Review
John Ball's In the Heat of the Night
BOTTOM LINE: An awesome adaptation of the classic murder mystery novel (and film).
I loved this show. It’s a stylistic, action-oriented mystery that grabs your attention from the start and holds it until the final blackout. Every scene has extremely well-crafted dialogue, staging, and spectacular lighting cues that advance the story as you try to figure out where things are going.
Originally a novel by John Ball, In The Heat of the Night is also a well know 1967 film starring Sydney Poitier. This adaptation by Matt Pelfrey is very different than the film and goes in a different direction with the material to present its own take on the novel. What the audience gets is a unique theatrical experience that is unique and progresses at a steady pace.
The story starts with a man being murdered on a hot Alabama night. An African-American named Virgil Tibbs is in town and becomes the prime suspect because of the color of his skin. While he clears his name quickly, what they don’t realize is that he is a cop as well (a damn good one too) and things change when he begins to help solve the murder of which he was first suspected. What he faces is severe bigotry and constant harassment by the members of the police force and citizens of the town. The racial tension of this play is thick and superbly acted by the cast playing these tense scenes.
Overall, the cast does an excellent job. It is an ensemble piece with many actors playing multiple roles. The direction by Joe Tantalo is sharp and uses a lot of well staged scenes that use the theater in the round quite nicely. Wherever you sit for this show you are sure to have a good seat.
I think most people would enjoy this production. For $25 it’s a bargain for quality theater in New York. Like any good mystery, you will be guessing until the end who the murderer is and you just might be surprised. So check it out, it won't let you down.
(John Ball's In the Heat of the Night plays at 59E59 Theatres, 59 East 59th Street, through April 25th. Performances are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30pm, Thursdays and Fridays at 8:30pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm and 8:30pm and Sundays at 3:30pm. Tickets are $25 and are available at ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200. For more show info visit 59e59.org.)