- Owner of the salon Tony Whitcomb with homosexual traits (star performer of the play)
- His flirty assistant Barbara DeMarco
- A sleazy antique dealer Eddie
- Mrs. Shubert, a socialite and a frequent visitor to the salon
- Two unknown men (whose identity is later known) who visit the salon for ‘business’
Initially, the characters move around the salon with frequent story-telling just about anything and everything. Interspersed with gossip, there is a lot of slapstick comedy that comes in, such as referring to someone as being so old that she could have been the ‘waitress at the last supper’. Another instance is that of DeMarco talking about travels and states ‘Italy, France and Europe!!’ Considering it is such an old play, the dialogues incorporate reference to latest media issues and news items too. It is then revealed that the land-lady of the building (where Shear Madness is located), Isabel, is a former top-most pianist who has left the stardom and keeps creating havoc to those around her, with her piano renditions. While she is heard to be playing her instrument and annoying Whitcomb, action begins at the salon where every character begins to enter and leave the room, except for Mrs. Shubert being the only one at the salon. There is continuous laughter and funny moments making it hardly a thriller but more of a comedy mystery. Finally, DeMarco flares into the room announcing that Isabey is dead, with blood around and she faints. It is here that the two unknown men enter the room revealing to be detectives investigating the death which is actually a murder committed by one of the four characters at the salon. The audience is then told that since they have witnessed the events thus far, they would actually be involved in investigating and solving the murder.
Thus begins our participation wherein several of us interrogated the characters and provided a scene-by-scene description of what we had viewed so far. It was fun going through each step of the play from the beginning including where the characters entered from and where they exited into. Also, certain minor details were shared such as how DeMarco had thrown away a pair of shears into the bin and that Lawrence had re-entered the salon with a bleeding finger.
There is no point in revealing what happens next since the show never remains constant, including who the murderer is. The best part is that the ending changes all the time, so each viewing becomes a different experience. They play around whom the audience vote as the murderer and this itself makes it enjoyable. Whether you see it once or ten times, I am sure it would still hold you to it.
