Hey, I'm Talking Murder Here!
presented by Rhino Productions
Showtimes
Fri., Aug. 1 @ 10:00 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 4 @ 8:30 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 5 @ 5:30 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 6 @ 8:30 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 8 @ 7:00 p.m.
Show details
Venue: U of M Rarig Center Proscenium
Duration: 60 minutes
For ages 15+
Written by Mic Weinblatt
Genres: World premier, Comedy
Warnings: Adult language
Overall rating
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User reviews
Sam Ahern is a sexy beastz!
by Tommy Yenes Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Sam Ahern's performance as the homicidal robot was so good, that I literally wanted to "do" him.
Hey, I'm talking Murder Here
by Lisa Denkins Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Those 3 sparse plays spoke volumes, laughter through tears, each one unique, from Cyber control meltdown, to reality anguish (who is mentally ill here?) to the dog show, a very valid and side-splitting (to this avid dog owner and Humane Society volunteer) portrayal of dogs as people. (Well they are.) I walked my dogs with new reverence this morning, wondering what they were thinking...Thanks, Mr. Weinblatt; your creativity knows no bounds!
Huh.
by Gus Rholl Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Not a good script. Not great direction. I went in, thinking this show was going to be something way different than what it was, based on the title. I didn't hate the perfomances, however. Other than that...not something I would recommend as a must see.
Entertaining!!
by Andrea Vogel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Stellar performances from 4 very different yet all incredibly talented actors. I was impressed by the breadth of emotion displayed across the three stories - sadness, fear, despair, hilarity, insanity, love, loss, insight, joy, lust, wonder, etc. I would see this AGAIN with these actors in place!
Not in the Zone
by dixie treichel Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Some good ideas. They would have played better if they weren't all played the same way. Anger isn't always screaming & suspence needs a subtle approach. A closer study of Serling & Hitch would help.
Great Fun!
by Al Fiene Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Very well done, and great fun -- in a twisted sort of way. Three very different scenes of murder (yes, murder can be fun to watch -- especially when the characters are as solidly committed to as these are).
Hey I'm Talking Murder Here
by Marilyn Knudsen Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is what you want to see in a Fringe event: thought provoking, condensed, well acted, minimalist theater. The four cast members transformed themselves well. It was so clever, you had to think about what you were seeing and it was worth it. The concept and writing were wonderful.
Thought provoking!
by Tom Emmott Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mic Weinblatt does it again with three thought provoking yet humorous scripts. Terrific performances by all four actors. I especially liked Kara Greshwalks transistion between her two characters. The "talking dogs" sketch was wonderful and a great script. Good direction on a bare bones set.
Solid Show
by Roxanne Miller Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Hey, I'm Talking Murder Here! is a solid show, featuring the talents of Sam, Celia, Kara, and Trevor in 3 scenes. The acting is excellent, very engaging. Whether you're looking for a crazy robot or a talking dog, it's all here :) The actors draw you in, making you laugh and think.
Acting: 10; Script: 3
by madee weisner Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
The acting was good. The script was not. These stories were overly cheesy, especially the last one about the dogs...the first two stories were fine and I thought Forrest did a great job of portraying a disabled woman, but the show was confusing overall and the last skit seemed like a show for young children. The cast just needs more to work with. Better luck next time!
Fastest 60 minutes ever
by Patty McManus Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The 3 scenes in this play put the audience through a gamut of emotions---you're laughing one minute and on the verge of tears the next. Creatively written, this play is superbly acted as well. How Kara Greshwalk can end a scene in profound grief, then come bounding back in seconds as a hilarious dog is beyond me. Sam Ahern was convincingly creepy as the robot, and Celia Forrest and Trevor Hartman were equally outstanding.
I would highly recommend this play---certainly the "dark horse" of the Fringe.
Great performances...
by Anders Nerheim Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This cast is a very talented group of adults. I was amazingly impressed. Sam Ahern excited me with his odd/insane Dr. Gagney and then he walked on 20 minutes later with another lovable portrayal of Tex (the dog). Celia Forrest did a lovely job playing both of her roles as well, you truly felt for her as an escaped patient unaware of her changed surroundings. You are probably wondering about now why I didn't give the show 5 kitties with my praise? The soul reason is that I felt two of the three stories could have been more developed. Each could have been an individual show, and I would have liked a bit more closure in the first tale. Still, if you have an open spot on your schedule, slip this one in.
Script Needs Work
by Ben Thietje Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
The performers did their best with a script that needs some serious rehashing. Rehash it, baby!
Super Cast does Twilight Zone
by Julie weaver Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Each of these three tales has its own life and "death" and are loosely woven together under the title of the show. The cast of four highly capable actors are knit together by director Weinblatt in some very fast-paced (in the first tale - too fast to catch everything) scenes with a twist. The "murder" theme threads through each off-the-wall story. Kudos to Hartman as Marlow, an unknowing murderer, to Forrest for a poignant performance as Edna, and to Ahern and Greshwalk as the best "dogs" on the block!
