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Dark, Gloom “Deathtrap” Huge Success

BU agrees: One of the best productions in a long time 
The lights go dark and the piano begins to play an eerie tune. Then, the audience hears the subtle sounds of a typewriter. The lights brighten, and the show begins.
“Deathtrap,” a thriller in two acts, is a five-character show coming to Bradley from Broadway. It made me feel like I was in a big life-size game of Clue because of all of the twists and turns. 
“Deathtrap” had the audience laughing and jumping in fear at all the right places, but we were always just as in the dark as the characters. Without giving away too much of the plot, you’ll get a taste of what you get to see when you attend the show.
Famous playwright, Sidney Bruhl and his wife Myra emjoy an evening at home when Sidney begins to read a play sent to him by a student who participated in his summer seminar. 
While he is in a slump, Sidney gets the idea to invite the young playwright, Clifford Anderson, over to discuss the future success of the show, and talk about a possible collaboration.
This is where all the twists begin, and after what seems to be an inaccurate prediction by their neighbor, Helga ten Dorp, a police psychic in her home country, everything seems to mellow out. That is, until the first of her many predictions comes true. 
That is all I can reveal of Act I, but hopefully you’re hooked, because it really is worth finding out the rest of the story.
The first thing I noticed, before the show even began, was the set. 
Done by theatre arts major Jessi Veverka, it was jaw-droppingly beautiful and realistic. If for nothing else, the set is reason enough to buy a ticket to the show.
In addition to the set, there was an overwhelming amount of props, all of which where perfectly placed and impressively authentic. 
I was told that there were more props than actors and stagehands combined, and if you saw the cast and production staff list, you would be baffled also. It was a really intense comparison when I looked over the list myself.
Justin Verstraete, who played Sidney, as well as the rest of the cast including Liz Gilmore as Myra, Becca Wenning as Helga, Drew Gilbert as Clifford Anderson and Gordon Scott as Porter Milgrim, had some of the best on-stage chemistry I have ever witnessed. Everyone seemed dedicated to the show and really became a part of their characters.
It was great to see such passion for a show from the actors and stagehands. I’ve known actors that have done a little research on their characters by watching a version of the play, but it was apparent that these actors took it a step further by researching their characters’ backgrounds, characteristics and mannerisms. 
They really made it their own and gave more than 100 percent in their rehearsals and performances to make it amazing and captivating for the audience.
I have to agree with what audience members have told the cast, it’s one of the best Bradley plays that has been done in a long time.