Theater Review: Cape Rep’s ‘Inspector Hound’ A Zany Parody Worth Seeing

 Over the years of reviewing productions at Cape Rep, I have gained a deep understanding of the dramatic arts. From Irish “tragic-comedies” and extravagant Broadway musicals to innovative new works and works by renowned playwrights like Thornton Wilder, Terrence McNally and now Tom Stoppard, I've witnessed it all. This has truly been an incredible learning experience for me both as a viewer and reviewer. 

 Stoppard, best known for the play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” and the current Broadway play “Leopoldstadt,” also wrote the screenplays of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and “Shakespeare in Love.” Being a reviewer or critic of Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound” was especially intriguing for me, for it’s really a play within a play. It parodies classic “whodunits” in the style of Agatha Christie while also offering a commentary on theater critics and their frequently haughty attitudes. Research showed me that Stoppard had been a theater critic before he wrote Inspector Hound, so of course I wondered if the show would reveal how he really feels about them.

 Described by many as a “nearly perfect” play for its wit and hilarity, Cape Rep’s production of “The Real Inspector Hound” doesn’t disappoint. It’s hard to imagine a better cast for this zany show than the one director Holly Erin McCarthy has assembled. 

 The show kicks off the moment you settle into your seat. As you take in the elaborate set — created by Ellen Rousseau, inspired by the original design of the late, esteemed Robert R. Troie, the theater’s founding artistic director — you notice a body peeking out from beneath the love seat. Shortly after, one individual (Ari Lew) enters and occupies one of the two seats stage left, fiddling with a program. Has the performance started? Soon, he's joined by another (Jakob Schwartzberg), and the two theater critics, Moon and Birdboot, begin to chatter and ponder: Has the show truly begun? 

 What’s this? Who is entering this grand, study-like room? The entrance leaves a lasting impression as we witness a woman adorned with a rain bonnet navigating the space with a somewhat awkward stride before “gracefully” departing through an interior door. Trish LaRose, known for her expressive singing, shows off her Carol Burnett-like comedic skills here and has the audience in stitches with nary a word. 

 LaRose’s Mrs. Drudge shines in scene after scene and sets the pace for the rest of the cast. The entrance of Simon, portrayed by the statuesque Elijah Corbin, is equally hilarious, just like those of Felicity (the doe-eyed Emma Joanis), Cynthia (the vivacious Erica Morris), and Magnus (the mesmerizing Ian Ryan). At one moment, Magnus's hilariously prolonged exit prompted spontaneous applause from the audience. Their performances, reminiscent of classic silent films, are marked by dramatic pauses punctuated by striking lighting and sound effects. Under McCarthy’s exceptional direction, each actor emotes with perfect exaggeration eliciting uproarious laughter. 

 The plot: Somewhere out in the fog, a homicidal madman is lurking near Muldoon Manor. Is he Simon? The young man is very suspicious as he plays with the affections of both Felicity and Cynthia. How much does Mrs. Drudge know? (I just want to watch her serve tea again!) And there’s something ominous about Magnus, the brother of the Lord of the Manor who mysteriously disappeared on the grounds so many years ago. Will Inspector Hound (the always delightful Ian Hamilton) solve the mystery? Solve anything? And when will someone notice the body under the sofa? 

 The show is fun and fun to watch. The running commentary from Moon and Birdboot is a side note to all the comings and goings, some through secret passageways! 

 Kudos to the creative personnel behind the scenes. Robin McLaughlin’s costumes per usual are spot on, and Susan Nicholson's lighting and Maura Hanlon’s sound designs are fantastically executed by stage manager Kaliegh Mason. Those effects are as vital as another cast member. 

 The show is one act with no intermission. I believe we laughed through the entire 90 minutes.