Review: Murder Inn at the Wade James Theatre in Edmonds

Murder Inn

by local playwrights, Howard Voland and Keith McGregor

September 13 - October 6, 2024

• Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm
• Sundays at 2pm
• 15 total performances

Edmonds Driftwood Players
Wade James Theatre, 950 Main Street, Edmonds

Review by Kindle Carpp

Murder Inn is set in New England, at the dilapidated eighteenth-century Bardsley Inn, supposedly haunted by Marco, a knife-throwing poltergeist. A group of tourists, on a tour - Ghosts and Ghouls of New England - is forced by a storm to make an unscheduled stop at the inn. 

What looks to be an unpleasant and uncomfortable detour soon turns into a night of mayhem and madness as knives begin to pop up. As the storm builds and the body count rises, the survivors try to figure out who done it. And even more important - who’s likely to have it done to them next?

Olivia Alderton, David Hayes, Codie Wyatt, Jeannine Early, Ingrid Sanai Buron, Jennifer Nielsen, Tina Devrin. Photo by Dale Sutton

This engaging play begins when our stranded guests arrive at the Barnsley to discover it is a ramshackle inn which has closed for the season, opening only because of local flooding and landslides due to the rain. 

The proprietress maintains that the inn is haunted by her long ago murderous ancestor, while her son is skeptical that the ghost even exists.

The set design by Thomas LeClair stands out, setting the tone and scene of the decrepit inn. Look for the small details such as peeling wallpaper and water-stained walls. One aspect of the set that I particularly enjoyed was a door masquerading as a bookcase with an authentic-looking collection of books.

Carol Richmond, David Hayes, Tina Devrin, Thomas A. Glass
Photo by Dale Sutton

Everyone in this large cast performed well but there were a few actors who shone.

• Tina Devrin embodied the exasperation of customer service when you really hate the customer.
• Ingrid Sanai Buron embodied the mean girl trophe to perfection.
• Jennifer Nielsen did a wonderful job of presenting as the benign and uncomplicated retired school marm who just happens to be sharp as a tack.
• Rachael Risbell Walters really committed to her character’s kooky bit without upstaging the rest of the cast.

And the chemistry build between Olivia Alderton and Landon Whitbread was timed well and very believable. I literally caught myself “aw-ing” at their cuddling up on the sofa.

Just in time for the Halloween season you can check out Murder Inn and I promise you won’t have any reservations about the experience.

Codie Wyatt, Tina Devrin, Ingrid Sanai Buron, Jeannine Early, David Hayes, Carol Richmond
Photo by Dale Sutton

TICKETS: $28 General Adults (ages 19-59); $25 Youth/Senior/Military. Available online at www.edmondsdriftwoodplayers.org or by phone at 425-774-9600. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people.

Edmonds Driftwood Players is a volunteer-based nonprofit community theatre that is proud to have been entertaining audiences in the Pacific Northwest since 1958, making EDP one of the oldest operating community theatres in Washington State. As we celebrate our 66th Season in Edmonds, we would like to thank the community for their continued support of local theatre.” -Katie Soulé, Managing Director

Content Information: this production has been deemed by the publisher as appropriate for all audiences, however, it contains some mild adult themes, weapons and alcohol, as well as references to the supernatural.

Approximate Run Time: this production is anticipated to be approximately 2 hours including a 15-minute intermission.

“Murder Inn” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com