At the Charles Playhouse in Boston is a play titled "Shear Madness," which plays every day of the week, (except Monday). I went to see it on a Sunday in November. Although I had never been much of a fan of plays I now fully appreciate the potential of the theatre. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I was thoroughly entertained.

Only one small set is used throughout the entire play, but that didn't detract from the enjoyment at all. It's situated in a hair salon, owned by a very flamboyant, chatty hairdresser. There are five other characters, including three customers and a businessman. I don't want to reveal too much about the characters and roles, because the surprises are a major part of the enjoyment.

Basically, the audience sees what goes on in the hair salon; meanwhile, a woman living in an upstairs apartment is murdered. When the police arrive, the audience is given a chance to ask the characters where they were, what they were doing at a certain time, and so on. The audience votes on which character is the murderer, and the vote determines the outcome. The actors then finish the play with that character as the murderer. During the play, the actors sometimes have to improvise, and the results are often hilarious.

The brilliant portrayal of the characters, the improvisation and interaction between characters and audience make this a wonderful play - my favorite. It's a small theatre where you can sit at tables with your friends and order sodas. The surroundings were crowded, but once the play began, I was entranced. I highly recommend this play. n