Deathtrap is a play by Ira Levin in 1978 which encompasses many plot twists and is essentially a play within a play. It is set up into two acts with one set and five characters. It holds the record for the longest running comedy-thriller on Broadway and was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. Deathtrap was well received by many and can still be seen in theatres thirty years after its release. The play was later adapted into a film starring Christopher Reeve, Michael Caine, and Dyan Cannon.

[edit] Synopsis

ACT I, SCENE 1

The play begins with accomplished writer Sidney Bruhl finding himself having trouble writing the next big play. After his last few productions flop in the box office, he becomes desperate. He then reads a play by young writer Clifford Anderson and decides to steal it and kill him.

SCENE 2

Clifford stops by Sidney’s office to get his opinion on the play, and while he being asked questions that allude to murder, he is killed as Sidney’s wife looks on in horror. Sidney then wraps Clifford in a rug and immediately ignores what he has done by babbling on about how he plans to take credit for the play.

SCENE 3

While returning after ridding himself of Clifford’s body, psychic Helga ten Dorp drops by to tell them that she is receiving bad vibes from the house. Helga wanders around the house revealing trivial information while missing the important facts. After she leaves, Sidney becomes elated at the fact that Helga had not discovered the murder. As he goes to turn off the lights he is snatched by Clifford, who is covered in mud. Clifford proceeds to attack Sidney as Helga predicted. Myra, in shock of the night’s events, collapses in an apparent heart attack. After Clifford confirms Myra’s death, he happily informs Sidney that the plan had worked. The apparent “murder” had all been an act to shock and kill Myra, so that they could be together.

ACT II, SCENE 1

The second act opens with Clifford writing his manuscript, as Sidney sits with writer’s block even after two weeks have passed. Porter Milgrim, Sidney’s attorney, reveals to Sidney that he had seen Clifford locking his manuscript away and tells him to not fully put his trust in Clifford. Sidney decides to sneak and read the manuscript when he gets the chance and finds that Clifford is writing a play called Deathtrap, which reveals their whole plot for Myra’s murder. Sidney confronts Clifford only to be persuaded into believing that since the murder was so clever, they would never be caught.

SCENE 2

Helga once again reveals to Sidney that she has a bad feeling about Clifford. After she leaves, Sidney calls Clifford over and tells him that he is ready to show the progression of act 2. Sidney realizes that he cannot deal with others knowing of his male lover and decides to kill Clifford and burn any remnants of Deathtrap. Clifford and Sidney began to fight, and in the midst of all the action Sidney grabs and shoots Clifford with a crossbow. Sidney then grabs the phone to call the police, thinking that the fight is over. As Sidney calls, Clifford raises up behind him and pulls the arrow from his body and stabs him. In the end, both of them die.

SCENE 3

The play ends with Helga and Porter wandering through the room as she reveals the events that lead to their death. In a discussion of the play, both Helga and Porter realize that it would be a great thriller and begin to argue about who should claim the play as their own, while the curtains close.

[edit] Production History

Following a Boston tryout at the Wilbur Theatre, Deathtrap enjoyed a four year run on Broadway, opening under the direction of Robert Moore on February 26, 1978 at the Music Box Theatre, moving to the Biltmore Theatre on January 7, 1982, and closing on June 13 of that year. It received a rave review from New York Times theater critic Walter Kerr, who wrote that it contained "Effrontery everywhere; and fun straight through." However, the Times' other theater critic, Richard Eder, panned the play.

The opening cast featured:

• Sidney Bruhl - John Wood
• Clifford Anderson - Victor Garber
• Myra Bruhl - Marian Seldes
• Helga ten Dorp - Marian Winters
• Porter Milgrim - Richard Woods

Seldes appeared in every one of the play's 1,809 performances - a feat that earned her a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records as "most durable actress."^[1][2]

Cast Replacements as Sidney included Stacey Keach, John Cullum, Robert Reed, and Farley Granger.

[edit] Awards

Deathtrap was nominated in 1978 for a Tony Award for Best Play. Levin also received his second Edgar Award because of the play’s success.

[edit] Reception

The play is known as one of the biggest hits on Broadway. It ran for four years with over 1800 performances. Deathtrap has been said to be “something so evil that it infects all who touch it. The thing has a life of its own. In Deathtrap Levin has taken the basic components of thrillers and horror stories; murder, deceit, innocent dialogue with hidden sinister meanings, plot reversals, unexpected turns of events, etc., and twisted and rearranged the pieces again and again.”^[3]

In 1982, Deathtrap was adapted into a film of the same name. One of the most recent performances of the play was seen running from January 30, 2009 to February 22, 2009 at the Wheaton Drama Playhouse in Wheaton, Illinois. Even thirty years after its release, it is still being performed in theaters around the globe.

[edit] Other Plays Written By Ira Levin

Levin has written a number of plays such as:^[4]

• No Time For Sergeants (1955)
• Interlock (1958)
• Critic's Choice (1960)
• General Seeger (1962)
• Drat! The Cat! (1965)
• Dr. Cook’s Garden (1967)
• Veronica's Room (1973)
• Break A Leg (1979)
• Cantorial (1984)

Levin had written Break A Leg directly after Deathtrap and it opened on April 29, 1979. The play, however, closed in the same day it was premiered, while Deathtrap played nearby.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Deathtrap at the Internet Broadway Database