By Elizabeth Hulsbrink
Geneseo Current
April 3-13, 2025
Picture this… Anywhere, USA, © 1840. A wealthy widow, her niece and granddaughter, her butler and maid, and a ragtag group of male suiters… what do you get? Nonstop laughter!
Richmond Hill Players opens their spring 2025 season with Don Zolidis’ The Tell-Tale Farce: A Comedy, which promises to be a rip-roaring time! New to the Round are Jacob Lund (Henry Whitford), Cali VanZandt (Mary), Shyna DeVoss (Abigail Dowling) and Lena DeLellis (Light & Sound Operator). And making come-back appearances are Derek Bolme (Poe- the real one), Elizabeth Hulsbrink (Helena Dowling), Eric Landuyt (Edgar/ Richard Muffinbridge), Eric Friedman (Rufus Griswold), David Shaffer (Brinsley), and Dana Skiles (Sarah Dowling, Light & Sound Designer), as well as additional crew members Suzanne Rakestraw (Costumes), Jim Skiles and Mike Skiles (Set Builders).
Making her directing debut, Elizabeth Shaffer, with stage manager, Pat Kelley, found the perfect group of new and seasoned actors to bring you this fabulous farce filled with twists and turns, secret love affairs, deafness, and far too much opium.
Here is the scoop: Comedic gem, The Tell-Tale Farce, is a brilliantly absurd take on Edgar Allan Poe’s iconic tale. This play masterfully blends fast-paced humor, witty dialogue, and over-the-top characters, making it a delightful experience for both performers and audiences.
Zolidis takes the eerie suspense of The Tell-Tale Heart and flips it on its head, infusing it with chaotic misunderstandings and slapstick moments that keep the laughter rolling. The exaggerated characters, from the increasingly frantic narrator to the clueless guests, provide endless comedic opportunities that make this script a perfect choice for high school and community theater productions.
Beyond the humor, The Tell-Tale Farce is a well-structured play that allows for dynamic staging and physical comedy, which challenges the cast while keeping the energy high. The clever wordplay and rapid-fire pacing ensure that audiences remain engaged from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a play that delivers non-stop laughs while paying homage to a literary classic, The Tell-Tale Farce is a must-see! On a side note, I feel like this is one of the best comedic shows to come out of Richmond Hill Players… but with all due respect, I’m a little biased!