‘When Playwrights Kill’ Review: A Meta Glimpse Into the World of Theater

Playwright Matthew Lombardo’s 2026 play “When Playwrights Kill,” New York-based theatre director Noah Himmelstein presented a thrilling comedy, where Broadway’s stars brought the laughs but ultimately underdelivered.

Energetic and funny, “When Playwrights Kill”’s comedic tale felt familiar. A naïve penniless playwright Jack Hawkins (Matt Doyle) is on the cusp of his big break when the ruthless and greedy producer Freddie Carlton (Adam Heller) decides to produce his original one-woman play, “The Return,” in Boston. In an effort to draw in audiences, Carlton hires blacklisted actress Brooke Remington (Beth Leavel) to lead the show, whose desire to make a fortune with no expenses leads them to employ her. Though the team quickly finds out why Remington hasn’t worked in 30 years, the show becomes a surprising success. Desperate to maintain his artistic credibility, Hawkins, the frustrated playwright, decides to murder his leading lady.

Doyle’s performance was exceptional, but his arc-defining decision to kill Remington felt underdeveloped and thus landed regretfully unrealistic. The idea of saving the play by going against the law wasn’t persuasive, and even the terrific acting could not save this plot point from being a weak part of the story line.

Kevin Chamberlain — known for his role in the 2010s Disney Channel hit show “Jessie” — delivered perfect lines that effectively combined the pretentiousness and kindness in the small role of the theater director Oliver Kendall Walker. In praise of subtle performance, Marissa Jaret Winokur did an equally exceptional job in portraying Liz Jennings, the show’s stage manager. While not a central part of the story, Winokur still managed to make the audience laugh with her humorous performance.

The leading star of the play was undoubtedly the Tony Award-winning Leavel with her nuanced representation of the once celebrated but now “certifiably insane” forgotten Remington in her sixties. Leavel’s delivery felt natural and witty, and the dynamic between her and Doyle created flammable interactions that kept the play effortlessly energetic.

The show’s humor was occasionally funny — relying too much at times on absurdity and sarcasm — which often created predictable plot twists that dimmed the comedy’s ability to subvert expectations. Some moments were repetitive: Remington forgetting her lines, the producer Carlton’s disregard of Remington’s failings, or Remington’s invincibility against Hawkins’s murder attempts. These elements created an atmosphere of a light sitcom, but couldn’t ground a comedic play.

The show’s set design by Alexander Dodge was up to the mark and minimalistic. The production’s sound effects — designed by John Gromada and Joel Abbott — were subtle, and the lighting by Elizabeth Harper was colorful but not distracting.

The costumes by Alejo Vietti successfully reflected modern everyday style. Tomás Matos masterfully portrayed Tobias Deschane — who went by Val Le’Emm — a prompter hired to help solve the production’s many mishaps. For Val Le’Emm, Vietti created an outfit as flamboyant and ferocious as Val Le’Emm’s personality. Other cast donned costumes that were representative of their social status — a grey suit for the producer, bland shirt for the playwright, stylish robes for the actress, and mundane attire for the stage manager with the director.

Ironically, the play’s message almost anticipated its reception. In the story, while the actress receives success and recognition, critics scrutinize the playwright’s work, leaving him disappointed and disregarded. In reality, the cast likewise was the highlight, while the storyline was underdeveloped and left little afterthought, as the ending was too on the nose.

“When Playwrights Kill” made a statement with its phenomenal cast. However, with a script that veered too local, and with repetitive jokes that did not consistently land, “When Playwrights Kill” is better off The Great White Way.

“When Playwrights Kill” ran at The Huntington from Apr. 3 until Apr. 18.