The melodramatic and humorous play, The Mumberley Inheritance, closed curtains on opening night with roaring laughter and a standing ovation.
Running at the Domino Theatre from Sept. 5 to 21, the play, directed by Sara Beck, ArtSci ’93, is set in the Mumberley Manor and follows the villainous Mr. Marmaduke Mayhem as he tries to wed damsel-in-distress, Daphne Mumberley, and take over the Mumberley Manor to find its hidden treasure, using Father Sir Roger Mumberley’s debts to get away with it.
The Mumberley Inheritance, written by playwright Warren C. Graves, is set in the Mumberley Manor in England 1900, but showcases Canadian culture with the return of Brother Jack Mumberley whose been lost in Canada for six long years.
Put together in just over a month, it would certainly be a shame to miss the utter joy that The Mumberley Inheritance incited. Thedeeply entertaining play offers moments of laughter with its clever use of dramatic irony, moments that draw sympathy from the audience, and moments of shock. A good story evokes a multitude of emotions, and this play delivers.
“There’s no deeper meaning to The Mumberley Inheritance. This is fun. It’s a moment of escape and joy, and that is all we need to take away from it,” Beck said in an interview with The Journal.
A live pianist, Deborah Schuurmans, performed on stage throughout the show, helping to build tension and reinforce the chaotic, playful, and versatile atmosphere of The Mumberley Inheritance.
The play was a raging success characterized by audience engagement throughout the course of the show, prompted by an interactive screen on stage. Viewers hissed at the evil Mr. Marmaduke Mayhem and hollered encouragements for our hero, Rodney Stoutheart. The Mumberley Inheritance was delightfully fun to watch while being simultaneously interactive, making the audience feel like they were a part of the mayhem.
“The actors have worked so hard on this because we had such a shortened rehearsal schedule. Hearing the audience laugh and cheer lets the actors know they’re connecting with the audience,” Beck said.
Designed by Chris McKinnon, the set was beautiful and detailed, featuring AI-created fictional portraits of the Mumberley family strewn upon the walls. There was a secret entrance hidden on stage that shocked and delighted viewers, contributing to the nature of the play. The craftmanship of the set was impressive and made the constant backdrop seem consistently entertaining.
The exaggerated style of the actors, including dazzling swoons from Emily Kelly, who plays Daphne, and piercing evil laughs and penetrative stares from Craig Norton, who plays Mr. Marmaduke Mayhem, enhanced the play’s silliness. The cast wasn’t afraid to crack jokes with the audience, often breaking the fourth wall in a witty fashion that left viewers constantly entertained.
There’s something greatly important with interacting with art for the sake of art and in a confusing, complex world, The Mumberley Inheritance is a dose of lightness and amusement playgoers crave.
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