Break out the looking glass and queue up the jazzy detective music, because during Alhambra’s rendition of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” the fate of the characters on stage lies in your humble hands.
Set in London in the year 1895, audiences enter The Music Hall Royale, where cast members welcome one and all to the shadowy, grandiose theater by walking amongst the crowd and asking cheeky questions about the upcoming tale.
“Who do you think did it?” asked Cedric Monceieffe as Reverend Crisparkle, played by David Diehl.
“It was definitely me. I think I did it,” Janet Conover as Helena Landless, played by Megan Soledad, chimed in, elbowing her way to the table of audience members.
This musical is all about breaking the fourth wall, so you can expect lots of crowd interaction from actors on stage. They want you to cheer, to laugh and, eventually, to vote for the supposed killer.
It’s a play within a play. Real life actor Justin Murphy plays London-based, Music Hall Royale actor Clive Paget, who then plays John Jasper. So, while you might spot cast members perusing the stands before the show begins, don’t bother asking their opinions on the latest Jaguars football game — they’re all from the late 1800s, not the 2020s.
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is, at the end of the day, a true mystery. The musical is based on the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens, but it was never actually completed. Dickens passed away midway through writing the story, so it’s been left to the devices of creative storytellers around the globe to unveil what happens to the beloved characters.
A few things are certain, such as all of the exposition in the first act of the musical, but about halfway through Act Two, the exposition becomes circumstantial. Audience members are given a slip of paper at the very beginning of the show and asked to circle their vote about the supposed killer, but the voting doesn’t stop there.
The audience is also encouraged to vote several more times on the fate of certain characters, wherein the action can become serious and unpredictable or laughable and lighthearted. The choice is up to you.
A live band accompanies the cast on stage as they belt through ballads, jigs and downright show-stopping company numbers. Meal-wise, guests can expect a menu filled with British specialties such as English split pea soup, slow roasted prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and Banoffee pie, among other delights.
The cast is ripe with new and returning cast members such as Alec Hadden, Torie D’Alessandro, Ellen Shaw, Patti Eyler, Anthony Llerandi, Noah Ruis, Pete Clapsis, Landon Amburgey and more.
You can catch “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and help determine an exciting conclusion only at Alhambra now through Nov. 16.
