The stage play Rope, later adapted to become Alfred Hitchcock’s 1948 film of the same name, is an upside-down whodunnit. That is to say, the audience, in what became a film noir trope in the 1940s, knows something that the characters of the piece do not know at the very outset. We know Who, and fairly soon, we know the other W’s as well. These are revealed in the opening sequences of Rope by the two primary characters, Wyndham Brandon, played smoothly and with an eerie believability by Vedant Sharma, and Charles Granillo, frequently referred to by other characters as “Granno,” performed with high energy jitters by Joseph Battley II. It’s elegantly done, with a creative use of materials to achieve visual poshness. I have admired Hitchcock’s work since childhood, so this production is a fun prospect for me.
The show opens with a dastardly deed, and the two perpetrators planning an evening gathering at the very location of the crime. The tension of Rope, published by English playwright Patrick Hamilton (later the author of Gas Light) in 1929, is retained throughout both acts of the show and, arguably, beyond the final curtain. Our villains host a dinner party and invite an assortment of characters, particularly chosen for the “piquancy” they’ll add to the macabre event. The tension is derived from whether the central characters will be discovered, and how far they’ll go to prevent that happening. The language of the script, while old-fashioned and quite British in nature, is constructed so as to very clearly reveal what is going on and why.
Director Rick Bergmann, who also is responsible for set design and light and sound design, arranges the single-set show with more cleverness than technology and immediately evokes mood and era with furniture colors and antimacassars. Sound cues are appropriate and well-timed, especially the thunderstorm, which is quite realistic. A few issues with lighting are handled swiftly if not ideally, and the actors and actions are all perfectly visible. The skyline out the window is evocative and adds to the drama, particularly at the show’s finale.
The actors’ movements and interactions look natural, while of course being meticulously planned. Bergmann’s cast is smashing, as is his fostering of their relationships, as they not only perform brilliantly individually but also connect genuinely in interactions.
As Charles Granillo, Joseph Battley II is excitable to the point of hysteria, and by turns petulant, sulky, and brash. His comic timing is very good. Vedant Sharma, playing chief anti-hero Wyndham Brandon, a classmate of Charles, Kenneth, and one other character whom we never see, is elegant and smooth, with a snappy delivery that doesn’t strain our ability to hear and comprehend the content of his lines. As house servant Sabot, Polly O’Rourke has a dour dryness that makes her quite convincing in the role. Playing Kenneth Raglan, Carter Wescott is every inch the fresh-faced, eager-to-please puppy of a young man, quite susceptible to the charms of Leila Arden, played with an air of blithe empty-headedness that takes quite a lot of skill by Rebecca Goldberg. Edward V. Crews plays book collector Johnstone Kentley with stuffy scholastic ways, and as his sister Mrs. Debenham, Elizabeth L. E. Wiggins is comedy genius in motion and dialogue. Edward Brennan in the investigative role of Rupert Cadell is the highlight of the show with sardonic wit, dry delivery, and impeccable timing.
Special Fight Choreographer John Cusumano has created some dramatic sequences in Act II, and they are cleanly executed and thematically effective. Costume Designer, Set Designer, and Props Goddess Joanne Breene comes up with a unified but individualized aesthetic for the cast’s wardrobe, and it adds to the show’s appeal that the period of the play could be anywhen from the thirties to the fifties. I particularly notice a pair of purple T-strap shoes and co-ordinating handbag.
The home venue of Upstage Artists, Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Beltsville, is a little southwest of South Laurel and about equidistant from Route 1 and I-95. Nearby are an assortment of restaurants, and I can personally vouch for pho and Vietnamese coffee at Pho VN One. Parking at the venue is free.
The show is performed in what may be the church social hall. Seating is floor-level, without risers, in comfortable padded folding chairs. During the ten-minute intermission, water and snacks are available for purchase. The church offers restrooms designated Men, Women, and Accessible. There do not seem to be formal COVID precautions in place, though masking is the option of some audience members, and respectful distance seems standard among theatergoers nowadays.
Since it’s mentioned frequently, I’ll decode a bit of antique slang. The ‘It’ in ‘Gin and It’ is short for ‘Italian,’ referring to Italian Vermouth, redder and sweeter than the dry white French style. Plenty are poured during the show. If you’re game to step into a dark evening of drama, drinking, and dirty deeds, grab your like-minded cohorts and enjoy a time-travelish outing where you’ll leave your decade at the door. If you like mystery, if you like noir, you’ll enjoy Upstage Artists’ highly entertaining and thrillingly affordable production of Rope.
Running Time: One hour and 45 minutes, with one ten-minute intermission.
Rope plays through March 2, 2025 (Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 2 PM), presented by UpStage Artists performing at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 11416 Cedar Lane, Beltsville, MD. Purchase tickets ($10) online.
COVID Safety: Masks are recommended, not mandatory.
The Alfred Hitchcock film version of Rope was made to look as if it were one continuous shot. Significant changes to names and motivations for the film make it differ quite a bit from the stage script, which you can hear in this radio broadcast featuring Alan Rickman as Rupert.
The Cast of Rope
Vedant Sharma as Wyndham Brandon
Joseph Battley as Charles Granillo
Edward Brennan as Rupert Cadell
Rebecca Goldberg as Leila Arden
Carter Wescott as Kenneth Raglan
Edward Crews as Johnstone Kentley
Polly O’Rourke as Sabot
Elizabeth Wiggins as Mrs. Debenham
