Calling all theater lovers: the national tour of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" is a must-see. For those unfamiliar with the musical, it tells the story of Monty Navarro (Kevin Massey), who discovers that he is an heir to the throne at Highhurst Castle and will do whatever it takes to become the next earl, even if that means killing the eight D'ysquiths ahead of him in the line of succession. All the while, Monty is juggling a mistress, his fiancee, and the constant threat of being arrested for murder.
The tour stars Kevin Massey as Monty and John Rapson as the entire D'ysquith family. Massey flawlessly portrays the murderous Monty Navarro and Rapson will leave you howling with his portrayal of all the D'ysquiths.
The score, written by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak is unlike that of any other musical I've ever seen. The songs will quickly get stuck in your head, and I've found myself humming them on my walk to class every morning, particularly "I've Decided to Marry You," which features Sibella, Monty's mistress, and Phoebe, his fiancee, singing about their love of Monty while he is trying to keep the two women from discovering each other.
When I saw the show this past week, I noticed that everyone near me was cracking up at the jokes throughout the show, and that many people were surprised by how funny the show actually is. There isn't a scene in the entire show that won't make you laugh.
Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the show is that John Rapson plays nine characters, both male and female. The quick changes in the show are astounding, and happen so quickly that many audience members did not realize that each D'Ysquith was not played by a different actor. Rapson gives each D'Ysquith a unique personality, and switches from one character to another flawlessly.
For those of you who still aren't convinced that the show is worth the price of a ticket, check out the cast album here, and check out this four minute video summary of the show.
The national tour of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" just finished its run at the Shubert Theater in Boston, MA, and is now at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT from October 25th until October 30th.
