“The Real Inspector Hound,” a sarcastic tale of murder and mystery, makes its way to the Lab Theater this week.
The play revolves around two theatre critics Birdboot and Moon who arrive at a play to review it. Things quickly take a turn, however, when the two begin to become involved in the very play that they are supposed to be reviewing.
With the entire cast and almost all of the crew of “The Real Inspector Hound” being students, one might suspect that the production would be of a lower quality than other shows at Clarence Brown Theatre. This, however, is furthest from the case.
The performances in the play were top notch, with the standout performance coming from Jordan Gatton-Bumpus as Birdbox, a theatre critic with a problem with women. Out of all of the British accents in the play, many seemed incredibly fake and forced. Gatton-Bumpus, however, sounded like he could actually be British, which really stands out. Add this to his stellar delivery and stage presence, and you get the best performance in the play.
Gatton-Bumpus is supported by Andrew Shipman who plays Moon, a second-tier theatre critic with a jealousy problem. Shipman makes up for a less than stellar British accent by creating a relatable character who was always fun to watch.
Nothing hurts more than watching bad comedy, and luckily, you won’t have to worry about that with “The Real Inspector Hound.”
Direction by Terry Silver-Alford helps the absurdist comedy in the play really land. Many of the jokes would fall flat without proper blocking and stag direction. The fact that almost every joke in the play made me laugh is a testament to its direction.
No play can truly be great with bad costumes. Luckily, “The Real Inspector Hound” features beautiful costumes, designed by Margo Birdwhistell. The dresses worn by the women in the production were particularly impressive.
Fantastic scenic, lighting and sound design by Carrie Ferrelli, Colin Hall and Brandon Evans, respectively, perfectly complement the actor’s performances. The fact that they take the Lab theatre, a small, unimpressive space, and turn it into something truly beautiful is a testament to their talent as designers.
The play text, however, isn’t great. While only a little over an hour with no intermission, there were points during the production where I found myself bored, wondering when it would end. Amazing performances and fantastic design can’t salvage a play that, in its essence, just isn’t very good.
While I didn’t find “The Real Inspector Hound” to have a particularly interesting or engaging plot, it is worth seeing based solely on the performances featured in the play. Adding this with stellar directing and design makes a play that, while a bit hollow, will surely provide a night full of laughs.
