Ever an astute observer of pop culture, Fran Drescher’s title character in the 1990s sitcom “The Nanny” once complained that the TV crime drama “Columbo” reveals whodunit in the first five minutes, and you spend the rest of the episode wondering which of Peter Falk’s eyes is made of glass. Of course, she’s right about the formula, while missing the point of this particular flavor of thriller: the drama lies not in working out the identity of the villain, but rather in watching them try to get away with murder.
The same holds true for “Dial M for Murder,” a play by Frederick Knott that was adapted into a 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film and is now playing at Drury Lane Theatre with an updated script by Jeffrey Hatcher. Early in the first act, we learn that Tony Wendice (Erik Hellman), a frustrated British novelist who now works as a book publicist, has spent the past year plotting the murder of his wife, Margot (Amanda Drinkall). The motive? Revenge for Margot’s affair with an American author of thrillers. Oh, and there’s also a secondary motive: money. Accustomed to the posh lifestyle made possible by his wife’s fortune, Tony is keen to keep his hands clean so he will still inherit.
Directed by Adam Immerwahr, Drury Lane’s production leans into the period-appropriate melodrama of the source material, serving up an entertaining evening of old-fashioned suspense. In an attempt at modernization, Hatcher’s adaptation — first staged at San Diego’s Old Globe Theater in 2022 — swaps the gender of Margot’s lover, making her affair with Maxine Hadley (Alexandra Silber) a same-sex relationship. While this change offers a dynamic role for Silber to sink her teeth into, Drinkall’s formidable acting chops feel underused as the damsel in distress.
When the lights first come up on Margot and Tony’s elegant flat (scenic design by Paige Hathaway), Margot catches up with Maxine, who left London a year ago when Margot broke off their relationship and is now visiting the city to promote her forthcoming book. Margot confesses that she’s being blackmailed about an explicit letter from Maxine that was stolen from her handbag and accuses Maxine herself of being the culprit. Her suspicion of Maxine, which continues throughout the play, comes off as an unfortunate case of internalized homophobia, especially since Margot never suspects her charming husband.
Hellman is fun to watch as the wily Tony, who has orchestrated the letter scheme with an even darker endgame in sight: employing a former college classmate, Captain Lesgate (Ian Paul Custer), to murder his wife. When his careful plan goes awry and Margot survives the attack, Tony scrambles to improvise and divert the attention of Scotland Yard’s Inspector Hubbard (Jonathan Weir) from himself. While the audience is in on his secret the whole time, Hellman’s subtle performance only once gives way to a dastardly smile.
Complementing Hathaway’s set, the entire production design evokes the 1950s setting with few bells and whistles; the fanciest effect is the realistic rain that falls outside the flat’s French doors for an atmospheric touch. Nicole Boylan’s costume designs and Bridget Rzymski’s hair and wig designs aptly establish contrasting pairs: Margot as the fashionable society woman versus Maxine as the smartly dressed professional, Tony as the smooth criminal versus Lesgate as the shabby ex-convict. Sound designer Joshua Schmidt and associate sound designer Ian C. Weber provide cinematic underscoring for the many suspenseful moments.
During the attempted murder scene, the drama ratchets up to an almost campy level, with Margot clad in a flowing white nightgown that could easily double for Audrey’s death costume in “Little Shop of Horrors.” Sparsely illuminated by lighting designer Emma Deane, the struggle plays out with exaggerated movements choreographed by David Blixt. The combined effects capture the Hitchcock aesthetic without veering into parody.
The plot gets rather far-fetched in the second act, but the cat-and-mouse game remains engaging as Tony tries to finish what he started and escape to South America with Margot’s money. Silber’s Maxine really shines here; I only wish her character’s arc was matched with more compelling writing for Margot, who never feels like she has full agency and struggles with whom to trust until the very end. Although the gender swap in this adaptation has mixed results, at least it ensures that the play passes the Bechdel test. It’s harder to say if it would pass the Drescher test (that nanny is one discerning critic), but regardless, Drury Lane’s production should satisfy fans of classic thrillers and murder mysteries.
Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.
Review: “Dial M for Murder” (3 stars)
When: Through Oct. 26
Where: Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace
Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Tickets: $75-$150 at drurylanetheatre.com
