Chagrin Valley Little Theatre

The Maltese Bodkin by David Belke

Performance Dates & Tickets

About the Play

The worlds of detective fiction and Shakespeare collide in a “who hath done it.”

Directed by David Malinowski

Times were tough for hard boiled detective Birnam Wood. He never asked to be in London. Especially in 1605. Danger, daggers and dames abound in this comedic mystery with a Shakespearean twist. First produced for the 1990 Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival, the largest theatre festival in North America, The Maltese Bodkin is a two-hour adventure that’s as packed with laughs as it is layered with literary jokes.

When Wood's partner is found dead with a knife in his back (a bodkin decorated with Maltese markings), Wood has to find the killer amidst a vast cast of suspects that includes (among others) Viola, Richard III, Falstaff, Iago, Mercutio and a merchant from Venice. It's twisted tale of murder, intrigue and running gags that's sure to delight both oddball comedy and Shakespeare fans alike!

About the Playwright

David Belke was born in Winnipeg, Canada and was raised in Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.Ed. and where he also studied stage design. His plays have been performed across Canada as well as in the United States, England and Northern Ireland. He is a mainstay of the Edmonton Fringe Festival and one of the city's favorite playwrights. David currently works as resident playwright and designer with Edmonton's Shadow Theatre where he is also an artistic associate. A multiple Sterling Award winner, David also received prestigious Samuel French Inc.'s Canadian Playwrights Award for 2000 and they have since published two of his plays. In addition, he is a cast member of Edmonton's long-running comedy institution Die-Nasty, the live improvised soap opera. He also serves as a member of the Varscona Theatre Alliance Board and The Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards Committee. He is also currently the Edmonton Liaison for the Alberta Playwrights' Network, providing dramaturgical support and organizing workshops for playwrights in the northern part of the province.