SLEUTH Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the any page. Blog postings, links and  more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob. 

Brent Alan Burington as Andrew Wyke & Rory Sheridan as Milo Tindle.

SLEUTH presented by The Carnegie through Nov. 22. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening night performance.

Mystery-writer Andrew Wyke invites Milo Tindle, his wife’s lover, to his stately home to present to him a larcenous proposition. So begins a clever game of cat-and-mouse between the two in a story that can only end in murder.

Brent Alan Burington as Andrew Wyke & Rory Sheridan as Milo Tindle.

Director Greg Procaccino is a strong director who elicits believable and motivated performances from his cast. He also creates visually interesting stage pictures. Procaccino keeps the dialogue-heavy thriller moving along at a strong pace, and takes full advance of the large, two-story set, smartly designed by Ryan Howell.

Brent Alan Burington as Andrew Wyke & Rory Sheridan as Milo Tindle.

Brent Alan Burington gives Wyke a deliberate manner with a less-than subtle arrogance that serves the character well. As Milo Tindle, Rory Sheridan’s Tindle has a naivety that endears him to the audience as a bit of an underdog. The two work well together and give the dialogue a spontaneity that keeps you engaged.

Brent Alan Burington as Andrew Wyke & Rory Sheridan as Milo Tindle.

The first act builds to an intense and satisfying climax that sends us into intermission. The arrival of the inquisitive Inspector Doppler in act two does rattle Wyke, but I would have liked to have seen the ongoing questioning upset Wyke a bit more. Inspector Doppler’s look was mostly successful, though I did feel that a bit of padding in the arms and perhaps a better wig would have sold the character better.

Overall a solid and entertaining thriller with twists that keep the audience guessing to the end.

My rating: 4.25 out of 5.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.