The Suffield Players -- Photo Gallery/The Real Inspector Hound, page two

The Real Inspector Hound, May 2007, page two


Another convenient police message on the radio warns that the escaped madman has been seen near Muldoon Manor. Into the household comes Inspector Hound (Dale T. Facey), met by lady of the house Cynthia Muldoon (Karen Balaska), Frau Drudge (Kelly Seip), family friend Felicity Cunningham (Vanda Doyle), and Maj. Magnus Muldoon (Roger A. Ochs), brother of Cynthia's long-missing husband Albert.

During the Inspector's interrogation, a grisly dicovery is made: a body, which wasn't visible until the trunk was closed. Everyone runs off to find the only other houseguest, mysterious stranger Simon Gascoyne.	No sooner is the stage cleared than Simon (Robert Lunde) enters and wonders where everyone is. He is immediately shot from the french doors. Now there is another killer to find.

During a set change, the critics, who have been watching from their special box continue their commentary on the merits of the play. They are interrupted by the phone ringing onstage. Odd; it's for Birdboot (Bruce Showalter).	Suddenly, the play starts again, with everyone treating Birdboot as if he were Simon. Birdboot gets caught up it, despite Moon (Steve Wandzy) urging him to get back to his seat. However, Birdboot is looking forward to meeting the actress playing Cynthia.

Birdboot joins the card game just as Simon did, but this time there are disturbing differences. Birdboot does manage to finish the scene more or less as it did the first time and he continues his arguments with Moon during the scene change.

Upon examining the body closely, Birdboot is shocked to discover that it is Higgs, another critic for whom Moon was filling in. He confronts Moon, who proclaims his innocence.	Birdboot suddenly announces he has solved the mystery. Of course, he is immediately shot. Moon rushes to his side.
	As soon as Moon reaches him, the lights change and there are two new critics (Robert Lunde and Dale T. Facey) sitting in the box offering their own commentary on the play.

Now it's Moon's turn to be stuck in the play, only this time everyone claims he's Inspector Hound. His unease with his predicament is not helped by the probing questions of Major Muldoon.

Unable to parry the major's attacks, Moon is accused of being the escaped madman. Moon has no answer for this, other than that he's almost positive he's not mad.	Satisfied, the major rises from his wheelchair, and just before he shoots Moon, stands revealed as, well, practically everybody. It turns out that not only is he the real Inspector Hound, but Cynthia's long-lost husband, and, quite possibly, someone else, too.