Drury Lane Theatre thrills with ‘Da Vinci Code’ in Oakbrook Terrace

Author Dan Brown’s 2003 mystery-thriller “The Da Vinci Code” and the 2006 Tom Hanks-Ian McKellen film of the same name now have a stage counterpart at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace through June 1.

While I haven’t read the original novel, I have seen the film and initially questioned how an action-packed drama would translate to live theater. I shouldn’t have doubted the abilities of the Drury Lane team – with the use of a streamlined adaptation, recorded videos, projections and a superbly talented cast of 10, the play kept me on the edge of my seat.

Before I dive too deeply into this review, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a work of fiction, and the release of the book and subsequent film didn’t occur without controversy. There were some religious denomination representatives who recommended boycotts because the plot involved an alleged cover-up by some in the Roman Catholic Church.

In the stage version, the plot still will be recognizable to those who read the novel or saw the movie, but a bishop – played in the film by Alfred Molina – is not in the story. Scenes involving that character apparently were deemed unnecessary by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, who wrote the adaptation; the result is a more straightforward timeline throughout the play.

A creative pre-play announcement in a British accent (the show takes place in France and the United Kingdom) advises audience members that they remain under surveillance through closed-circuit television “for your protection” and there is “no reason to be alarmed.”

During intermission, that idea of surveillance takes on a semblance of reality with many black-and-white video images projected on a stage-width screen, including images taken from the driveway, lobby and hallway at the theater itself. (It initially fooled me into thinking it was live footage until I noticed the same individuals heading down the hallway to the restrooms more than once.)

As the play begins, Ivy League professor of religious symbology Robert Langdon (Jeff Parker) is only partway into his Paris lecture on the evolution of symbols (a complete apple having a different meaning than the corporate logo of an apple with a bite out of it), when he’s summoned to the Louvre by police. That’s where the curator, Jacques Sauniere (Ray Frewen), has been found murdered, alongside a note the victim wrote in his own blood: a series of numbers followed by “O DRACONIAN DEVIL! OH LAME SAINT.” (It’s not giving too much away to say that the letters end up being an anagram.)

Because Sauniere was supposed to meet with Langdon for some unknown reason after the lecture, the professor quickly finds out – thanks to cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Vaneh Assadourian) – that he’s not just being consulted on the case, but is the No. 1 suspect of Bezu Fache (Anthony Irons), the inspector probing the killing. Langdon and Neveu must escape if they are to find and translate the clues left behind by Sauniere, who Sophie says was her estranged grandfather.

When clues lead Langdon and Neveu to search for the “Holy Grail,” which may or may not be the kind of chalice sought in that classic Monty Python comedy film from 50 years ago, they must evade the police, avoid the killer (a monk named Silas played by Shane Kenyon) and increase their grail knowledge with help from an expert Langdon knows: Sir Leigh Teabing (Bradley Armacost).

Who is “The Teacher” directing Silas to commit multiple murders? Will the grail be found? Will the quest involve numerous twists and turns? I won’t answer the first two questions, but the answer to the third is a definite “Yes.”

Kudos to Parker, Armacost and Assadourian, who made me believe in the reality of their characters. I also would praise director Elizabeth Margolius, co-video and projection designers Anthony Churchill and Mike Tutaj, and lighting designer Lee Fiskness – they’ve all done marvelous work here supplementing the actors’ interpretations of the characters by helping the audience see the evidence they find as well as their thought processes as they solve puzzles and view surveillance footage.

In summary, if you’re interested in Indiana Jones-like adventures, puzzles or just an intriguing mystery-thriller for adults that involves everything from Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” to Mary Magdalene to multiple murders to enigmatic messages and hidden secrets, you’ll want to catch this Chicago regional premiere. “The Da Vinci Code” is a novel idea that works wonders on stage, so book your tickets.

• Paul Lockwood is a communications consultant at Health Care Service Corporation in Chicago, as well as a local theater actor (Woodstock Opera House, McHenry County College, The Murder Mystery Co.), singer, Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters member, columnist, former podcaster and past president of TownSquare Players. He’s lived in Woodstock for more than 24 years.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: “The Da Vinci Code”

• WHERE: Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace

• WHEN: Through June 1

• INFORMATION: 630-530-0111, drurylanetheatre.com