Acting was great...
by Sarah Beaumont Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
The acting in this show was excellent. It had a strong cast but the show in itself was nothing to rave about. The stories were odd and not very well written. I felt like I was watching high school one acts written by the students. I was bored for the first two parts and for the third I found myself wrinkling my nose and whispering "what?" to my friend. If these actors had a little more to work with it would bee great.
Great Acting, Okay Play
by Ben Share Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I found this show entertaining, although some of the plots were a little confusing. But, the great acting by the cast, especially the amazing Celia Forrest, made the show enjoyable for me.
Stupid title, great show
by Sharon Kahn Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Okay, the stories aren't murder mysteries, they don't depict any particular vision of the future (unexpected or otherwise) and only one tale has anything to do with "revenge and murder." It's just three fast-moving, imaginative skits on diverse topics, flawlessly presented. The first story is hilarious, the second one might make you cry, and the last one is just a showcase for the tour-de-force physical comedy this troupe is capable of. I'm baffled by comments from some of the earlier reviewers about the script - I've seen 14 shows so far this year and this one had the best writing I've seen so far. If you like sharply written, well-acted sketch comedy, don't miss this show! There aren't enough shows in the short-sketch format this year, and this one is a fine example of that format.
5 for the Acting, but...
by Heather Baldwin Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
The best thing about this show was definitely the actors' performances. All four of the cast members did a great job of portraying intriguing characters that the audience can care about. The chemistry between Kara and Sam in part 3 and between Kara and Celia in parts 2 and 3 was especially strong. Acting: 5 kitties.
Overall, the directing was well-done, allowing the actors to showcase their strengths. There was really only one specific moment in part 3 in which I felt that the director's choice sabotaged the chemistry between Celia and Trevor. Otherwise, the staging was well-done. Directing: 3.5 kitties.
The script was very odd; some moments worked better than others. Writing-wise, the weakest segment was part 1. Part 2 was better, though still incredibly weird. Part 3 was the strongest. By the way, the show's title and the promo stills have little to do with the content of the show. Writing: 2 kitties.
In summary, I'd give this show 4 kitties, again mainly because of the actors. However, I have to give Mic credit for trying something different and unusual.
How can you resist talking dogs?
by Becky Deason Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
All three vignettes reflect on aspects of death/murder and touch on some interesting questions through the extreme situations (some humorous, some dramatic, all a bit disturbing).
I particularly liked the second and third scenarios - both featured great interactions between the actors. Kara and Celia had some wonderfully true moments in the second one. And the whole cast shined in the last!
Great acting
by Robert Anderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
As others have said, the acting was the best part of the show. The characters were quirky, and the actors really got in to the roles during all three stories. From a writing perspective - the first two stories could have used some editing, but the third was pretty good. Overall, a good play that stood out thanks to the acting.
Great moments, but a thread?
by Brian Watson-Jones Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
This show stands as three interesting vignettes, with strong character work and terrific moments, but it was hard to see how they stood together, either plot-wise or thematically. The first two exist in a world of a semi-scifi, semi-dystopian future, with tantalizing hints of sinister, uncaring corporations creating works that they can't control. The third takes place in a veterinarian's waiting room. Don't get me wrong, it's a great scene, but outside of some unnecessary references to "The Head", there's no reason at all to think it exists in the same world. There's some lovely stuff here, but little flow between it, and those tantalizing hints of something larger never come to a climax.
Not much more need be said about the quality of the acting, but I want to give especial kudos to Celia Forrest and Kara Greshwalk in Scene 2. Forrest's gradual decay is heartbreakingly powerful, and Greshwalk shows agony in every moment as she watches the fall.
Well Acted
by Brettallica Fricke Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I will start by saying that the quartet that makes up the cast did an excellent job in these three shows. I must, however, say that the shows were, at their best, bizarre, and at times were downright creepy. Even the title is curious. Although all three shows do deal with death at another's hand, the situations were not particularly realistic, and it wasn't even clear if the writer was trying to make a statement, or if he was merely weird or disturbing.
Nevertheless, the actors seemed to be having a good time up there, and the plays were often funny. It is definitely worth checking out.
Good cast, nothing to work with.
by re gurgitate Follow this reviewer
Rating 1 kitty
See title.
Captivating
by Beth Greshwalk Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The #1 reason why I appreciated this show was for the superb (jaw-dropping) acting. These highly talented individuals were the victors over an unusual script and challenging characters, who the actors literally became. They took my emotions on a rollercoaster of twists and turns. One minute, I was laughing; the next, on the brink of tears. Love the script or not, I believe you will enjoy its unpredictability; will be captivated, if not moved, by the actors' interpretation. It's a win for art. I highly recommend this play.
Oops!
by Derek Henderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 1 kitty
The cast did a fine job, but the truth of this show is that it's not well-written. These guys did their best and I commend them for it, but they can only do so much with a bad script.
Fantastic cast, poor writing...
by Anne Ryan Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
The cast in this show was amazing. They did a great job with a poorly written script and very odd characters.
Without this talented cast, it would have been very hard to watch, and wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable.
Odd characters well acted
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Three dark tales of imminent death that are well written and well acted characters studies. All three were science fiction/fantasy short stories that started normally, developed in odd ways, and then twisted and turned enough to keep my attention throughout. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.
