Don't Miss "Mystery of Edwin Drood" at Manoa Valley Theatre

Charles Dickens often had recurring themes in his books such as poverty, social injustice, and the struggles of the working class. He was known for using his writing to critique the social and economic conditions of Victorian England, and to shed light on the plight of the poor and oppressed. Some of his most famous works, such as "Oliver Twist" and "A Tale of Two Cities," explore these themes in depth.

Rupert Holmes is an English-American composer, singer-songwriter, musician, and author. He is best known for his 1979 hit song "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" “Him” (a song about cheating) and for his musicals, including "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," for which he won a Tony Award.

"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" is a musical that explores themes of identity, appearance versus reality, the role of perception, the influence of societal expectations and norms, the human psyche and the complexity of relationships. The musical also touches upon issues such as class and cultural differences, addiction and obsession, and the power dynamics in relationships.

In terms of social lessons, the musical highlights the importance of empathy and understanding towards others, despite their differences, and the consequences of prejudice and bigotry. It also sheds light on the role of community and the power of collaboration and cooperation.

From a cultural perspective, the musical showcases the influence of Victorian-era societal norms and expectations on the behavior and choices of individuals, and the tension between tradition and change.

Psychologically, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" delves into the inner workings of the human mind, exploring issues such as repression, desire, guilt, and the manifestation of unconscious fears and desires. The musical also highlights the role of perception and the power of suggestion in shaping our perceptions of reality.

Overall, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" provides a nuanced and complex exploration of human relationships and the interplay of social, cultural and psychological factors that shape our experiences and understanding of the world around us.

The show is based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel of the same name. As the original novel is unfinished, the musical has the unique feature of allowing the audience to choose the outcome of the story. Therefore, it is difficult to identify plot holes in the traditional sense, as the narrative is meant to be open-ended and subject to interpretation.

However, some audience members may have differing opinions on the resolution of certain plot points in the musical, or they may feel that certain elements of the story are not adequately explained. These differing perspectives could be considered plot holes by some viewers, but they are ultimately subjective and dependent on the individual interpretation of the story.

One of my six academic diplomas is a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature, so I read Charles Dickens with glee. My doctorate is in law, so I was taught to think about crime and various defenses leading to acquittals. My post doctorate is in cultural anthropology so I also think in terms of group behavior. This made the show interesting to me. It was supposed to end, but demand for tickets exceeded capacity, and it was held over. This signaled to me it was important to see this performance.

"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and "The Phantom of the Opera" are similar in that they are both Gothic novels set in the late 19th century and feature mysterious and musical characters who exert a profound influence over the events of the story. Both novels also involve themes of love, obsession, and the supernatural, as well as elements of suspense and tragedy. I am co-founder, and CEO of a theatre company called “Evalino Productions” in Michigan, and we are currently holding production meetings for producing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom”. My mind instantly attacked the music teacher, believing he would go to any extreme to exterminate his pupil’s beau.

In the musical, Reverend Crisparkle is depicted as a reasonable, idealistic, and energetic clergyman who is a friend to the main character, Edwin Drood. He acts as a moral guide and voice of reason in the story and tries to uncover the truth behind Edwin's disappearance. This show has a component for the audience, who “votes” who the “killer” of Drood is. They kept voting for Crisparkle. There wasn’t enough substance in the storyline to indict him, so the audience must have had some pre-conceived notions about men of the cloth being wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Some examples of reverends who were revealed to have engaged in scandalous or unethical behavior and therefore became "disgraced":

Jimmy Swaggart: A televangelist who was caught in a prostitution scandal in the 1980s.

Ted Haggard: A former leader of the National Association of Evangelicals who was discovered to have used crystal meth and paid for sex with a male prostitute.

Brian Tamaki: A New Zealand pastor who faced controversy for his controversial remarks about homosexuality and earthquakes.

Jim Bakker: A televangelist who was convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the late 1980s and later served time in prison.

Peter Popoff: A televangelist who was exposed for using earpieces to receive information about his audience during his healing ministry.

These are just a few examples and it's important to note that not all religious leaders live up to the high standards that are expected of them.

I know personally three reverends who led churches of which I was a member, who turned out to be killers. As an anthropologist, I believe many people reject the holiness of men claiming to be messengers of God.

"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" was first performed on Broadway in 1985. While the songs in the musical are not considered hits or mainstream, they have been well received by audiences and are considered memorable within the context of the show. The musical is known for its engaging storyline and unique style of music, which features elements of Victorian-era music hall and British music hall. When I saw the playbill, featuring Rupert Holmes, I surmised the show’s main strength would be songs as memorable as The Piña Colada song or “Him”, and the plot would focus on cheating. Instead, the main theme of the show is about having a lot of fun, without the emotional quagmire whereas the incendiary emotion has transitioned from a temporary surge fueled by action, frustration or hormones to a pattern that can be viewed as something of a way of life. Keeping with the mindset of Charles Dickens, I knew the underdog would be emerge victorious. It had, as Charles Dickens would have wanted, a happy ending.

