‘The Real Inspector Hound’ a wild whodunit with bite

David Begelman, Theater Critic

Murder mysteries might never be the same again after you see Shakespeare & Company’s rendition of Tom Stoppard’s zany spin on the genre, “The Real Inspector Hound.” The farce, written between 1961 and 1962 was initially dubbed “The Stand-ins” and subsequently, “The Critics.”

After seeing this show, even the intricate sleuthing of such dignitaries as Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, and Hercule Poirot might begin to look like the loony world of the bumbling French sleuth, Inspector Clouseau. Stoppard pulls out all stops on satirizing mystery thrillers—especially those with a British flavor.

The current staging of the farce at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre by director Jonathan Croy is so full of delightfully contrived artifice, the comedy has you rolling in the aisles in the Lenox company’s newly appointed theater..

And no wonder. The company seems to have an aptitude for serving up farce, its fetching past productions of such comedies as Feydeau’s “The Ladies Man” and Stoppard’s “Rough Crossing” more than proving the point.   

There are several reasons for the success of this production: the capability of the cast, including the precision clock-work of their characterizations and timing, and last—but certainly not least—the engaging, and often brilliant writing of the playwright.

The farce is near merciless in its satire of Agatha Christie murder mysteries like her parlor whodunit, “The Mousetrap.” And Stoppard is relentless in dishing up spoofs of them that not only include the expectable platitudes, but seem to cascade deliriously into parody—much to the delight of the audience.

The farce brims over with humorous conceits, the most prominent of which are its two theater critics, Birdboot (Josh Aaron McCabe) and Moon (Eric Spada). Occupying two seats in the audience, their commentary about the ongoing mystery of Muldoon Manor—a melodrama into which they are drawn as participants—is reminiscent of the philosophical repartee of the eponymous heroes of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” the playwright’s other notable drama.

All performers in this commendable production put their best foot forward, whether aimlessly dusting walls (or bumping into them) like the blind maid of the manor, Mrs. Drudge (Meg O’Connor); sweeping into a room with a grand gesture punctuated with orchestral music, rolling on the floor with a lover, or becoming stuck in a passionate clinch with same, like Felicity Cunningham (Alexandra Lincoln) or Lady Cynthia Muldoon, seeming widow of deceased Lord Albert (Dana Harrison); invading the manor house after falling backwards over a window sill, like Simon Gascoyne (David Joseph); maneuvering about the set in a wheel chair and laying on a  thick Scots accent, like Major Magnus Muldoon (Scott Renzoni); or cutting the figure of a dunderhead detective, Inspector Hound (Wolfe Coleman).

Whether the characters’ antics in protracted card games, bouts of indignation or sudden surprise at the discovery of an inveterately stiff corpse in plain sight from the outset, or extracting from a satchel a set of investigative tools that turn out to be those in the game “Clue,” the result is as enjoyable as you’d hope any farce can aspire to be. Bravo!

“The Real Inspector Hound” runs until November 7 at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre of Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street in Lenox, MASS. Performances are at 7:30 p.m, matinees at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $12 to $48, and may be purchased by calling (413)-637-3353 or online at www.shakespeare.org