Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story

 Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story is based on the true story of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold. Stephen Dolginoff’s musical interpretation provides an entertaining account of the 1924 murder of a Chicago boy and the motives behind this shocking crime. 

 The Seymour Centre, Downstairs in association with New Mardi Gras 2010The Seymour Centre, Sydney
Wednesday, 24 February, 2010
Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story is based on the true story of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold. Stephen Dolginoff’s musical interpretation provides an entertaining account of the 1924 murder of a Chicago boy and the motives behind this shocking crime. The play opens on Nathan who is facing the parole board after 34 years in prison. They know he tortured and killed a boy and they know the facts behind it, but they’ve never worked out the motive. They wonder why two intelligent, wealthy university students would want to murder. Through a series of flashbacks, Nathan explains to us why he and lover Richard wanted to commit ‘The Perfect Crime’. This fascinating story certainly doesn’t fail to captivate the audience from the very beginning. Blake Erickson is manipulative yet seductive in the role of Richard. Benjamin Giraud’s portrayal of Nathan shows a hint of his ensnared desperation although it could have been taken further at times. The staging is fairly sparse with wooden boxes providing versatile props, however in most instances Mikey Rice’s lighting design sets the scene. The visual interpretation of a fire in one of the opening scenes works particularly well, however less successful is the harsh down-lighting in the prison scenes that cast strong shadows on Nathan’s face and makes him difficult to see. The real highlight of this show is the music. The contemporary musical theatre tunes are catchy and the performances are of high quality. Musical Director Mark Chamberlain plays the piano almost continuously throughout the show providing a wonderful accompaniment. At time though the piano steals a little too much focus and it becomes hard to hear the actors. Both singers perform their many snappy numbers with aplomb, the duets in particular highlighting their musical talents. Overall this short and snappy piece is well directed and is a great addition to the 2010 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival.
Bookings: www.seymour.usyd.edu.au or call (02) 9351 7940 Until 6 March, 2010