The character Edwin Drood in Charles Dickens' novel "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" was not depicted as a cross-dresser. The novel was left unfinished at the time of Dickens' death and does not mention Edwin Drood cross-dressing. In the musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" by Rupert Holmes, the character of Edwin Drood is depicted as cross-dressing. The musical is a play within a play, and features characters who take on multiple roles, including cross-dressing. It is not p,ublicly known whether Rupert Holmes enjoys cross-dressing or not. However, in many communities it is drag queens at gay bars who the methamphetamine trade.

In Rupert Holmes' "Mystery of Edwin Drood," the opium den was run by a character named Princess Puffer, which certainly sounds like a drag queen name. Princess Puffer is depicted as a cunning and manipulative cisgender businesswoman. She was portrayed as being deceptive and using her business as a front for illegal activities. Despite her rough exterior, she also shows a softer side and appears to have a connection with the protagonist, John Jasper. Throughout the play, Princess Puffer exhibits a mixture of fear, greed, and cunning as she tries to protect her business and herself from being caught by the authorities. However, her emotions and behavior are somewhat ambiguous, making her a complex and intriguing character. In my mind, she was never a suspect, because she didn’t have the “underdog ‘it’ factor” that Charles Dickens would have invented.

There is no evidence to suggest that Charles Dickens, the famous social critic, was a drug user himself. However, he did have a keen interest in the effects of drugs and often wrote about them in his works. For example, in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," he was particularly sympathetic to Princess Puffer. In other novels, he depicted the negative effects of alcohol and opium on individuals and society.

Drug addiction can affect people from all walks of life, regardless of their socio-economic status. However, research has shown that poverty and other social and economic disadvantages can increase the risk of drug addiction.. In some cases, people living in poverty may turn to drugs as a way to cope with the stress and trauma of their daily lives, and may have limited access to resources and support to help them overcome their addiction. Additionally, some areas with high levels of poverty may also have a higher availability of drugs, making it easier for people to access and abuse them. I believe this is why Charles Dickens included an opium den. However, it's important to note that drug addiction is a complex issue and can also affect individuals who are not living in poverty. I don’t live in poverty, but I was high while watching “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” A professor at Queen’s hospital gave me Ketamine before performing a double ablation on spinal discs 3, 4, and 5. It made me happy, which may be why I perceived Edwin Drood a really fun show.

William Cartwright is depicted as a kind-hearted and friendly individual who is the chairman of the amateur performance of the play-within-the-play. Throughout the musical, Cartwright serves as the narrator and mediator between the actors and the audience. He is often depicted as being cheerful and optimistic, and is instrumental in helping the audience to understand the events of the play. Despite his seemingly lighthearted demeanor, Cartwright also shows a more serious side when it comes to the events of the play and the mystery of Edwin Drood's disappearance. Overall, Cartwright is a complex and multifaceted character who adds humor and levity to the musical, while also serving as a crucial link between the audience and the other characters. Cartwright broke character about 20 minutes into the show when a disinterested couple walked out of the show, never to return. A look of contempt came across his face as they passed between him and I. I was only a few feet away from him and, as a trained anthropologist, noticed his reaction, which included an involuntary physical reaction (nervous ticks) in his fingers. He was pissed. The actor, who plays an actor, who plays a further actor, obviously takes theatre very seriously. He has a degree from Northern Arizona University in visual and performing arts, and also studied at Aoyama Gakuin University, majoring in Japanese Language. It’s well known among anthropologists how polite behavior rules the homogenous Japanese culture, even the language has a hierarchy of politeness, so walking out 20 minutes into a performance must have been incredibly infuriating to him. The Japanese just don’t behave that way.

For whatever reason, Cartwright was not among the potential killers in the voting process. I would have voted for him just to have conjugal visits with him in prison. Unfortunately, only California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington allow conjugal visits, and Victorian era penitentiaries didn’t allow them. Of course, I could have stolen a piece of bread (Les Misérables) and become his Bunkie. Plus he had a wardrobe malfunction and his fly’s Velcro wouldn’t close completely, and that made him extra yummy.

The show is wacky and tons of fun, which explains why they had to add more shows and extend its run. The last show I saw at The Manoa Valley Theatre was Cambodian Rock Band – so distressing and emotional I felt I needed an afternoon of Ketamine to recover from it. One could tell that many people in the audience had already seen the show and were returning to experience the joy it provides – there were too many behaviors which revealed they knew too much (à la Rocky Horror). There is time to see more performances – this one is not to be missed. I guarantee you are going to love the fun experience and the equally lively actors.

Manoa Valley Theatre is located at 2833 E Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822; phone: (808) 988-6131. Manoa Road is the same street as Punahou after it climbs into the hills.