the play. It provides an awareness of something that is normally taken for granted. And on the subject of time, Rope runs about 2 hours, plus intermission. If you’re like me, though, each hour long act is over much more quickly than that, and while there are a number of slow moments in the show, when nothing is happening on stage, those moments are done in the service of suspense, which seems to build with each second of quiet. Director Bill Huls deserves a lot of credit here, not only is his blocking done well, using the full stage, making motion deliberate and important, but that building of suspense, it’s all about the timing, and it walks the razor’s edge without falling time and again in Rope.

Rope is the classic Hitchcock thriller. Sure, it was a play before he made it into a film, but it’s clear why he chose to do it. This show is a look at a self-centered and egotistical, also entitled, pair of men who have committed a heinous act for no other reason than they could. It’s heavy in suspense, and despite a purposeful slow roll at times, it moves along at the pace of an action movie. This cast, that is led by a masterful performance from Adam Granato, knows its characters, knows the right timing to build suspense, and knows how to draw a laugh out when needed. If you are a fan of suspense, or classic Hitchcock-style films, Rope is right up your alley. It’ll have you checking in every trunk at your house when you get home.

Rope runs on stage at Renton Civic Theatre through April 27. For more information about the theatre, this show, or to purchase tickets, visit https://rentoncivictheatre.org/.

Photo credit: Colin Madison Photography