Killer Business

Caitlin Goguen, David Keeley and Natalie Moore in Killer Business. Photo by Liz Gareri.

Killer Business is a fun romp through the behind-the-scenes drama of a Broadway production that’s over budget and behind schedule. Part 50s-style musical, part hardboiled detective story, from its hilariously caricatured cast to its deliberately clumsy musical numbers, Killer Business is parody all the way.

We meet producer Tony (Ryan Rogerson) in the midst of his desperate struggle to distract financers from the fact that the show is nowhere near ready to premiere. Along with Cleo (Julia Juhas), his right-hand woman, Tony is faced with the impossible task of managing the egos of a very high-strung cast of colourful characters. There’s the aging star (Christina Gordon), the jealous costume designer (Duff MacDonald), the lovestruck stagehand (Matthew G Brown), two precocious chorus girls “Ooh” (Caitlin Goguen) and “Aah” (Natalie Moore), and the unhappily married stars of the show, ingénue Stella (Tess Benger) and Steve (Jason Adam Clarke). When someone drops dead in the middle of rehearsal, Richard Gunn PI (David Keeley) steps right off the pages of a Dick Tracy novel to crack the case. And he likes to be called Dick.

Killer Business is a thoroughly enjoyable satire of the histrionics that can result when theatre people get together, and the absurd conventions of the whodunit genre. The play’s musical numbers are generally well executed if a bit uneven, with ensemble pieces providing the highlight. If you like hardboiled detective stories, Broadway musicals and penis jokes, you will be a fan of Killer Business.

Killer Business runs until January 19 at Factory Theatre Mainspace as part of the Next Stage Theatre Festival. Visit fringetoronto.com for more information and to buy tickets.

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