American High School Performing Arts’s fall production of Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot featured a dramatic Christmas party in which an unrestrained murderer is in their midst. An eccentric actor and amateur detective, William Gillette, is shot and invites his friends to his mansion with a plan to catch the criminal. With small areas for improvement, AHSPA’s play is an enjoyable holiday show due to its superb acting, comedic relief, and music choices. The host of the party, William Gillette, is played by Edzel Ochoa. He authentically conveys Gillette’s mysterious and unusual personality in dramatic monologues when he reveals his findings. In these monologues, Ochoa enunciates to clearly communicate his lines, pauses at crucial moments to
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In particular, the traditional Christmas songs – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland” by Bing Crosby – help create a peaceful, ambient atmosphere appropriate for the laidback attitude of that scene, where the party members begin to congregate and catch up with each other. These songs mark the approach of Christmas, a time of festive holidays and quiet comfort of family. In the end, another familiar Bing Crosby Christmas song is played to signal the happy ending of the play: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” This song effectively concludes the play, continuing the holiday vibes. However, despite all of these successfully executed elements of the play, AHSPA can still improve. Although Ochoa’s portrayal of Gillette is excellent, Gillette’s extensive obsession with games could be reconsidered. The situation he is involved in is a serious one – the attempted murder of himself and the murder for another close associate, but he frequently deviates from his ultimate purpose of discovering the murderer. It is understandable that his eccentricity needs demonstrated, but his repeated mention of how “the game’s afoot” is unnecessary to the plot. If his fascination with games is toned down, the plot could have a smoother progression. Despite small weaknesses in its plot, The Game’s Afoot is a splendid play produced by
In particular, the traditional Christmas songs – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland” by Bing Crosby – help create a peaceful, ambient atmosphere appropriate for the laidback attitude of that scene, where the party members begin to congregate and catch up with each other. These songs mark the approach of Christmas, a time of festive holidays and quiet comfort of family. In the end, another familiar Bing Crosby Christmas song is played to signal the happy ending of the play: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” This song effectively concludes the play, continuing the holiday vibes. However, despite all of these successfully executed elements of the play, AHSPA can still improve. Although Ochoa’s portrayal of Gillette is excellent, Gillette’s extensive obsession with games could be reconsidered. The situation he is involved in is a serious one – the attempted murder of himself and the murder for another close associate, but he frequently deviates from his ultimate purpose of discovering the murderer. It is understandable that his eccentricity needs demonstrated, but his repeated mention of how “the game’s afoot” is unnecessary to the plot. If his fascination with games is toned down, the plot could have a smoother progression. Despite small weaknesses in its plot, The Game’s Afoot is a splendid play produced by