TA’s The Game’s Afoot – A Review

November 29, 2017 · 0 Comments

By Scott Johnston

Theatre Aurora gives us an early Christmas present with the entertaining and seasonally set “The Game’s Afoot”, or “Holmes for the Holidays”.
Set in December 1936, this murder mystery comedy centres on Broadway star William Gillette, who portrays Sherlock Holmes in a popular play he has written.
Shot by an unknown assailant at his last show, he invites his cast mates and an unsympathetic theatre critic to join him on Christmas eve at his Connecticut mansion while he is recovering.
But it’s not a festive get together when one of the guests is murdered at the isolated and snow bound estate, and Gillette himself must use his stage inspired powers of deduction to solve the case.
The play by Ken Ludwig is well paced and contains a wide variety of plot twists, as well as much verbal and visual humour.
Theatre Aurora has assembled a terrific cast under the direction of Joey Ferguson.
Imre Szabo plays William Gillette, a man who thinks he has things under control, and has to react accordingly when he finds he does not. Apart from dealing with suspects, he has the added distraction of the presence of his well-intentioned mother, played by Susan Lane.
John Fetherston and Shelagh Carlini as William’s friends Felix and Madge have excellent chemistry in portraying their love/hate marriage.
The other couple, who like the rest of the characters have their own secrets, is played by Andrew Pawarroo as Simon and Haley Ferguson as Aggie.
Rounding out the cast is Karen Geoffrey as Daria, the acidic theatre critic, and Carmel Warman as Inspector Goring, a local police official who despite murder having been committed, appears on the scene when she’s least wanted.
This is a very entertaining play, and will keep you both guessing and laughing till the final curtain.
Evening performances of “The Game’s Afoot” continue at Theatre Aurora, 150 Henderson Drive, November 30, December 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 with a matinee December 3. Tickets are available through the box office at 905-727-3669.