THEATER REVIEW : ‘Bone Chiller’ Is Also Bone-Tired, Boneheaded

In Monk Ferris’ play “Bone Chiller,” family members aren’t the only ones who have gathered for the reading of Josiah Travers’ will; Travers had also requested the presence of a few oddly assorted others. It’s an old gimmick in the mystery play genre, and it looks as though it will never go away.

Some plays that use the gimmick, however, should go away, and Ferris’ is at the head of that list. It is badly written and shallow, and a lot of it is very dumb.

Ferris’ shtick is that Travers wrote his will in the form of a rebus, a puzzle defined as containing objects, pictures and signs, the names of which sound like the words or parts of words they represent.

In the will, a stuffed Teddy bear with the word “me” imprinted on its stomach stands for “bear with me,” pictures of arms and legs are “members,” and so on. Most of the play is taken up with the gathered group’s attempts to figure out the puzzle wording of the will.

That doesn’t leave much time for characterization, either in the writing or the acting, so that’s at a minimum. Also at a minimum is logic.

Ferris sets up situations he can’t get out of, so he blithely ignores them, such as a police detective who really isn’t one but is totally accepted by police investigators under the name of an associate they know well. That is passed over by the author, along with numerous other flights of bad plotting.

Maybe the right director could cloud the audience’s mind by creating an atmosphere of high camp and, hopefully, guiding the actors into honest, real-life characterizations to make it work. Jennifer Boudreau is not that director. She allows the actors to do little more than recite their lines, and compound her surface treatment with stereotypes that smack of 1930s Saturday serial films.

*

A few of the actors are strong enough to seem almost as though their characters could actually exist. Craig Bonde’s pediatrician is valid, as is the aforementioned cop, played by Mark J. Mallo.

Mary-Ann Saranchak’s domestic is pretty honest and real, as is Dorene Robertson as one of Travers’ nieces. Joy Bonde does a neat turn as Flame Fondue, a floozy who claims to be a kindergarten teacher but actually is something much different, and her switch in manner and style when she’s discovered is on target.

*

The rest of the large company doesn’t fare as well, particularly Richard DeVicariis as the butler Mauvins, who takes the character’s description as slow to a length that almost stops the action completely.

Joan Neubauer is pretty solid most of the way as Travers’ attorney. But when her true status is revealed, she adopts almost a Groucho walk, a sick leer and rolling eyes.

* “Bone Chiller,” Westminster Community Theatre, 7272 Maple St., Westminster. Fridays and Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Ends Feb. 3. $10. (714) 527-5546. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.

Craig Bonde: Buzzy

Joy Bonde: Flame Fondue

Karen Dailey: Eloise

Richard DeVicariis: Mauvins

Kip Hogan: Zita Van Zok

Mark J. Mallo: Dan Denton

Joan Neubauer: Addie

Kent Rensing: Jerry Delvin

Liza Rios-Rietveid: Pippi

Dorene Robertson: Theodosia

Mary-Ann Saranchak; Lucretia

Sarah van der Pol: Kissy

Melinda Zommick: Connie

A Westminster Community Theatre production of Monk Ferris’ mystery, produced by Jeff & Brooks-Anne Crumley. Directed by Jennifer Boudreau. Scenic design: Jennifer Boudreau, Mark Lyen. Technical direction: Aaron Abrams. Lighting design: Amy Lyen. Sound design: Mark Lyen. Stage manager: Mark Lyen.