![]() Jasper or Neville could have murdered him out of jealousy for Rosa. Bazzard could have murdered Drood to give himself a more prominent role. His torn coat is discovered, accusations are made, and everyone is a suspect - even the unassuming Bazzard (Aaron Talley), who sings the woeful “Never the Luck” and laments that he always receives small roles in the shows. The next day, Edwin Drood is nowhere to be found. The ensemble sings “No Good Can Come From Bad,” as there’s a secret romance, animosity reinvigorated, reputation challenged, and a violent storm that ultimately breaks up the whole party. Mason and Harmen’s voices blend beautifully and, while all of the music is lovely, this song was my favorite. They sing an exquisite duet, “Perfect Strangers,” agreeing to part as friends and keep their break secret so as not to ruin the dinner. But unbeknownst to him, Edwin and Rosa have confessed that they are not in love and intend to end their engagement, which was arranged when they were very young. Meanwhile, Jasper has planned a holiday dinner party to honor his nephew and extend an olive branch to the Landless twins. She sings about “The Wages of Sin,” reveling in her business of making money off of debauchery and drugs. Pagnard is delightfully and unapologetically crass. An obvious interest is sparked between Neville and Rosa, turning the love triangle into more of a square and cueing contention between Edwin, Jasper, and Neville.Īnother notable character in question is opium den owner Princess Puffer (Jennifer Pagnard). Jasper is a choral master by day and opium addict by night, very “Jekyll and Hyde,” singing about his failing grasp on sanity in “A Man Could Go Quite Mad.” He then quickly returns to calm with Edwin in “Two Kinsmen” as they boast of their wonderful kinship - only moments later to persuade Rosa Bud to reluctantly sing “Moonfall,” a song he has composed that blatantly hints at Jasper’s love and devotion to her.īut it gets even more complicated when the Reverend Crisparkle (Philip Krzywicki) shows up with two newly arrived guests from overseas, siblings Neville Landless (Shakil Azizi) and Helena Landless (Stephanie Chu Rudden). There are many interesting (and suspicious) characters but none more so than John Jasper (Bob Gudauskas), a duplicitous character who is secretly in love with his pupil Rosa Bud (Kaley Harman), the fiancée of his nephew Edwin Drood (Amanda Mason). The Chairman of the Music Hall, animatedly played by Brian Lyons-Burke, kicks off the performance leading the ensemble in “There You Are,” welcoming the audience to the Hall. ![]() This show-within-the-show is full of fourth wall breaks and audience participation, and before it begins, the characters mill about the stage and interact with the entering crowd. The cast plays music hall actors performing The Mystery of Edwin Drood (announced in an extended spooky voice, with wavy hands). The cast of ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood.’ Photo courtesy of Workhouse Arts Center. The show was the first on Broadway to have a “choose your own adventure” ending, with multiple options determined by votes from the audience. The show opened on Broadway in 1986 and was revived in 2012, receiving Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards for both runs. The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton is currently showing the madcap musical by Rupert Holmes (The “Pina Colada” song guy), inspired by Charles Dickens’ final unfinished work of the same name and by Victorian-style music hall performance. I have apparently been living under a rock for 44 years because until last weekend I had never seen The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
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