The best I could decide on for this piece was "mildly entertaining". The mystery is definitely intriguing and most of the plot twists are quite unexpected. This could definitely be a great evening for you if you aren't too picky about some occasional over-acting and some repetitive, distracting blocking. A couple of the fun British witticisms get plowed through, but not enough to make them entirely unfunny.

Several of the plot points are entirely unbelievable, but that's entirely the fault of the playwrite. Director Rod Schrader simply followed the script as he ought. For example, I had a hard time buying it when a more-than-middle-aged, limping inspector comes by himself to escort a suspected killer to the police station. But it began to verge on silly when said inspector slowly followed said killer around and around the furniture with the handcuffs at the ready.

Actually, there was quite a lot of that "all around the mulberry bush" blocking. I wanted a tarantella to come on so they could start dancing.

  David Adams was engagingly exuberant as Andrew Wyke. His flights of fancy as an over-enthusiastic mystery writer were fun and almost child-like in their delight of creating complicated plots. When his motives became revealed, however, this energy evolved into melo-drama. Had this been the director's intent, that would've been one thing, however I don't think it was. Likewise with Jim Lyreman as Milo Tindle. His jumpiness and confusion in the beginning, his anguish when threatened... both were wonderful. But when things got darker for him, I was almost waiting for him to twirl his invisible villian's moustache.

Note: You may think that I've given away the mystery with that last paragraph, but don't worry, I haven't. You'll still be surprised.

My favorite part of the evening was the gunshots. Yes, the gunshots. You'll see what I mean when you go, but the effects were wonderfully done. I was looking directly at their target when the "bullets" hit and I still couldn't see the trick. I'd almost suspect them of actually using BB's, except the gun had a solid barrel and was fairly obviously false.

The set as a whole was quite well done, if a trifle too "perfect" for my tastes. I simply mean that everything - the furniture, the art on the walls, the various items on the mantle and shelves - were all too evenly distributed. The place didn't look "lived in" at all. Aside from that VERY minor observation, I really enjoyed the various pieces of decor, most of which were styled after various forms of puzzles. Painting the floor as a chessboard was clever, but the blocking that made use of it was a little too obvious. Perhaps if the actors hadn't needed to look down in order to hit their marks... oh, well.

This production of Sleuth is one of those middlin' shows. One you will enjoy, but not one that will get talked of for years to come. It's fun and entertaining, and the plot will definitely surprise you a time or two. According to the playbill, the story was partly inspired by Stephen Sondheim - reason enough for me to be intrigued.

Sleuth runs through December 9th at the Williamsburg Players, 200 Hubbard Lane, Williamsburg, 757-229-0431.