Love triangles have a way of winnowing down to two participants, and in Sinners, murder overtakes lust.
St. Albert Dinner Theatre’s current comedic mystery, written by Canadian playwright Norm Foster, is a humorous tale of adultery, murder and seemingly impossible situations that could be possible. There's even a sprinkle of larceny and sloth to carry the audience along to its outrageous conclusion.
Directed by Ralph Troschke, the plot revolves around the manipulative Monica Lloyd, the wife of Reverend Edmund Lloyd. A beautiful, sexy woman, Monica uses her husband’s absences to have a fling or two.
Her current fling, the nervous furniture store owner Peter Kramer, is stressed out about the affair and decides it’s immoral and too risky. He wants to break it off. As the two lovers discuss the affair in Monica’s bedroom, the unwitting reverend returns home and is clocked on the head.
Peter has passed out and when he awakens, believes he’s killed the reverend. As a stiff lies on the bedroom floor, Peter’s frazzled nerves explode, and he goes into full-blown panic mode. To make matters worse, an intrusive neighbour knocks on the front door looking for ministerial guidance.
Tim Kubasek (Nana’s Naughty Knickers) and longtime actor with St. Albert Dinner Theatre, has nabbed the role of Peter. Kubasek’s forte is comedy. As Peter goes through a character evolution from a cream-puff to an armchair detective, Kubasek stretches his comedic chops and rises to the challenge.
Monica Lefurgey (Leading Ladies) as Monica Lloyd appears to relish playing the lusty wife who can’t get enough extra-marital sex. Dressed in blazing red lounge wear, Lefurgy’s Monica is the quintessential other woman masking romance for control.
Kara Little’s Diane Gillis comes to the reverend’s house searching for marital advice and mistakes Peter as the man of God. She turns out to be Peter’s major annoyance and salvation. This was Little’s first production with the theatre company, and her portrayal of Diane was equal moments of pathos and laughter.
Kelly Krause (Wrong Window!) returns to the company as chief of police Roy Cavanaugh. Krause embodies Cavanaugh perfectly, an ultra-lazy police chief who hates investigating dead bodies. Instead he's running for mayor because he believes the job is easier.
His wife Carolyn, played by Laurie Borle (Lend Me a Tenor) has a level of bossiness equally matched to Monica’s. Using her decade-long experience in theatre, Borle uses hand gestures and facial expressions to amplify her character’s envious personality. And these specific nuances work well as Carolyn reveals a streak of kleptomania.
Richard Wiens as the reverend is one of the most pivotal yet underrepresented character. The entire play rests on his appearance and disappearance. Yet he is only on stage for a few minutes saying a line or two before the lights go out and he meets his maker.
Kudos to Troschke for directing a fast-moving farcical pace with unexpected twists and turns. Not everything is as it appears.
Sinners runs April 3 to 5 and 10 to 12 at the Kinsmen Banquet Hall, 47 Riel Dr. Single tickets are $70 plus GST. Visit stalberttheatre.com or call the box office at 780-222-0102.
