The Curse of the Pekinese Peregrine: Gets Into the Spirit of Dinner/Murder Mystery Theatre
Choreographed and directed by Zach Counsil
There is a proviso with this style of entertainment: it works best when audience members are fully aware of the type of evening before them and ready to get into the spirit of the dinner theatre/murder mystery genre.
That said, the latest Eddie May mystery is highly amusing and very stylish. It is even a little mysterious, apparently. Only four members of the audience on opening night pinpointed the villain of the piece.
Set up in film-noir style and tongue in cheek throughout, The Curse of the Pekinese Peregrine is a tale of the theft of a valuable artifact (the peregrine) and incorporates bodies and blood spattered all over the place.
The show, exceptionally well directed and choreographed by Zach Counsil also includes first-class production numbers.
General organization of the evening is also very smooth. Unlike many dinner theatre shows, there are no excessively long gaps to encourage greater use of the bar.
The meal, which is part of the package for the evening, does not meet the quality of the show but, and this is equally important, the service of our particularly attentive and pleasant waitress certainly did.
So, go in the right frame of mind and you will be highly entertained, adequately fed and well served at the hands of the Eddie May crowd.
The Curse of the Pekinese Peregrine
in The VELVET ROOM at 62 York.
written by Dan lalande, Noel Counsil & Riley Stewart
Directed by Zach Counsil
Featuring
Eddie May – Ray Besharah
Effie Palomino – Kelly Rigole
Kaspar Gluttmann – Jody Haucke
Birdie LaChance – Dana Cryderman
Artie Kepper – Tim Oberholtzer
Willie Hawker – Richard Gelinas
Joey Pyro – Nick Amott
A second cast begins rehearsals this week and will perform the show in rotation with the cast that played on opening night.
This is to allow for actors who pick up other gigs over the course of a long run (through the summer.)
The second cast consists of
Eddie May – Ray Besharah
Effie Palomino – Thea Nikolic
Kaspar Gluttmann – Geoff McBride
Birdie LaChance – Daniella Granzotto
Artie Kepper – Ken Godmere
Willie Hawker – Garrett Quirk
Joey Pyro – David Brown
Eddie May Mysteries’
Scarlett’s Dinner Theatre (Velvet Room, 62 York Street)
Director and choreographer: Zach Counsil
Set and lighting: David Magladry
Sound: Tom Vallaincourt
Music: Steven Lafond and Allan Gauthier
Costumes: Jody Hauke