Curtains Review - Al Hirschfield theater, NYC

Photo Credit: Playbill

by Kathryn Durfee
04/13/2008

In New York City for the weekend, I was lucky enough to grab myself a ticket for John Kander and Fred Ebb's musical comedy "Curtains," an old-fashioned murder mystery concerning a Boston play trying to get to Broadway. Wildly funny and expertly cast, "Curtains" is a whodunnit that has the audience guessing at every turn. And of course, there's lots of singing and dancing.

Our play begins during the finale of the company's show, "Robbin' Hood of the Old West," a western musical that would be great if not for the talentless leading lady. We don't suffer her for long, however, as she drops dead during the curtain call. When it is determined that she was murdered and that only someone on stage could have done it, the company is quarantined by Lt. Frank Cioffi.

Cioffi, played by Tony and Emmy award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce of "Frasier" fame, did a little community theater back in the day and is very excited about being amongst "show people" once again. No one really seems to miss the murdered starlet, but the stakes are raised when more members of the cast and crew are eliminated.

Since the show must go on -- the company is still determined to take "Robbin' Hood" to Broadway -- lyricist Georgia Hendricks (Karen Ziemba) is put in the lead role. This is her first performance in years, and it puts pressure on the fragile relationship between her and her composing partner/ex-husband Aaron (Jason Danieley).

The show-loving gumshoe devotes more attention to fixing the kinks in "Robbin' Hood" than trying to track down the killer, and becomes the show's doctor, making adjustments that range from minor details to the overhaul of entire numbers. Surprisingly, his ideas are much better than his detective skills, and the flamboyant director (played by fellow "Frasier" thespian Edward Hibbert), gladly accepts both his ideas and the credit.

Add to the mix that Cioffi is falling for young actress Niki (Jill Paice), and "Curtains" quickly becomes a hilarious whodunnit with love triangles to boot!

Though not as dark as the composing team's previous collaborations ("Cabaret" and "Chicago"), the script for "Curtains" is engaging, entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny. The dialogue is quick and witty; leading lady Debra Monk (here playing the show's producer) spits out sharpened lines fast enough to make Katharine Hepburn jealous. Pierce shines as Cioffi, the eager detective who can't help but be caught up in the world of show business. When he is struck by ideas for the production, his eyes widen like that of a kid on Christmas morning. With incredible expression, his character carries the show.

The songs aren't as catchy as Kander and Ebb's other works, but they work well within the performance. "Show People" and an angry anthem directed at "everybody's enemy" - the critic - keep the first act moving at a steady pace. The act closes with a saloon number "Thataway!" for "Robbin' Hood" that is a true showcase to the vocal range of actress Karen Ziemba.

The second act opens with a song by the conductor, yes, the actual conductor of the orchestra, as he confirms the second murder. When I spoke with the conductor after the show, he said, "It's a fun show to do. They gave me a song! Even my mother said, 'They gave you a song?'" With this second murder, "Curtains" picks up the pace and holds it until the curtain call.

Monk's delivery of "It's a Business," in which the rough-around-the-edges producer talks trash about Beckett, O'Neill, and Moliere, is the musical high point of the act. The detective and Niki share an adorable number, "A Tough Act to Follow," in which they both imagine themselves in a cute fantasy as Marge and Gower Champion. The most emotional number is "I Miss the Music," which in the show is sung by Aaron for his relationship with Georgia but it clearly meant as a ballad from Kander to his long-time composing partner Ebb following the latter's death.

"Curtains" is a clever show that features a handful of crisscrossing story lines but never confuses the viewer. The choreography and musical numbers are enjoyable and entertaining, but the show's biggest asset is its cast. Monk's spunky smack-talking producer and Pierce's doe-eyed detective lift "Curtains" above becoming just another musical spoof or Clue-style murder mystery and make the show a delightful experience.

"Curtains" opened March 22 at the Al Hirschfield theater on W 45th in New York City. It will close June 29th.

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