So, what have director Jack Grinhaus, playwright Thomas Morgan Jones, and actors Lauren Brotman and Braden Griffiths been cooking up over at Vertigo Theatre? A little something called A Killing at La Cucina. A Luccia Dante Mystery.
Vertigo Theatre’s latest murder mystery takes us on a journey that delves into the realm of high-end dining, the influence of critics in our society, as well as the world of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and our own mortality.
Introducing Lucia Dante a world-renowned espresso drinking Italian detective hired with the task of figuring out who might have murdered Robert Carlyle one of the world’s most famous and influential food critics. A man whose opinions could make or break any dining establishment – virtual or real – and who was a frequent guest at FATE the restaurant where his life ended, and our story begins.
Why is the restaurant called FATE? Well, that’s because you pay $15,000 to enjoy a meal unlike any you’ve ever experienced before where the food has been reduced and transformed into a taste shattering concentrate that provides you with an unparalleled euphoric dining experience. Plus, on average one out of every one thousand diners will die.
Adding to the drama of the evening patrons are asked to prepare messages to send to loved ones that can be delivered should they be that one out of a thousand. The danger and presence of death creates an emotionally complex layer to the dining experience at FATE that no other establishment can duplicate.
Who are the suspects? We have Hunter the Head Waiter who considers himself the face of FATE since he’s the one who guides diners through their culinary experience. There’s the introverted and seemingly innocent Drew the dishwasher whose job is to look after, clean and account for all the glassware, cutlery, and dishes in the restaurant.
Next on our list of suspects is Dominic the Sous chef and Sebastian the Chef and owner of FATE who both have access to the food and how it’s prepared and so each had the opportunity to tamper with Richard Carlyle’s meal. Rounding out our list of suspects is Armand a billionaire and an investor in the restaurant as well as Prism a sinister developer, entrepreneur, and hacker whose online activities are not always legitimate.
Playing this array of characters is the versatile Braden Griffiths who uses his impressive skills to give each character a distinct voice, unique body language, and different personality while giving us an array of suspects each with their own secrets and motives making it a challenge to uncover the truth.
The play is essentially a series of interrogations as Lucia one by one questions each of the suspects searching for motives and opportunity. But she’s there not just to figure out what happened to critic Richard Carlyle but to also settle a personal vendetta against Prism the nefarious hacker whom she blames for the death of fashion designer Isabella Rouge. But in this new digital age Isabella lives on – at least virtually as an AI that Lucia has created and uses to help her solve the mystery and exact justice over the course of the story.
Bringing Lucia Dante to life is Loren Brotman who delivers a performance that masterfully conveys the complexity and depth of Lucia’s character while guiding us through her investigation where we learn more about her story while she uses her insightful interrogation techniques to solve the crime and reveal the truth.
One of the most entertaining aspects and enjoyable parts of the play is the imaginative set, digital projections, and stylistic break the fourth wall moments. I loved that aspect of the play and would welcome more of those moments should Lucia return for future murder mysteries.
Creating this theatrical and futuristic feeling setting is set designer Narda McCarroll, lighting designer Jaymez, projection designer Andy Moro, costume designer John Iglesias, and sound designer MJ Dandeneau. Adding to the fun are the theatrical moments where characters use cleverly staged movement and transitions to tell the story. This illustrates a wonderful collaboration between the cast, director, and choreographer Javier Vilalta that adds a heightened sense of style and sophistication to the production.
Skilfully bringing all of these elements together director Jack Grinhaus and playwright Thomas Morgan Jones have created a culinary thriller that is both visually stunning and intellectually stimulating that will leave audiences fully satisfied yet hungry for more.
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A Killing at La Cucina by Thomas Morgan Jones and directed by Jack Grinhaus and starring Lauren Brotman and Braden Griffiths provides audiences with a tasty mystery presented in a highly theatrical manner that dives into the nature of the virtual world, our fascination with fate and death, and the darker side of human nature and ambition. The show runs from March 15th to April 13th. Tickets are available at the Vertigo Theatre website or by calling the box office at 403-221-3708.
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Up next at Vertigo is The Davinci Code running from May 10 to June 8, plus Vertigo has just announced their 2025/26 Theatre Season which features a wonderful selection of plays that will certainly satisfy the appetite of any mystery loving patron. To explore the new season in greater depth, click the link below. Subscriptions to the 2025/26 season start at $200 and may be purchased online at vertigotheatre.com or by phone at 403-221-3708.
