Take A Journey Into The Obviously Not So Obvious "Accomplice"--Now Showing At The James F. Dean Theatre

"In South Carolina you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?" Obviously, this opening dialogue, by all appearance, is a silly way to start a play review, but then again, maybe not. As you will see, my not so obviously at-first-glance meaningful illustration has everything to do with the obvious. This is called a brain teaser. As with all brain teasers, the clue to the answer is so blatantly obvious, the obvious may escape you. The obviously not so obvious has everything to do with Rupert Holmes brain teasing murder mystery, Accomplice--presently being performed by the Flowertown Players. If you are not yet confused, just take a seat at the James F. Dean Theatre in Summerville from October 20-29 and you will be, but don't bring your wooden leg with you.

The setting is an English cottage in Dartmoor, England owned by Derek and Janet Taylor. Jon, Derek's business partner, is the first to arrive on the scene and begins a dialogue with the audience. It was at that moment I first sensed something odd was afoot. Janet enters shortly after and reveals a few unflattering revelations about her husband. He has not been fulfilling her sexual needs. It becomes obvious she is involved in an adulterous affair with Jon. The two of them plan on murdering her financially successful but decidedly boorish husband. Jon leaves and Janet makes a discovery that forces her to improvise the plan upon her husband's arrival. From that time on, nothing is as it seems. There was a couple of brief moments I puzzled over where Holmes was going with the material and its relevance, but write it off as part of British satire.

After the play's director, Susie Hallatt, quoted Alfred Hitchcock, she immediately peaked my curiosity--Hitchcock is a long time favorite. A well seasoned performer having acted on the Lowcountry stages of The Flowertown Players, The Footlight Players, and Dockstreet Theater, Accomplice is Susie's debut as a director and unquestionably a good fit to her personality; charmingly unconventional, delightfully twisted, and just enough acquired English influence to bring Holmes' British farce to life. With high praise, Susie stated, "Productions like this are never possible without the full and enthusiastic participation of cast and crew...I would certainly be swinging from the rafters without the amazing support of my stage manager, Hannah Weston."

Before the play began, it was announced Malcolm Powell suddenly had to take his leave and his understudy, Paul Del Gatto, would be taking over the role of Jon. I had an uneasy feeling about the disclosure. I wondered if it would affect the coherence of the play and whether Paul would be up to the task. As it turned out, with only a couple of detectable stumbles in his lines and one big one at the end, the understudy's performance was commendable.

Playing opposite Jon is the young and demure looking Melinda played by Hailey Selander, but here again, is the obvious the reality. Seemingly unsteady at times, Hailey is interlaced into the most sensitive and seedy scene of R rated Accomplice. She holds her own in her confrontation with Derek and come to think about it, navigating a complicated set in stilted heals would make anyone just a little unsteady.

Pat Cullinane was eye-catching as Janet Taylor. With legs rivaling Betty Grable's, Pat was wickedly charming and sexually tenacious as she slinked across the stage weaving her characters web of infidelity and trickery. Touting an impressive catalog of acting credentials and not to be upstaged, Rob Hazelip's commanding stage presence well suited his role as the domineering and emotionally detached character of Derek Taylor.

The complex set containing several levels with numerous entrance and exiting points was magnificently constructed by Ernie and Chrissy Eliason. The ingeniously designed cottage retreat included an operating mill wheel doubling as a wine rack. Nicole Harrison's costumes were 1970's appropriate and titillating, and the lighting design assured nothing would be missed. All contributed harmoniously to the evening's success.

Truth be told, I went into this one limping, if you get my click. I had never seen the play before opening night at the James F. Dean Theatre and purposely did not read up on any background information. As a fan of Hitchcock and Clue, I pride myself at being very good at solving murder mysteries, and usually early on. With this one, I was not quite sure about anything. Rupert Holmes beguiling tryst into the obviously not so obvious succeeded at playing me the fool. The play is a mixed bag of obvious scheming and tawdry shenanigans sprinkled with a lethal dose of laughs. While the intended murderer and the intended victim are quite obvious, the not so obvious blatantly remained throughout: Who is the Accomplice?

Purchase your tickets for Accomplice.

Do you know the answer to the brain teaser?