|
The Boy Detective Fails
By Joe Meno
Directed by Nathan Allen
Produced by The House Theatre of Chicago
At the Viaduct Theatre
3110 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL
Call 773-251-2195, tickets $10 – $15 – $19
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 7 PM
Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission
Through July 1, 2006
Terrific book comes alive on Viaduct Theatre’s stage
The House Theatre of Chicago continues their tradition of imaginative, rule-breaking shows with Joe Meno’s The Boy Detective Fails. This highly entertaining comic-drama-thriller is inventive, unpredictable with loads of heart. The production values are terrific utilizing video to introduce the storyline and main characters, terrific movement with miniature buildings and a bus carried by actors, swift scene changes, stellar lighting and eerie sound effects and two strings and a harpsichord to enhance and underscore the mood and atmosphere. No one combines these audio and visual elements complete with shadow puppets, wild costumes and make up to produce a total theatrical event like that of the House Theatre of Chicago. Add the basic good versus evil tales that clearly makes the conflict as a contest between the everyman heroes and the bad guys and The House has presented sagas that are easy to digest.
Their 20-30something audience is in for another treat with The Boy Detective Fails as it contains all the above stylistic elements in a refreshingly mature and insightful story from the talented novelist/playwright, Joe Meno.
We meet Billy Argo (Shawn Pfautsch), the intuitive boy detective, his sister Caroline (Paige Hoffman) and pal Fenton Mills (Justin D.M. Plamer) as they use their Junior Detective Kit to solve cases that baffle the cops. Billy’s natural ability to find the truth allows him to solve murder mysteries. As adults, Billy goes to law school as Mills and Caroline continue to try being sleuths without him. This leads Caroline into despair and eventual suicide. Billy’s grief and guilt lead him to ten years in therapy and eventually into a group home where he meets the crazy Professor Von Golum (Jake Minton in a marvelously wacky turn) who teaches Billy that "there is nothing in this life that doesn't fail to disappoint us." Billy starts work at a 24/7 telemarketing firm run by the vaudevillian-like Larry (funny work from Stephen Taylor). Armed with a job and Van Golum’s observation that "Our one purpose on earth is to fail," Billy is still driven to find out how and why Caroline committed suicide.
Filled with terrific smart scenes, excellent transitions, the show is totally engaging as we can’t wait to see what happens next. Shawn Pfautsch is so lovable as Billy that we care about him so much that we jump when he does and we scream with him at the scary moments. Pfautsch is an under rated actor who demonstrates here is amazing talent. I can’t remember seeing as unpredictable and compelling a show filled with a true ‘who-dun-it’ mixture of wacky characters in a twisted plot that surprises. We enjoy the journey as two hours of whimsical mystery that quickly moves along into the weird world that The House Theatre of Chicago knows best. The Boy Detective Fails delivers clever storytelling deftly.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2006
|
