The Actor Theatre of Indiana (ATI) production of “Murder for Two” is a 100-minute rapid-fire montage of character changes, musical numbers, fourth wall breaks, plot twists and laughs that Hamilton County will be talking about for years.
The show is not about the Agatha Christie-style murder so much as it is about the execution. Actors David Corlew and Adam LaSalle both have great comic timing, more than ample skill at the piano, memorable stage chemistry and enough stamina to have made Robin Williams proud.
Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt
Someone is killed. Someone has to solve the murder. Everyone is a suspect – including the detective. But that is not what you will remember about this show.
LaSalle plays the role of police officer Marcus Moscowicz, who is not really a detective, but pretends to be one during the investigation. Meanwhile, Corlew portrays 12 other characters. Not portrayed by anyone is Lou, Moscowicz’s unseen partner who exists on stage like Jimmy Stewart’s pooka, Harvey.
You will be talking about the way characters are brought to life with vocal and physical presentation and minimal costume assistance, the way the fourth wall is so often broken it ceases to exist, the roaring laughter and how these actors swap seats at the piano seamlessly, sometimes playing four-handed duets, but often trading seats at the instrument mid-song without missing a beat.
See “Murder for Two” through Feb. 16 at The Studio Theater, 3 Center Green, Carmel. Go to atistage.org/murder-for-two or call the box office at (317) 843-3800 for tickets.