‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder’ Kills at Ahmanson Theatre

John Turner

In recent decades, the musical comedy has been all but lost as a pure theatrical art form. But “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” which has performances at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre March 22 – May 1, seeks to revive this nearly obsolete genre in a grand, hilarious way. The show that opened on Broadway in November 2013 and won four Tony awards (including Best Musical) was written by Broadway newcomers Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music and lyrics).

The “A Gentleman’s Guide” plot is based on the 1907 comic novel by Roy Horniman, “Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal,” which was itself made into a 1949 film called “Kind Hearts and Coronets.” The story centers around the feckless and penniless Monty Navarro (played by Kevin Massey) who discovers in the opening scene that his newly-departed mother (and not to worry, it’s not her whom Monty kills) was a distant member of the notorious, and wealthy, D’Ysquith family. Monty is on the verge of losing his girlfriend, the gold-digging Sibella (Kristen Beth Williams), to a more well-to-do gentleman, and his life would indeed be sweeter were he Lord Monty D’Ysquith, Earl of Highhurst. All that stands in the way of Monty’s commencement of that title are the eight living members of the D’Ysquith clan. So, of course, Monty sets about removing those pesky people/obstacles – and here the fun begins. All eight D’Ysquith (pronounced, appropriately enough as “DIE-squith”) family members are played by one actor (the chameleonic John Rapson) and soon Monty is climbing the ladder to lordship as his relatives start…well, disappearing. The various death scenes are portrayed in a series of vignettes a la Gilbert and Sullivan and will leave audiences wishing for more D’Ysquiths for Monty to assassinate.

Numerous reviews of the original Broadway production including even the normally-cynical The New York Times heaped praise upon “A Gentleman’s Guide” for its gorgeous production value and its reminiscent return to classic musical comedy. And anyone who attends this gut-busting show during its six-week run – and excuse the cliché here, but in this instance it’s fitting – will die laughing.

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder” is at Ahmanson Theatre March 22-May 1. For information and tickets visit the theater’s event page.