By MARILYN JOZWIK
For its holiday show, Next Act Theatre is presenting the Michael Hollinger comedy “Red Herring.” I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun at a play.
Hollinger’s show is a barrel full of quirky characters, tongue-in-cheek laughs—and 24 scenes that are all gems. And Next Act has polished each one to a high gleam. David Cecsarini directs.
The show features hard-boiled detective Maggie (Mary McDonald Kerr), “a flatfoot in heels,” evoking 1950s mysteries. Maggie is surrounded by all sorts of goofy situations and characters in the era of McCarthyism, the Cold War and the hydrogen bomb. These don’t seem like the themes of comedy, yet Hollinger has found lots to spoof and Next Act runs with it.
Besides the intrigue of the era and a murder mystery, Hollinger weaves three very unconventional love stories throughout the comedy and ties up all the knots in heartwarming fashion. Besides Maggie and her partner Frank (Dylan Bolin), Lynn (Eva Nimmer), the fictional daughter of Sen. Joe McCarthy (McCarthy did have a daughter named Tierney, who was adopted as an infant in 1957) and James (Zach Thomas Woods), a Russian spy, are lovers; so are landlady Mrs. Kravitz (Kelly Doherty) and her tenant Andrei (Bo Johnson). The three couples intersect as plans for a deadly bomb hidden in a block of Velveeta cheese end up on a Boston dock, where a corpse was found days earlier.
Mrs. Kravitz (Kelly Doherty), James (Zach Thomas Woods) and Frank (Dylan Bolin) end up in a tense situation on the dock in a scene from Next Act’s “Red Herring.” Photo by Mark Frohna
This is a show that is dense with humor and wordplay, mystery and all sorts of period and other references including “Moby Dick,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” Richard Nixon, “Ike,” fission, fusion, Quakers, Catholics (including a hilarious confessional scene), Jews and lots more. A screen in the back of the stage shows clips from the McCarthy trials, as well as images of a Boston dock and other locales related to the action. Each scene’s ending is a thought-provoking line that simmers briefly before the next gem of a scene begins.
Like a neatly wrapped gift, each scene is a surprising treasure, especially as the characters’ personas start to form. Kerr’s Maggie, with her trench coat and distinctive hat, has the look and demeanor of a film noir detective, like Humphrey Bogart’s Philip Marlowe. Maggie is fast-talking, tough and driven. She is in total command of every situation, but vulnerable when it comes to Frank, the love of her life, who is ready to take the plunge until he uncovers Maggie’s secret. As Frank, Bolin matches Maggie’s toughness and also has some wonderful turns as Major Hartwell (part of a Hydrogen bomb experiment team) and a priest.
Lynn (Eva Nimmer) and Andrei (Bo Johnson) vie for the attention of the priest (Dylan Bolin) in the confessional in a scene from First Stage’s “Red Herring.” Photo by Mark Frohna
Perhaps the most memorable characterizations are Doherty’s as Mrs. Kravitz, the dockside landlady; Lyn’s clueless mother; and the haughty, overbearing bridal shop owner. With various voices, inflections and timing, Doherty creates a trio of crowd-pleasing characters. Johnson also effectively handles multiple roles, the largest being Andrei, who dances to hide his identity.
As James, Woods is eager and engaging. He pairs well with Nimmer, as the naïve Lynn, for some subtle and charmingly comedic scenes.
The show is a carousel of characters and situations that move swiftly through the many scene and costume changes. Each scene is vividly created through complex lighting, sound, set design and costumes—thanks to Rick Rasmussen (scenic design), Cecsarini (sound and images design), Amy Horst (costume design), Aaron Sherkow (lighting design), Abby Pitchford (properties design) and Jessica Connelly (stage manager).
If You Go:
Who: Next Act Theatre
What: “Red Herring”
When: Through Dec. 19
Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee
Info/Tickets: 414-278-0765; nextact.org