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| The "Edwin Drood" cast takes its curtain call. |
Foothill Music Theatre takes its audience back to
the 1890s when music halls were a major source of entertainment in England.
The result is an entertaining evening of theater
with FMT’s production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”
Rupert Holmes, who wrote the music, lyrics and book,
based this musical on a novel by Charles Dickens, who died before completing it.
Instead, Holmes asks the audience to
decide some key questions.
Under the astute direction of Milissa Carey, this
excellent cast of students and seasoned performers creates a mix of characters
from the ingénue to a gravedigger, opium den operator and some seemingly more
respectable people whose actions come under suspicion.
Before the show starts, the costumed actors mingle
with and chat with the audience. All of them implore the audience to boo John
Jasper (Benjamin Ball), whenever he appears.
Scenes and characters are introduced by the Chairman
(John Mannion).
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| Edwin Drood (Chloë Angst, left) and Rosa Bud (Brenna Sammon) are engaged. |
Jasper is the uncle of the title character, played
by a woman, Chloë Angst, as called for in Holmes’ script. Jasper also is the
music teacher secretly in love with the lovely Rosa Bud (Brenna Sammon), who’s
engaged to Edwin.
Rosa, an orphan, is under the care of the Rev. Mr.
Crisparkle (Aaron Hurley). Soon he welcomes an exotic brother and sister from
Ceylon, Helena (Rachelle Abbey) and Neville (David Murphy) Landless. The
volatile Neville is immediately smitten by Rosa.
Completing the cast of principals is Heather Orth as
Princess Puffer, a fallen woman who runs the opium den frequented by Jasper;
and Linda Piccone as Durdles, a drunken gravedigger.
When Edwin disappears while on a Christmas Eve walk,
suspicion falls on Neville, who was with Edwin. However, when Edwin hasn’t
turned up after six months, others are suspected.
In the meantime, several people investigate his
disappearance. They include the mysterious Dick Datchery, whose real identity
is apparently unknown.
It’s up to the audience to vote on who among seven
suspects is the culprit in Drood’s disappearance, as well as the identity of
Datchery and the ideal romantic couple.
The ending varies according to the votes, so the
actors must be prepared for several contingencies, but not as many as one might
think at first.
All of the principals sing well, especially Angst as
Edwin, Sammon as Rosa and Orth as Princess Puffer.
The entire large cast is energetic and engaging,
seeming to enjoy everything as much as the audience does.
Aiding in the production’s success is the small
orchestra led by music director Amanda Ku and the choreography by Kayvon
Kordestani.
Julie Engelbrecht’s period costumes are especially
impressive. The set is by Carlos Aceves, who also did the projections. Lighting
is by Pamila Gray and sound by Andrew Heller.
Running about two hours and 20 minutes with one
intermission, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” isn’t great theater, but this
production sure is great fun.
It will continue through March 15 in Foothill
College’s Lohman Theatre, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills.
For tickets and information, call (650) 949-7360 or
visit www.foothill.edu/theatre.
Photos by David Allen
