By Alan Jozwiak
When we see about a piece of rope, most of us tend not to think of it as a murder weapon. But rope does become a murder weapon and more in Rope–University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music (CCM) Acting’s latest production.
This version of Rope is an adaptation of the 1929 play of the same name by Patrick Hamilton. Hamilton wrote about two University of Chicago students (Leopold and Loeb) who murder a 14-year old boy. Their motive was to prove their intellectual superiority by being able to get away with murder. The play is also the basis for the Alfred Hitchcock film Rope.
As with many plays from the 1920s, the cultural differences and theatrical expectations of audiences of that era are so different from today that adaptations are necessary. For this production, CCM taps into the talents of Amy Berryman (Class of 2010), and faculty member Brandt Russell. Together they update the play through a distinctly millennial lens, making it a vehicle for the CCM Acting students.
Side note: Berryman has gained fame for her play Walden which has appeared in London’s West End and Off-Broadway.
The Story and Performers
Berryman and Brandt keep the same basic elements of the source, with Brandon (Carson Mehlbauer) and Granillo (Gavin Elbert) killing Ronnie, their former high school film club member and current Northwestern student. They relocate the action to a John Hughes or Nancy Meyers-esque (aka beautiful bones and a neutral palette) McMansion in suburban Columbus, Ohio during winter break just after the turn of the millennium. The late-1990s/early-2000s setting allows the production to play with VHS tapes, pre-streaming technology, and the cultural signifiers of the era. More importantly, the film-club framework sharpens the main character’s intellectual vanity, which is at the center of the crime. These are young people, steeped in cinematic language, self-consciously performing roles even as real tragedy unfolds around them. The idea is strong; at times, however, the tension takes too long to build.
Brandon and Granillo host a party in the same room where Ronnie’s body is hidden within a chest. This is a rather drunken reunion of their high school film club where they plan to see a remastered version of Psycho on DVD (a new fangled technology in 2000). The party includes film club regulars Kelly (Jordyn Hill), Leila (Maira Leigh), Debbie (Lilia Villaflor), and Raglan (Victor Brame). Also making an appearance is a Northwestern TA Ruby (Mallory Bolser), who is having a relationship with someone at the party.
Brandon also hires his family’s domestic servant Sabrina (Kathuure Miriti) to help set up the party and clean up afterwards.
Acting Program Standouts
The principal characters in this piece are all strong. Carson Mehlbauer delivers an outstanding performance as the haughty Brandon. Mehlbauer covers a lot of emotional terrain in this play and he does so effortlessly. He does a great job with all of the intellectual posturing of his character which makes the other film club members start to dislike him.
Similarly, Gavin Elbert is strong as Granillo. Elbert is a physical actor, so his dance sequence in the beginning of the play, as well as his climactic scene at the end with Ruby showcase how he combines physicality with fine acting. He delivers a memorable performance where he has lots of emotional terrain to cover.
Also standouts are Mallory Bolser and Kathuure Miriti. While they have different roles to play within the script, each shine. I particularly like Miriti’s take-charge attitude at the end of the play. Her fortitude acts as a moral anchor for the rest of the cast. Similarly, the inquisitive nature of Bolser’s Ruby drives the plot forward and her care and curiosity make the ending of the play more satisfying.
Production Credits
Supporting Director Brant Russell are:
- Assistant Directors – Kiki Hellerman, Bryce Nevison
- Fight and Intimacy Director – k. Jenny Jones
- Production Stage Manager – Indy Caramelli
- Scenic Designer – Charlie Calvert
- Lighting Designer – Lucas Inman
- Sound Designer – Daniel Massey
- Costume Designer – Julia Schillaci
Overall
This version of Rope has a lot to commend it. At ninety minutes without intermission, the production moves briskly, though the first forty minutes contain stretches of exposition that dilute the central tension. Each film club member is given a moment to shine (admirable in a conservatory setting) but the murder’s philosophical stakes and the breadcrumb trail of suspicion could be more sharply drawn.
There are other areas the authors could consider. Apart from the plot development issue mentioned above, the reasoning behind the murder is never clearly articulated, the relationship between the two murderers needs more exploration as well. Additionally the mention of the Final Girl trope in horror films needs to be explained fully so it becomes a commentary on the action of the play.
Overall, Rope is an engaging evening of theatre which showcases the fine acting talents of its students as turn-of-the-millennium college students.
Tickets
CCM Acting’s Rope runs February 12-14, 2026 with two shows on Saturday. Click here for tickets.
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LCT reviews are edited by Liz Eichler, Stage Insights Chair and Member of American Theatre Critics Association
