Not Another Murder Mystery
January 2008

By: MJ Pendleton

Guerilla Theatre’s “Not Another Murder Mystery” is unabashedly silly. Just how silly? Well, inside the program the director’s note reads,
“In lieu of a traditional director’s note, I have enclosed an excerpt from Wharton Planter Bunion’s enlightening book A Podiatric Concern:
Fungi, Curses and other Ailments of the Feet.”

In case anyone may be wondering, no, this is not a real book. Then what’s up with the note about foot ailments? It’s a recurring theme of
the wacky script written and directed by local playwright Steve Caverno.

There is definitely something exciting and somewhat elusive about going to see the premiere of a new play. The average theater
attendee may not know what to expect for the length of the show or the details of the story. Heck, the actors may not even really know for
sure. There is a clean slate for the original cast to decide how they want to set the stage, and the Guerilla cast takes this opportunity to
really vamp it up and have fun with the audience.

Caverno’s original story plays off of Clue and other infamous murder mysteries by introducing a cast of stock characters with revealing
names. Marilyn Scoop is a successful journalist and reporter of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Jeff Truck is a good ol’ boy with an
impressively long mullet and a can of beer permanently fixed in his palm. Curtis Foot is the millionaire owner of a shoe company and
the individual around whom the foot-odor theme revolves. He has been cursed by the African Witch Doctor Adidas with a podiatric
ailment so repugnant that it rivals a garbage truck filled with dirty diapers. Foot is desperate to free himself from the curse of the odor
before it consumes him bodily. The murder mystery occurs at his mansion after he invites guests to his home for the introduction of his
new product, The Squeakless Sneaker.

Even before the lights go down for the first act, the audience is introduced to the story, as the characters are present to chat up the
attendees. The set itself is quite basic, (especially since the new Brown Coat Pub and Theater is still in constructional progress) so it is
really the characters themselves and their dialogue that serve to create the setting. While sitting and browsing through my program, I
was approached by Marilyn Scoop (Lucy Spain) who inquired with pad and pencil in hand, “Would you like to answer a question for the
paper?” Appreciating the role reversal of the situation, I was quick to oblige. The Butler (Richard Davis) moved stiffly throughout the
audience, primly checking to insure that all of the attendees were on the guest list for the evening.

“Not Another Murder Mystery” removes the fourth wall (the invisible barrier between the audience and the performers) entirely. While a
traditional theater-going experience allows the audience to be omniscient onlookers, like flies on a wall, the removal of the fourth wall
brings the audience right into the show. It takes a brave actor to accept this task. After all, the audience’s response and willingness to
participate can certainly vary on a night-to-night basis. The strength is the Guerilla cast is evident; I received the distinct sense that they
were equally prepared for both heckling participants and silent attendees who prefer to remain strict onlookers.

Even with the occasional inclusion of an ad-lib, the actors did not skip a beat throughout the play. Each of the characters has his or her
own little quirk, my personal favorite being that of Moe Flipps, played by Kameron King. I was surprised to learn that King is a 17-year-old
senior at Ashley High School, as there is a maturity in his performance that matches his elder counterparts. Moe Flipps is the
stereotypical dork, with enormous dark rimmed glasses, who wins over the hearts of the audience with his twitchy behavior and inability
to insult people properly. The names he angrily flings at Curtis Foot include “Bobsled” and “Weedwacker.”

Derek Marzotti also performs memorably as Foot, the receptor of the insults. Marzotti portrays Foot’s flippant egotistical nature so
convincingly that it is not hard to see why he may be the next victim on the murderer’s list and why he would dress for a party in red silk
pajamas.

The show itself does resemble more of a variety show than a play. Frequent blackouts in order to transition from one scene to the next
cause the show to seem rather fragmented. At times I was uncertain as to what exactly was happening within the progression of the
plot, upon which a scene change would occur and the theme song from “The Three Stooges” would play. I perceived this as a cue to
focus on the physical comedy aspect of the show and accepted the wackiness that was consistent throughout. While “Not Another
Murder Mystery” may be contrary to the traditional theater experience, it does provide quite a few laughs and is wholly lighthearted in
nature.

“Not Another Murder Mystery” will continue on January 31st and February 1st-2nd at The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre, 111 Grace Street.

Guerilla Theatre Company will continue to accept donations for Anita Trivette, the 24-year-old Wilmington resident who recently suffered
a heart attack and is in need of a heart transplant. She needs to raise $20,000 toward the $360,000 operation before she can proceed.
Please visit guerillatheatre.com or myspace.com/comicallyimpairedbenefit for more details.
Curtis Foot- Derek Marozzi
Marilyn Scoop- Lucy Spain
Witch Doctor- Alex Adams
Shamrock Houses- Kevin Wilson
The Maid- Pam Unruh
Jeff Truck- John Krevens

Director- Steve Caverno
Stage Manager- Chris Carter
ASM-  Mars O'Dell