Presented by Tim Motley
@ LoFi, Gluttony
TUESDAY 28 Feb 2012 (until March 4)
The moment the lights go down in Gluttony’s LoFi tent, it is no longer 2012. In fact, it is 1947, and you are on the case with Dirk Darrow: Not Completely Serious Supernatural Investigator…or are you? Maybe you’re the one that committed the crime in the first place!
A murder has occurred, and private detective Dirk Darrow (played by Tim Motley, born in New York, currently residing in Melbourne, meaning that accent is real, folks) needs to solve it before meeting his lady-love on the docks. We, the audience are here to assist him in solving that crime. The stage is minimally set, with only a few props. However the setting only plays a small part in the scheme of things, as once Darrow appears your attention never wavers from him. He takes us through the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the murder. With the assistance of the audience, Darrow uses a mix of his supernatural powers – think cool magic tricks, not ghosts and ghouls – and detective skills to track down the criminal. All the while evoking the spirit of those detectives featured in 1940s noir films, such as Humphrey Bogart’s Philip Marlowe. Thankfully, the plot of this 60-minute show is a lot easier to follow than that of The Big Sleep
You don’t need to be a fan of 1940s noir to fully enjoy the show, although the show does pay tribute. The jokes are frequent, including an obscure mathematical pun and even some references to Adelaide, always a nice touch. For those of you who love a bit of audience interaction, this is definitely a show you need to see. There are multiple chances for audience members to be picked by Darrow to help solve different parts of the crime. When you attend the show, be prepared to help to identify the weapon used in the murder, the time of the murder or even become one of four suspects yourself!
Tim Motley is hilarious as private detective Dirk Darrow. Motley (who took Dirk to Canada and had a sell-out season at the Edmonton Fringe Festival) utterly commits to the character, and this is the reason the show works so well. His rapport with the crowd is easy-going and fun, he doesn’t loose his cool when things go slightly wrong, and performs some great magic tricks that will leave you desperately curious to discover the secrets behind them.
This is a show that adults and teenagers alike can enjoy. Be ready to laugh with and at Dirk Darrow: NCSSI as you help him solve crime, in this unique mix of comedy, magic, a colourful, energetic interpretive dance (it makes sense in the context of the show, trust me) and a good, old fashioned murder mystery.
Dirk Darrow: Not Completely Serious Supernatural Investigator is on at the LoFi tent in Gluttony (Rymill Park, Cnr East Tce and Rundle Rd) until March 4.
