Review: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Austin Playhouse
by Hannah Neuhauser

 

Austin Playhouse’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a musical of England's Edwardian times that will leave you dying of laughter! Join Monty Navarro (Bailey Ellis) on his nefarious scheme to murder the D’Ysquith family (Scott Shipman) to claim his nheritance as earl. Between funerals, Navarro also struggles to balance his love life. Should he return to his married mistress, the seductive Sibella (Sarah Manna) or start anew with his cousin, the innocent Phoebe (Sarah Zeringue)? I won’t give away the ending here. You must go see it to find out how it all ends ,and I highly recommend that you do! 

 

This musical romp employs the same plot line as Ealing Studio's 1949 black-and-white comic film Kind Hearts and Coronets, but it's done in zany American styling. It doesn't offer even a shadow of Alec Guinness's precisely underplayed  portrayals of eight members of the aristocratic family. Instead, it's all fun!

 

The musical is a genuinely delightful show. Each ensemble member shines. Sara Teeter’s rubber expressions, in particular, drop extra moments of hilarity into the background of every scene. Sarah Fleming Walker’s choreography is brilliant. It is clean, snappy, and sinister in the abrupt jarring movements.

 

My guest and I marveled as the synchrony of each bobbing head, the levels of staging – it is undeniable that this cast jelled perfectly into a group of eccentric portraits, London mourners, and reluctant servants.

 

I also give a nod to Robert S. Fisher for smooth integration of narrative audio and balancing of an incredible live band. Additionally, Lowell Bartholomee’s projection design is an uproar! The splash of blood atop the church – oops! I am revealing too much. I will press on.

 

Bailey Ellis's debonaire disposition in conjunction with a suave yet unsettling musical delivery perfectly encapsulates a thrilling male lead. His Monty Navarro’s naïvete is swiftly broken when the awkwardly charming Miss Shingle (Bernadette Nason) comes to tea. What follows is Ellis’s slow turn to madness – and yet, he never wavers from a single note! He remains elegantly charming and a delight to watch. Both Sarahs do an impeccable job as co-leading ladies, draping themselves in pure gothic glamour. 

 

Now,I recall in an earlier review for Zach’s Murder on the Orient Express I commented that Scott Shipman's was one of the weaker performances and he was essentially a prop with not much to do.

 

I eat these words with poison in my pocket.

 

 

Shipman is the star of the show. He is playing not one, not two, but nine different members of the D’Ysquith Family, each one rife with disdainful aristocratic prejudices and distinctly artful quirks. I could not keep my eyes off this man. I could tell by the sweat shining off his brow he was giving every ounce of energy he had into this performance, and I was living for the work. If anything – please, please, please see A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to watch this man die repeatedly to thunderous applause. You will not be disappointed.

 

The only disappointment you may encounter is outside of your control. Parking near Austin Playhouse can be tricky, I would arrive early to find a spot and grab a pre-show snack on the Drag. I also cannot guarantee your sightlines. If you have someone much taller sitting in front of you, that’s tough luck. Your seats remain incredibly comfortable, but I’d suggest the back rows towards the center. You’ll see the entirety of the stage with less obstruction. If you want actor interaction, go towards the front at your own risk.

 

Parents ,if you let your kids watch Bridgerton or the Sherlock Holmes with Benedict Cumberbatch, you know the vibes. There are scenes of violence, yes, but it is campy and delivered with a theatrical wink. You will know when it’s coming. So, what are you waiting for? Buy the tickets, grab some fish and chips, and have a fantastic time.

 

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder will be playing at Austin Playhouse’s mainstage until May 17. The show runs around 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. For more information on tickets and prices, see www.austinplayhouse.com.

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A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
by Robert L. Freedman
Austin Playhouse

April 10 - May 10, 2026

Austin Playhouse West Campus