To what lengths will a washed-up playwright go to score another literary success?
Find out when Back Alley Productions presents Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap” at the Mars Theatre, 117 N. Chattanooga St. in LaFayette, Ga. Two weekends of performances begin Friday, July 28.
“Deathtrap” tells the story of Sidney Bruhl, a middle-aged playwright who receives a script in the mail from Clifford Anderson, a student at a seminar Sidney led for aspiring playwrights. Sidney immediately recognizes the script as a commercial hit.
Having recently authored a string of flops, Sidney is feeling the pressure to create another success, both for the sake of his reputation and his finances. At his long-suffering wife Myra’s suggestion, Sidney invites Clifford to collaborate with him under the guise of editing the play, while Sidney’s actual plan is to murder Clifford and steal his script. From there, the plot twists and turns, leading to an amusing and unexpected conclusion.
From left are Matthew Mindeman, who plays the idealistic student Clifford, and Kevin Baskette, the burned-out playwright who considers killing Clifford in order to steal his manuscript.“Levin’s script has a much more comical tone than the average thriller,” explains director Zack Jordan. “Aside from the engaging cat-and-mouse plot, the show also provides an abundance of laughs from the electric cast of sarcastic Sidney, long-suffering Myra, idealistic Clifford and a boisterous Dutch psychic, Helga ten Dorp. Yes, there’s a psychic.