WHEN the action of a play takes place in a remote area of the north of England, it is a good clue that the play is in the mystery-thriller genre. Unfortunately, as is the case with the Arena Players’ current show, ”A Gift of Murder,” the genre is not always mysterious or thrilling.
The play, by George Batson, billed as a comedy thriller, is a mishmash of stereotyped characterizations, unbelievable dialogue, and forced plot lines. Perhaps, of all of its problems, the most deadly is that none of its characters are in any way sympathetic. We never care that one of these self-centered, unpleasant people may be murdered. And when the inevitable murder does take place, we are not concerned with either the loss of a life or that the killer may be on the loose.
Incidentally, the characters seem as uninterested as the audience in what is happening on stage. This inability to make even basic emotional connections turns ”A Gift of Murder” into a tedious evening of theater.
The play’s main character is Stella, an aging actress on the verge of tumbling off her star pedestal. As played by Blanche Brodie, Stella is a walking whirlwind of manipulation and histrionics. She seems incapable of entering a room without creating a scene, of speaking dialogue that has not been memorized or of displaying an emotion that has not been practiced. That someone may be trying to kill her does not seem as shocking to her as the sight of the mismatched gown and shoes her friend Flavia is wearing.
Stella’s overacting wears thin very quickly, and since there is no more substance to the character, whatever interest exists for watching Stella for three long acts must be credited to the often interesting acting choices made by Ms. Brodie. She will lend Stella a hawklike look that promises more intelligence than might be expected. Or she will suddenly, and only for an instant, make Stella appear genuinely vulnerable to the world around her. These moments are the creation of Ms. Brodie, rather than the playwright, but, through no fault of the actress, they are not enough to fill up a stage.
Dennis Mordaunt, Stella’s agent-producer, is an underwritten role, and Paul Dommermuth is unable to do much with it. Stephen J. Schaffer plays the part of Peter, a brash young American seducer, with what borders on a Henry Fonda impersonation. This is such an insignificant character that Mr. Schaffer at least draws attention to himself with his energetic attack on poor Peter.
Donna Fodera is fine as Mary, Stella’s niece, whose gold lame pedal pushers have caught Peter’s eye. Barbara Carlson gives the crafty, competitive Flavia a good spark of energy and stagy fake concern for her dear friend Stella. Roslyn Ziff is excellent as the nurse whose goal is to take care of Stella.
The director, Frederic De Feis, should have taken more time to smooth over the obvious flaws in the play, but even if this were a perfect production, this dreary play is not worth sitting through.
A Gift of Murder Filming Locations:
Atlanta, Georgia:
‘A Gift of Murder’ was majorly filmed in Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia. The cast and crew lensed scenes at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve, a 30-acre nature trail. The sprawling city has a dense green cover as well as a stunning urban cityscape. Its economy mainly depends on transportation, aerospace, healthcare, film, and TV production, media, and information technology.
Some of the prominent landmarks in Atlanta are the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum, and Kendeda Canopy Walk. Touted as the Hollywood of the South, Atlanta has also served as a filming site for movies such as ‘I Want You Back‘ and ‘Single Black Female‘ and TV shows like ‘Sweet Magnolias.’
Peachtree City, Georgia:
Several significant portions of ‘A Gift of Murder’ were lensed in Peachtree City, located in Fayette County, South Metro Atlanta. The charming city houses three picturesque lakes named Lake Kedron, Lake Peachtree, and Lake McIntosh. It is well connected by numerous golf cart paths and has several golf and country clubs. Many productions like the TV shows ‘Drop Dead Diva’ and ‘The Walking Dead,’ and the movies ‘Tag’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ were filmed in Peachtree City.
Brookhaven, Georgia:
‘A Gift of Murder’ was further taped in Brookhaven, a city in western DeKalb County. The city lies in the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta and is known for its beautiful parks like Ashford Forest Preserve, Lynwood Park, North Druid Hills Greenspace, and Peachtree Creek Greenway. Over the years, Brookhaven has hosted the production of several movies and TV shows, such as ‘Richard Jewell and ‘Teenage Bounty Hunters.’
