By HANNA WING-BONICA
There is perhaps nothing more exciting than getting caught up in watching a crime thriller unfold, whether it’s on TV or on the stage. The 1952 stage play Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott is one of those classic thrillers with unexpected plot twists that keep you guessing until the very end. Two years later, it became a movie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, John Williams, and Robert Cummings. Little Lake Theatre Company’s production of Dial M for Murder, directed by Tal Kroser, is an adaptation by Jeffery Hatcher of Knott’s original play, which changes Margot’s lover from Max to Maxine. The play’s gender switch adds layers of complexity, due to the persecution of people in the LGBTQIA+ community in both Britain and the United States during the 1950s. Under Kroser’s direction, Dial M for Murder is a suspenseful production featuring a small but mighty cast that brings memorable characters to life.
In Hatcher’s Dial M for Murder, Margot Wendice (Elizabeth Glyptis) has been having an affair with Maxine Hadley (Chelsea Davis), an American murder mystery writer who happens to work with Margot’s husband, Tony Wendice (Ross Kobelak). Margot is being blackmailed by someone who stole a passionate letter addressed to her from Maxine. Tony is becoming suspicious of Margot and Maxine’s relationship, and he hires Lesgate (Adam Merulli) to murder Margot. Will Tony’s plan to murder Margot succeed? Who is blackmailing Margot? Will Inspector Hubbard (Tom Protulipac) solve the case?
These are a few questions that the play answers, as the Little Lake production takes its audience through an intense investigation, toward the eagerly anticipated conclusion.
Some crime thrillers and murder mysteries adapted for the stage have so many characters that it is hard to keep track of who is who. One of the refreshing things about this Dial M for Murder is that it restricts the number of characters, which keeps the play more confined and adds to its intensity. With this in mind, each character gets their moment to shine.
Kobelak’s portrayal of Tony is chilling. He switches easily from a doting husband to a manipulative, calculating one once Margot and Maxine leave the room. Kolbelak makes Tony one of those villains that you love to hate due to his charm. While Maxine and Margot’s romantic relationship is no more at the play’s beginning, the chemistry between Davis’ Maxine and Glyptis’ Margot is simmering, from their sullen glances to a lingering kiss on the lips. They are the couple that you immediately want to get back together. But society doesn’t see romance between two women with compassion. When their affair is made public, both Maxine and Margot sadly face consequences for their romance, which significantly impacts their lives.
While he appears only briefly in the play, Merulli’s performance as Lesgate is a memorable one, as he isn’t portrayed as a stereotypical criminal for hire. His sense of right and wrong becomes conflicted once he is in the middle of committing the heinous act he is hired to commit. A bit of comedic relief is added to the mix when Protulipac’s Inspector Hubbard takes on the case. Protulipac plays Hubbard as a bumbling, but observant detective in the style of Columbo rather than Poirot. And that is what makes Protulipac’s portrayal of Hubbard so fun! He doesn’t seem to know what he is doing, but he really does know how to work the clues in front of him. Mike McBurney nicely juggles the various BBC voices heard over Wendice’s radio.
The Canonsburg theater’s in-the-round setup, designed by Aria Dietrich, allows the audience to be close to the play’s action. The distance of a traditional proscenium stage would have made it more difficult to catch the little details as the play’s drama unfolded.
If you love crime thrillers or just like solving a good mystery, then Dial M for Murder at Little Lake is a great play to see.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Dial M for Murder is now playing through May 17, 2026, at Little Lake Theatre. Tickets at: https://us.patronbase.com/_LittleLakeTheatre/Productions/164/Performances
Categories: Arts and Ideas
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