Death by Design

“Death by Design is a wonderful new comedy, peopled with vivid, fascinating characters. It merges wit, sophistication and even pratfalls into a medley of humor and fun. Playwright Rob Urbinati must have had as much fun writing this comedy as the audience has in savoring it.” – Houston Press

“The play is called Death by Design, but don’t expect it to unlock the mystery to designing the perfect murder, unless the weapon of choice is laughter. Playwright Rob Urbinati has designed a recipe for fun that’s perfect for livening up the dead of winter: Combine one part murder, two parts mayhem, and season with a hearty dose of clever wit… Think Noël Coward meets Agatha Christie, and you’ll have some idea what to expect. Both served as inspiration for Death by Design. The result is a smart play, masquerading as an all-out farce. Death by Design is chock-full of puns, one-liners, off-the-wall references and keen jokes that one viewing alone could never fully glean all its comic gems.” – Maine Sunday Telegram

“I’m a big fan of Noël Coward, England’s greatest comic playwright of the 20th century. Death by Design is intentionally written in Coward’s style, complete with interesting, over-drawn characters, brilliant comic repartee and wonderfully incisive social commentary. Plus there’s the Agatha Christie element: a country estate full of mysterious guests and isolated by a snipped telephone wire. Death by Design is definitely a major must-see.” – The Forecaster

“These characters have some great lines to deliver, particularly (of course) playwright Edward, in whose mouth the snarky urbanities are like whiskeyed butter. Playwright Urbinati gives him and the others a fun array of verbal flourishes – rhymed character names are an ongoing gag – and the conversation takes some entertaining digs at theater itself, as well as the archetypes of the British class system. And oh, yes, the murder. Of course it's less a mortal emergency than a vehicle for everyone's lampoonery, especially once they've drained the brandy and moved on to gin.” – The Portland Phoenix