Fringe Review

“The Maltese Murder” by Bryan Colley and Tara Varney is a theatrical homage to hardboiled detective stories that delivers plenty of laughs but occasionally stumbles over its own gumshoes. The clever writing and humorous wordplay effectively set the stage for the play’s action: Detective Sam Spade takes on the task of solving the murder of a wealthy book collector, who was on the hunt for a signed copy of “The Maltese Falcon.” Davis DeRock’s portrayal of Sam Spade was the clear highlight of the production as he captured the essence of the world-weary detective with notable authenticity, delivering each cynical observation and sharp quip with precise timing.

The foundational strengths of an excellent noir parody are evident, but uneven commitment to the noir style from the ensemble seemingly held the play back from achieving its full potential. I fully expect the cast to settle into their characters and shake off any opening night jitters that may have affected their performance.