The Psychic The ever-popular genre of humorous murder mysteries takes some strange twists and turns in The Psychic, from prolific playwright Sam Bobrick, as an impoverished writer seeks to finish a novel. The main characters are the writer, portrayed by Ryan Rasmussen, and the wealthy Laura Benson, played by Vicky McCormick, and both say their lines flatly, so that the narrative is conveyed but not the flavor. Rasmussen was excellent in the recent Play On at this same theater, so director Lee Raymond must share some of the responsibility, as the too-rapid speech of Rasmussen must have caught her attention, as well as the largely emotionless line readings of McCormick. Bob Galley plays Laura's husband, Roy Benson, and he mugs and widens his eyes to ensure we see that chicanery is afoot – this might be over-acting in a different production; here it is a breath of fresh air. Natasha Sebeyran plays Rita Malone, mistress of Roy; she is intended to be a bit of a strumpet and is dressed accordingly. Dean R. Dicks plays another lover of Rita, a gangster, and he is excellent, both credible and interesting. Gene Griesbach plays detective Norris Coslow, and brings an urbane charm and quiet confidence that is disarming, and unusual. The Psychic won the Edgar Award as the Best Mystery Play of 2010, a mystery in itself. In the beginning, writer Adam was seized unwittingly by outbursts of truth, in which he foresaw events like a psychic, but playwright Bobrick soon dropped this promising theme. Some strong acting by secondary characters helps overcome weak leads, and some occasional humor and an inventive finale end the performance on a strong note. This one is best enjoyed by lovers of the mystery genre. Through June 30. Theatre Suburbia, 4106 Way Out West Drive, 713-682-3525. – JJT
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