Steadstyle Chicago
	May 2009 Theatre Review by Joe Stead
	Busman's Honeymoon One of the sure signs of success in the entertainment world is the dreaded but inevitable sequel.  Like most second and third generation copies, sequels are rarely of the same quality as their originals and yet public interest invariably keeps them churning out.  Fortunately there seems to be no diminishment of craft or talent in Lifeline Theatre's "Busman Honeymoon," the fourth and final in a series of plays adapted from novels by the great Dorothy L. Sayers.  You may remember meeting Sayres' lovable amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey several years back in "Whose Body?".  He met his match and future mate Harriet Vane in "Strange Poison," saved her from the gallows and set about courting her while solving more murders in "Gaudy Night".  "Busman's Honeymoon" finally gives them the nuptial bliss and long awaited honeymoon they richly deserve.  And did I mention there's another murder to be solved? Unlike Lifeline's three other Sayres properties, this one was originally written for the stage, however Lifeline and its superb adaptor Frances Limoncelli have turned to the novel that followed the play, no doubt for several juicy scenes deemed unactable in 1936 London.  Limoncelli once again exhibits the sparkling wit, elegance, romance and mystery that have made her and Sayres an unbeatable collaborative team.  You don't need to have read the books or seen any of the prior productions to thoroughly enjoy "Busman's Honeymoon," although if you have this final entry should be considered "must-see theatre". All the British tabloids are buzzing with the news that following a whirlwind 5-year courtship, the famous sleuth and eligible bachelor Sir Peter is finally tying the knot with the very strong minded and independent Harriet Vane.  They've taken over a country cottage in Harriet's childhood town of Pagford, Hertfordshire, England not suspecting that the former owner had left a pile of bad debt.  And when that unfortunate gentlemen shows up dead, Lord Peter must set aside his role as newlywed for the now familiar detective guise.  As his wife observes, nothing delights his lordship more than minding other people's business, and the aristocrat claims that "murderers go to my head like drink".  Even with corpses and cops intruding on their honeymoon, Harriet vows to support her husband as he does his job. So which of the possible suspects will it be?  "The most obvious suspect is always innocent," Harriet reminds us.  Harriet takes a protective stance with the spinster niece of the deceased, the slightly dotty Miss Twitterton, although Lord Peter prefers having no personal relationship with the culprit.  Is the female of the species deadlier than the male?  As Superintendent Kirk says, one can't afford to indulge in feelings.  The young gardener Frank Crutchley had a motive in collecting an old debt.  And Constable Joe Sellon may have been the last to see the victim.  Is he telling the whole truth?  It is also revealed that the latter is left handed, and as Lord Peter quips, "It's surprising how often you see them in detective fiction".  While Wimsey collects his clues and evidence, his bride states, "The dead are dead, we must be decent to the living".  As the final bell tolls the murderer's fate, Lord Peter feels the inevitable remorse for his part in the person's execution, however this time he will find solace with his wife and partner.    Paul S. Holmquist has directed this smashing affair with style, economy and crisp pacing.  It's sprinkled with literary references, from Tennyson to Shakespeare to Kipling, befitting a company dedicated to the exploration of fine literature on stage.  And the irreplaceable duo of real-life acting couple Peter Greenberg and Jennifer Tyler are absolute perfection as lovebirds Peter and Harriet.  "Busman's Honeymoon" boasts one of the largest casts I have seen in a Lifeline production, with very little of that fussy but often necessary doubling and tripling of roles.  As delicious as Greenberg and Tyler are, they are complimented and supported by a consistently fine ensemble.  Phil Timberlake is to the suave manner born as Wimsey's dedicated valet Bunter.  Adam Breske, James E. Grote, Kate Harris, Millicent Hurley, Robert Kauzlaric, Paul Myers, David Skvarla and Christopher M. Walsh all acquit themselves with distinction.  The grand and substantial two-level country manor set by Mary Griswold, Lighting by Seth E. Reinick, Costumes by Joanna Melville, Sound by Brett Masteller and Props by Jenniffer J. Thusing all aid in giving audiences the finest quality production one could want.  Kudos to Dialect Coach Elise Kauzlaric as well for the cast's unselfconscious command of the Queen's English.  Now that Lifeline is retiring the Sayres series, one wonders whether those American sleuths Nick and Nora Charles could be too far off in the future.  They should only be given as memorable a whirl as Lord Peter and his beloved Harriet. "Busman's Honeymoon" plays through July 26, 2009 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Avenue in Rogers Park.  The play runs 2 hours 20 minutes with intermission.  The theatre is accessible by public transportation (Red Line Morse stop/buses).  There is a free designated parking lot west of the theatre at the NE corner of Morse and Ravenswood with free shuttle service before and after the show.  Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m.  Tickets are $30, with discounts for seniors, students and groups of 12 or more.  Call (773) 761-4477 or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com.       About Joe Stead Joe Stead has enjoyed a lifelong passion for the theatre, which has involved acting, directing, producing, designing and reviewing for the past twenty-five years.  He served as founder, producer and Artistic Director of Curtain Up Productions in Baltimore, Maryland and Four Star Players in Tampa, Florida.  Favorite productions have included "Life With Father," "Deathtrap," "The Odd Couple," "The Miracle Worker," "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "Godspell".  He has also performed leading roles in "Fiddler on the Roof," "Pippin," "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Front Page," and most recently as Hucklebee in "The Fantasticks" for Waukegan Community Players.  Joe holds a degree in Commercial Art from Tampa Technical Institute.  As a critic, he has reviewed everything from Broadway to community theatre and major regional theatres throughout the United States including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, and the Asolo Theatre in Sarasota, Florida.  Since 1998, he has been a proud resident of Chicago, the greatest theatre city in America.  He served for two years as Theatre Editor for College News and Central Newspapers.  He created the website Steadstyle Chicago in 2000 to showcase the city's outstanding and diverse theatre scene.  Joe was proud to serve alongside a distinguished panel of theatre professionals as a judge for two seasons of Speaking Ring Theatre's "Vitality" Festival of original short plays.  His most fulfilling role, in addition to reviewer and all-around theatre fanatic, was as director of the 2007 production of Peter Shaffer's "Equus" at Actors Workshop (now Redtwist) Theatre, which was nominated for five Joseph Jefferson Award Citations and won for Best Actor (Peter Oyloe).