The Bat-Theatre 40 at The Reuben Cordova Theatre- Theatre In LA

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Play Details

The Bat

The Bat

Theatre 40 at The Reuben Cordova Theatre
241 Moreno Drive Beverly Hills

Three decades before the Batman, there was another dread creature of the night, a costumed super- criminal called The Bat, and it’s that character that lends his name to this classic mystery play of 1920. The plundering Bat has been terrorizing the Long Island environs where the wealthy Cornelia Van Gorder has rented a splendid but isolated old home for four months. The house belongs to the Fleming family, and when Richard, the scion of the family is suddenly shot to death on a dark and stormy night, The Bat is not the only available suspect. Consider: Richard’s father had run the Union Bank, recently robbed, presumably by one of its employees who has gone missing. Could Richard have had something to do with the missing cash? And that’s just it: Cash, lots and lots of it. People have certainly murdered for less. It soon develops that the Fleming house is chock full of suspects, who lie, have secrets, and move about the place suspiciously: a beautiful girl, a newly hired gardener, the butler, the local doctor, the detective who’s missing when events of moment occur, an intruder, and a suddenly appearing amnesiac. Then, of course, there’s the possibility that The Bat himself might appear. Who killed Richard Fleming? Only one thing is certain: He won’t be the only one found dead in the mysterious house with a secret passageway and a hidden room ideal for secreting stolen loot. Who done it?

Thru - Aug 26, 2012

Price: $24-$26

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 310-364-0535

www.Theatre40.org

Click Here for Half-Price Tickets

Review Round-Up

Los Angeles Times - Somewhat Recommended

"...The dialogue sports a notable level of wit, sophistication and slyly subversive offhand quips, though the performances rarely do them justice; grappling with basic line delivery is still evident at this point in the run."
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Philip Brandes

LA Weekly - Not Recommended

"...Audience members aren’t the only ones groping in the dark during this tortuous tweed-and-pipe murder mystery. Directed by Martin Speer, the three-act marathon has so many dead ends that eventually even the actors stumble over lines like they’re bumping into furniture in a dim attic."
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Jenny Lower

Backstage - Somewhat Recommended

"...The piece has enough plot for three plays, but it’s too leisurely in unfolding. Director Martin M. Speer might have been wise to generate more speed and energy, particularly in the early scenes."
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Neal Weaver

Stage and Cinema - Not Recommended

"...Whether from a lack of rehearsal or a lack of direction, the entire cast seemed unprepared for the opening night performance."
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Tom Chaits

LA Splash - Recommended

"...Directed by Martin M Speer, the three act play was a bit long and could have been shortened a bit for modern day audiences, but the acting was great."
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Serita Stevens

Stage Scene LA - Not Recommended

"...Unfortunately, such is not the case with Rinehart’s mystery dramedy, easily the weakest of the now 30 productions I have reviewed over the past five years at T40, a major letdown after WOW!s like The Long Weekend, Luv, and The Drawer Boy, and a particular disappointment from a theater company which has had such great success with ensemble period pieces like Laura, The Voisey Inheritance, and Dangerous Corner, and their Agatha Christie hits Spider’s Web and Black Coffee."
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Steven Stanley

Examiner - Recommended

"...The payoff was worth the wait."
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Audrey Linden

Grigware Blogspot - Recommended

"...All in all, The Bat is an enjoyably fun way to spend a summer evening in the theatre."
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Don Grigware

The California Theatre Critic - Recommended

"...This fun-filled production produced by David Hunt Stafford is set in a delightful manor house that transforms before the third act from the delightful sitting room to the eerie and musty old attic."
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Randall Gray