An Okotoks community theatre troupe is bringing a classic comedy to the stage.
Opening Oct. 20 at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre is Bullshot Crummond, a parody of the bullheaded British detective archetype set in the 1930s.
“It's going to be a really entertaining, really funny play. Things are going horribly wrong in the best possible way,” said Dave Hall, who described his titular role of Bullshot plainly: “He is an idiot. Everything he touches turns to gold, even though it’s a total accident.
“He stumbles into success time after time, gets all the applause and deserves none of the credit.”
The play follows Crummond, whose dubious detective prowess is sought out by Rosemarie Fenton to track down her father, Professor Rupert Fenton, who has been kidnapped by the sleuth’s nemesis, Count Otto Von Brunno.
"There’s a little bit of James Bond in there, there’s a little bit of Austin Powers. The whole cast is brilliant to work with. I’ve been so lucky and had such a good time,” said Hall, who was trained as an actor and taught high school theatre for 15 years.
Playing the naive Rosemary Fenton is another relatively new face to Dewdney, Kelly Kozak, who recently acted in the Players’ production of Twelfth Night.
Like the rest of the ensemble, her character plays a stereotype taken to the absurd.
“It takes place in the ‘30s, so she’s very much raised with that typical thinking of the time,” Kozak said, adding her character simply adds to the ridiculous mosaic.
"It's just really funny. A lot of slapstick type humour, really quick paced, a lot of sight gags.
“There's a lot to remember as an actor; it's not just lines, it's very physical and timing is everything in the show.”
The play’s director and Dewdney long-hauler Brad Snowden had the production up his sleeve for some time.
“About 30-some years ago I directed it in Lethbridge for a dinner theatre, fresh out of university, and when we were looking for plays here, I was supposed to direct Fawlty Towers, and then the pandemic hit,” Snowden said.
Ultimately, they weren’t able to get the rights to Fawlty Towers, but the director still longed for something of that ridiculous tone.
“I was looking through a bunch of plays I had at home and came across Bullshot Crummond, and I thought this is going to be a fun show,” he said, adding the target audience is simple: “Anybody who wants to laugh. You could be 12 to 112 and you're going to enjoy this show.”
The play runs Oct. 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, and Nov. 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.
For tickets and information visit www.dewdneyplayers.com or on ShowPass.com.
