"The Business of Murder"

April 12, 2015 — On the first spring-like day following one of the most prolonged and punishing winters in memory, I traveled to Meredith, New Hampshire to attend my first live performance of the new season. After lunch at George's Diner, I strolled around the border of Meredith Bay, part of Lake Winnipesaukee, enjoying wall-to-wall sun and temperature in the 60s. There's open water along the shoreline, but still ice covering the lake away from shore. It won't last much longer.

At this Winnipesaukee Players production, "The Business of Murder," two men and a woman meet in a Southwest London flat. All three have a connection to a horrendous crime committed years ago, but at the beginning only one of the men is aware of the connection. Gradually, as the play progresses, the others (and the audience) come to realize what a diabolical scheme they're caught up in. Not your standard whodunit, with an unpredictable ending, this play by award-winning playwright Richard Harris keeps the tension high, although at times a bit plodding.

Ably directed by Neil Pankhurst and well-acted by Jason Plourde, William Allgood and Rebecca Tucker, this presentation meets the Winnipesaukee Players' high production standards. Keep watching for reviews. I have five more "Winni" productions on my schedule for this season, along with other New Hampshire summer theater shows.