ANDERSON — Crime noir runs up against a policeman’s intolerance in the effective, yet often testing, Anderson University production of “Detective Story,” a 1940s-era tale by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sidney Kingsley.
The show runs for the next two weekends at Boze Lyric Theater.
The drama, conducted in three acts and running beyond two hours, is finely acted by a well-meaning ensemble. However, the student group is so large — up to 10 on stage at some points — that the clutter of stage movement in the police precinct (the sweeping of a broom, walking across hardwood, a radio) can diminish important character backgrounding.
Josh Moore plays Detective Jim McLeod, a hardboiled cop with a brawny body, who wants even the pettiest of criminals locked up. Moore is dead-on and unwavering until he is confronted by a profound personal crisis.
Sarah White, as McLeod’s perturbed boss, rolls her voice and body movements to underscore her frustrations in dealing with her troublesome detective. Krystal Marshall as McLeod’s wife also brings to life her personal dilemma with her husband’s concrete soul. And Jess Wallace as McLeod’s partner may have the most understated role, torn between her own sympathy toward crime suspects and McLeod’s rough exterior.
The noir element — as much as stage lighting and makeup will allow — is emphasized in a Dashiell Hammett-type setting with a tiered stage.
The first act, nearly an hour, may have too many characters floating about. The final two acts center on character flaws and bring the audience closer to emotions. Through the third act particularly, the lessons about justice — personal and societal — come to a tough conclusion. And the success of Anderson University’s “Detective Story” is that we walk away a deeper sense of compassion.
Contact Scott L. Miley, 648-4230, scott.miley@heraldbulletin.com
If you go ...
What: “Detective Story,” written by Sidney Kingsley
Where: Boze Lyric Theatre at Anderson University
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12-14 and 19-21
Tickets: $12 for students; $20 for senior/military, and $24 for adults.
Info: 641-4543 or 619-3047, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Review: ‘Detective Story’ cluttered but effective
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