Mysterious ‘Laura’

Laura Hunt has been murdered, and detective Mark McPherson is hanging around her chic Manhattan flat trying to figure out who might have done it. He’s also trying to figure out why he’s so fascinated with Laura’s portrait on the wall.

That’s the intriguing setup of Vera Caspery’s novel, the stage adaptation and the classic Hollywood film “Laura.” Long Beach Playhouse is reviving the stage version, and a couple of quibbles aside, it’s a respectable, honest and mostly classy piece of work.

Sean Patrick Small’s scenic design for Laura’s Manhattan flat conjures images of the mid-’40s, though the Art Deco design is about a decade late and one wonders why wealthy Laura Hunt wouldn’t have redecorated.

The frequent use in the production of the famous song “Laura” from the film is not very original. One character’s very modern blue jeans, totally out of place for New York in the period, is slightly jarring. But these are minor gripes once one is drawn into the action.

Otherwise, Hugh Harrison’s knowledgeable, tight direction is just what the piece needs. It feels right for the period and the style of writing, and Harrison has created a lingering sense of suspense that holds firmly till the final moments when the truth behind the murder is revealed.

The fact that the body found in Laura’s apartment is not really Laura is divulged very early on; the victim was a friend of Laura’s who was staying in the apartment over the weekend while Laura was away.

The question in McPherson’s mind, despite his obvious strong attraction to the portrait and to Laura herself, concerns the motive, the shotgun found at Laura’s country house and the not-so-convincing attitude of Laura’s fiance.

As McPherson, David Lindstedt provides a striking image of a man torn between a growing passion for the woman in the portrait and the obvious clues that Laura might be guilty. It’s an intriguing and difficult character, and Lindstedt balances the detective’s dilemma flawlessly.

The shining light in the production, though, is Trisha Melynkov’s Laura. Melynkov glows with the charm and assurance of the successful career woman, and also with the warmth of a woman who’s eager to find honesty in a fast life that has become rather empty. There is a reality in her Laura that is totally convincing.

Jack Battersby’s Waldo Lydecker, the effete author whose elegance and brilliance has intrigued Laura for years has all the style and silver shine he should, but the edge of his performance is dulled by difficulty with lines, and an inclination to mispronounce a number of words, such as “mischievous” and “finis,” which Lydecker would never do.

Leslie Williams’ crisp, uptight haughtiness is just right for Laura’s faithful maid, Bessie, and Ric Watson’s slightly pretentious airs as Laura’s fiance, Shelby, are right on target, especially combined with Watson’s overly smooth charm.

Casey Long, as the teenage son of the superintendent, is marvelously brash and volatile, particularly in those moments when his juvenile passion for Laura begins to explode. As his angry mother, Jaye Wilson has the right image in mind, but her one-note reading hasn’t enough depth.

BE THERE

“Laura,” Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. matinees Oct. 11, 18, 25, 2 p.m. Ends Oct. 31. $12-$15. (562) 494-1616. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes.