Pittsburgh Public Theater's 'Dial M for Murder' is a riveting mystery

Considering the explosion of popularity in recent years of true crime podcasts, British detective shows and mystery media like “Knives Out,” the timing for a classic thriller to hit the stage is apt.

“Dial M for Murder” started out as a 1952 play by Frederick Knott and was brought to the silver screen in 1954 by master of chills Alfred Hitchcock. The adaptation of the original play that will run until Sept. 29 at the O’Reilly Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh brings some new twists to the classic.

It would be a disservice to potential playgoers to go too far into the plot of “Dial M for Murder.” It centers around a small cast, including British couple Margot and Tony and their American friend, Maxine. Margot is a wealthy heiress, Maxine a writer of thriller novels and Tony a failed novelist who now works for Maxine’s publisher. But a litany of secrets, lies, plots and schemes unwind and peel away to reveal that not everything is what it seems.

While “Dial M for Murder” is a known commodity, this modern adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher throws some fascinating new elements into the mix. Hitchcock fans will recall that the original play and film have Maxine as Max, a crucial gender-swap because of a (very quickly revealed) love affair with Margot. The new script retains the original’s 1950s setting, meaning that a relationship between two women carries an extra potent weight in the course of the plot.

The script is impeccably taut, not wasting a moment of stage time. At just over two hours (including an intermission) Pittsburgh Public Theater’s “Dial M for Murder” could have dragged, but it doesn’t at all — when the stage went dark for intermission, it felt surprising that an hour had already passed. In addition, the staging and direction — which required plenty of juggling by director Celine Rosenthal — was also clean and deceptively simple, with a lot of visual puzzle pieces that fell perfectly into place.

The entire play takes place in Tony and Margot’s sitting room, well-appointed in the fashion of a wealthy London couple in the mid-20th century. Scenic designer Antonio Troy Ferron ensured that all of the furniture, doors and stairs were both stylish and functional, as many pieces play key roles in the course of the story. Annmarie Duggan, who served as lighting designer for the production, used some particularly appropriate mood lighting during crucial moments to enhance the shadows and deepen suspense. Costumes by Tracy Dorman — especially Margot’s — were exquisite, as was hair and makeup by Kathie Lynne Matthews. And a murder mystery obviously requires a murder, compellingly choreographed by fight director Mark Rose.

Then, there are the players themselves who put the wheels of the plot in motion and saw it through.

Brooke Turner as Margot was particularly adept in moments of great pressure, with a second-act monologue that was certainly the emotional height of the play. Shannon Williams was a witty and commanding Maxine who pulled off the role of the sharp investigator with vigor. Josh Innerst, as Tony, had to do some intense acting-within-acting — always a fun challenge — and pulled it off (at times infuriatingly) well. Michael Trimm played Lesgate, a smaller part required to embody a range of emotions and scenarios in a short time. And lastly, Ken Bolden flawlessly portrayed Inspector Hubbard, the all-too-familiar older detective who is far more on top of things than his sweet, doddering exterior might have you believe. Bolden gets to deliver some of the plot’s most riveting gut-punches and explanations, and he looked like he was having fun doing it.

For a play with pretty dark subject matter, “Dial M for Murder” is also a great time. It has some good jokes, revelations that brought a wave of gasps across the audience and a satisfying conclusion that caused an outbreak of applause. It has all the hallmarks of a paperback mystery, live and in person. It’s a dark diversion as the spooky season approaches and a timeless classic with some bright modern touches and twists.

Pittsburgh Public Theater’s “Dial M for Murder” runs until Sept. 29 at the O’Reilly Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit ppt.org.