Written by 5:48 pm Dinner Theatre, Newport Beach, Theater, Uncategorized

Get Cartier @ Gourmet Detective in Newport Beach – Review

Written by Alina Mae Wilson 

2014-11-08 22.02.22

photo : Patrick Chavis

A night of murder, humor, and intrigue. In “Get Cartier,” we witness the before and after effects of the murder of a wealthy man. In this dinner theater performance,  the audience plays the part of the deceased’s dinner guests. The experience will leave you with a beautiful night to remember. Still, hardcore theatre devotees might find it a little too cliche and devoid of enough actual storyline and passion for a fulfilling mystery.

Playing the part of dinner guests at a reunion party, the audience sits and makes small talk with other attendees while the cast issues reminders that the year is 1963 in a lovely French dining room.  One by one, we are introduced to characters. One of the performers opens the show by walking around and singing a forgettable song with no real connection to anything that has or will happen. The song’s attempt to romanticize the setting might pass as halfway successful but for the absence of a microphone.   Instead, roughly half of what the performer sings is lost in the pounding of the piano keys. Fortunately, this show is not a musical, so complaints about the two featured songs can be considered trifling and petty.

When watching, one gets the impression that the story would be much more interesting if the main subjects were significantly more colorful. The script makes an effort to be interactive and engaging by periodically having the actors acknowledge that others are in the room or abruptly speak to them as though they are celebrities from that era–  “Sidney? Sidney? Mr. Poitier, how are you”  This is one of the more entertaining moments of the show, with people enthusiastically chortling as their loved ones get a moment in the limelight.    There is no real rhyme or reason regarding how and when the fourth wall is broken; it just seems to be done when the plot has run out of things to do.

In many murder mysteries, there are multiple prime suspects with possible motives, but this show is so convoluted that you’re still not convinced even after it’s unveiled. When it’s all said and done, “Get Cartier” is a decent show where the interactions between the cast and audience are fun, and the food is decent. It would probably make for a good date night.

7/10

for more information on showtimes and tickets, go to this link below:

get-cartier

Picture courtesy: Gourmet Detective

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Tags: , , Last modified: December 1, 2022
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