CATCH ME IF YOU CAN AT THE ARTS THEATRE
Is it a comedy or a murder mystery? This play swerves through a few genres on its way to an eye-widening dénoument – at the end you could hear the gasps of disbelief. There is more surprise than suspense – and like many of the best plots, -you leave learning more after the play than you did whilst you were there.
Some sizzling performances combine to create an intriguing evening - straight out of the sixties - in last night’s début of Catch Me if You Can.The play wove a skilful line between humour and tragedy – and deceived its audience almost every step of the way.
The set was a character in itself, a log cabin high in the Catskill mountains , where on Labor Day holiday weekend Daniel Corban ( Patrick Duffy, a suavely glamorous appearance ) is frantic with worry, his newly wed wife Elizabeth hasn’t returned back from her errands The local policeman, the play’s sharpest character, Inspector Levine ,Gray O’Brien is brilliant in this central role, turns up for an amusing wise-cracking exchange with the worried husband – and expands his cynical view of the job – wives who disappear are not top priority for a man with his list of demands. Soon a priest, Father Kelleher arrives with the missing Mrs. Corban. Ben Nealon does a tough role brilliantly. Linda Purl is an acerbic fast talking fraudster. She manages to confuse and enrage all at once, as she takes on a role, you will be mentally reviewing the day after the show. Tricky to pull off, she does it with aplomb. Paul Lavers and Chloe Zeitounian as Everett Parker and his wife, both divertingly convincing as Daniel’s employer and the holiday let owner, bob up for a brief but amusing confrontation – they beat a retreat when things get sticky .
The plot thickens to viscous proportions. Soon there are dead bodies strewn around the stylish American chalet hideaway
If you had forgotten that the Catskills was the favourite destination for the Jewish population of the Eastern United States, Hugh Futcher as Sidney, the local delicatessen supremo, brings all the glorious depth of kosher humour -and life attitude - to a role that frankly steals the show. Unexpected, deceptive but splendidly accomplished Sidney is a slice of solid cynicism in the darkening world of murder and madness.
A classic theatre play, first written in 1965 this is authentic and awesomely deceiving. On through Saturday 28th May, Catch it If You Cannot resist a well crafted mystery.
