It’s American novelist Arthur Whitney’s birthday and his friends have gathered to throw a surprise party. Little does Arthur know that the real surprise is a shot to the head!
Officer Marcus Moscowicz is first on scene and must hold the fort whilst the detective makes their way out to the country estate. Was it the resident psychiatrist, the prima ballerina, the now former Mrs Whitney, or someone else? Well, with the detective over an hour away, Moscowicz seizes the opportunity to prove their own investigative skills and sets out to crack the case.
Murder mysteries are always an exciting experience. The unknown of whodunit, the excitement of the investigation, potential twists and the thrill of the final unveil. I’ve had the opportunity to see various forms of this classic story telling trope, from plays to films and comedy. However, I have never seen a musical comedy two-person show take on the classic whodunit… until now.
With music by Joe Kinosian and lyrics by Kellen Blair and a book written by both of them, choreography by Shannon Burns and directed by Richard Carroll, Murder for Two sees Gabbi Bolt and Maverick Newman take on 13 characters between them, all with the aid of a grand piano, hilarious comedy and fantastically written songs.
Having been a fan of Gabbi Bolt from her comedy shows, I caught wind of Murder for Two via Bolt’s social media as her and Maverick Newman began rehearsals before the show’s opening in Sydney. And after two sell-out seasons at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, Murder for Two has finally made its way to Melbourne, opening at the Arts Centre’s Fairfax Studio on Friday the 16th of August.
The show opens with the duo both taking a seat at the grand piano that’s centre stage, performing a mysterious and fun prelude duet on the keys before Newman breaks into song as Mrs Arthur Whitney, complete with a perky southern accent. With headlights lighting the window at the back of the room, this is a signal for our duo that the guests are starting to arrive.
However, with Bolt on the piano, and Newman already in character, who would portray the first guest? Well, as Newman cleverly takes Mrs Whitney behind the window curtain to hide, Newman re-enters the room as another character. And, in a seemingly endless loop, Newman would continue to ‘hide’ and return and another new character would be introduced. I honestly lost count of how many there were, but each and every one of them was easily distinguished. As soon as all the guests arrive, a murder occurs, Officer Moscowicz (Bolt) is summoned and the investigation begins.
There is so much to love about Murder for Two. The writing is clever, and the music and lyrics are just as good. Bolt and Newman share the spotlight with a range of hilarious musical numbers. Whether it be singing together or alone with an amazing solo, Bolt and Newman are vocally brilliant, all while sharing the role of maestro on the piano.
Maverick Newman is a master of his craft. I was in awe of how he built and maintained each and every character that he portrayed, and he portrays almost all of them. And just when you think there isn’t anyone else that could appear, he manages to deliver something and someone completely different when you least expect it. From the voice, posture and overall physicality of each persona, I was never lost as to who he was at any moment. He can sing, he can dance, he can act, and he is utterly hilarious. How I have never seen his work before, I will never know. But be sure that Maverick Newman is now one I am going to look out for.
Gabbi Bolt is equally fantastic in her main role as Officer Marcus Moscowicz, convincingly playing a young officer that is out to impress their senior. Bolt’s musical numbers are fantastic and her skills on the piano are unmatched, and whilst this is of no surprise to me, what did surprise me was how she handles the chaos of her co-star.
How Bolt manages to get through a full musical alongside Newman whilst trying to keep a straight face is beyond me. I, and the rest of the audience, would burst out into laughter as Newman switched into new characters, notedly the prima ballerina. One look at Newman’s eyes as this character and I lost it. But not Bolt, she manages to hold it together and that alone is why she is one of the great comedy performers I’ve seen in recent years.
Technically, the show is okay. The sound is great, the music and lyrics are brilliant, and for the most part, the lighting was good. The dark and moody tones as each took on their solo numbers, to the flashes of light for the gun shot, and even the headlights pulling up the driveway behind the set thoroughly impressed.
But there was just something I couldn’t shake. There were four lamps along the back wall and from time to time, one would flicker on and off. I spent most of the show trying to work out if this was some kind of clue, or it whether would flicker each time Newman would switch character. Or maybe, it was just a technical issue that caused the lights to do this. Either way, I found it distracting and my own inner sleuth would take over. If it is part of the show, then it did its job, but if not, I hope they fix it. But this is the only flaw I could find in the show.
Murder for Two contains all the twists and turns you would normally expect in classic whodunit. However, they are are delivered in a way that you normally would not expect! This show is a hilarious rollercoaster ride of chaos and laughter. By the end, my face was hurting from laughing so much. Plus, the payoff right at the end when everything comes together is well worth the wait! I most certainly never saw it coming!
Performing now with a limited season at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio, Murder for Two is now on until the 25th of August 2024.
For more information on Murder for Two and ticketing, visit:
https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2024/comedy/murder-for-two
Photography by Phil Erbacher.
