Curl Up and Dye

Shear Madness – Mercury Theater

Set in a Chicago unisex hair salon called Shear Madness, the two coiffeuse, Tony and Barbara, answer their telephone with the clever, but innocently prophetic phrase, “We curl up and dye for you.” Because little do they know that a murder will take place under their roof within the next two hours and the killer will be someone in the salon. In addition to flamboyant Tony Whitcomb and sassy Barbara DeMarco, the two hairdressers who create all the hirsute hocus-pocus, their customers today include the elderly, prim and proper Mrs. Shubert; Eddie Lawrence, a handsome, but shady, “used” antiques dealer; Mikey Thomas, the first customer, who turns out to be a young Chicago cop; and Nick Rossetti, the CPD police captain who, along with Mikey, is also undercover, disguised as a construction worker/Blackhawks fan. It’s soon discovered that the building’s landlady, Isabel Czerny, the world famous pianist who lives in the apartment above the salon, has been brutally murdered. Suddenly something’s afoot and the audience is about to become involved.

Once the murder is announced, and the identities of the two policemen become known, the play revs up to a pronto pace. It’s at this point that Mikey Thomas and Nick Rossetti begin interrogating the others in the salon. Then, just before the intermission, the houselights come up and the Captain breaks the fourth wall, announcing that the audience may also help him recall some of the forgotten facts of the case and, ultimately, uncover the murderer. Allowing the theatergoers to supply things they saw or heard during the past hour, all the characters are soon put on the spot and challenged by the observations of an audience of omniscient observers. But never fear: the six actors are all very well-rehearsed and astoundingly expert at improvisation. These comedians can come up with appropriate dialogue and well-honed zingers, at a moment’s notice. 

Although this 40-year-old, internationally popular, interactive whodunit was adapted from Paul Portner’s German mystery “Scherenschnitt” by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan, the locale and the humor has been updated. The comedy overflows with contemporary references, from both Chicago and national events. There are mentions of celebrities and allusions to political issues that make this play feel fresh and new. And, when Officer Rossetti announces that everyone will now take a well-deserved, 15-minute break, he states that he’ll be out in the lobby, where he’ll be available to chat with theatergoers, field questions and receive additional information about the case.

Directed with his accustomed sharp wit and unflagging energy, legendary Chicago Director, Warner Crocker, makes this play buzz with tension and humor. Staging his production on a gorgeous, intricately detailed set, beautifully designed by Ben Lipinski, the two hours fairly flies by. Crocker’s all-Equity cast is a gifted and uniformly funny crew. As the authority figure running the interrogation, Joe Popp is everything that Captain Nick Rossetti needs to be. He’s smart, commanding and has that Midwestern edge that only a Cicero-born blue collar worker possesses. He’s backed by boyishly likable, super-talented Sam Woods, as Mikey Thomas.

The characters who are under suspicion include comic actor Ed Kross, as campy stylist, Tony Whitcomb, who admits early in the play that he hates his upstairs landlady; Brittany D. Parker, making her auspicious Chicago debut as ditzy hairdresser Barbara DeMarco, is honestly natural and enchanting, but her character may have had a relationship with both Isabel Czerny and Eddie Lawrence; Mary Robin Roth, a beloved veteran of the Chicago theatre, is pushy and priceless as the self-entitled Mrs. Schubert, who admits that she’s a devoted fan of the concert pianist playing upstairs; and dapper David Sajewich is a little smarmy and a bit mysterious as Eddie Lawrence, the salon customer who may, or may not, have been involved with both Miss DeMarco and the murder victim.

Mercury Theater has done it again. Following such recent hilarious productions as “Spamalot” and “Little Shop of Horrors,” Walter Sterns once again brings some welcome, unabashedly silly comedy to entertain Chicagoans during these cold winter months. As someone astutely put it, theatergoers should just check their brains at the door, grab an adult drink and settle in for a delightful evening of inscrutable, interactive fun and foolery. How often can you attend a show, particularly a murder mystery, and actually become part of the company of characters? This comedy that cleverly marries its story, the cast and everyone in the audience to solve a crime is an evening of pure, Agatha Christie ecstasy.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas        

Presented February 7-March 29 by Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.

 Tickets are available in person at the theater box office, by calling 773-325-1700 or by going to www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.