Opening the inaugural Park Square LAB in downtown St. Paul, “Red Herring” serves as the gripping first chapter in a psychological crime series that follows insurance investigator Evelyn Berry (Marci Lucht), unraveling a twisted case in Northern Minnesota after a body is found in the woods with one arm missing. As she digs through the evidence with lawyer Graham Given (Adam Moxness), they clash with incompetent cop Theo Roper (Thomas Matthes) and the play narrows into a contentious interrogation of the victim’s mother, Millie Olson (Carolyn Pool), who is hellbent on getting a payout.

Written by Pedro Juan Fonseca and directed by Alex Galick, “Red Herring”

is a taut, focused, and enthralling play that covers a lot of snowy ground in its efficient 50-minute runtime. The conflict is palpable, and the atmosphere is somber, intense, and chilling all at once. By staging the characters in a semi-circle of chairs for a significant portion of the duration, Galick successfully mines tension between them, as they leap from their seats, bump heads, and blow past each other like Duluth’s frigid winds. Peter Morrow’s minimalist sound design lends a cold shiver to the harsh nature of this story.

Fonseca’s impressive script is remarkably thoughtful. He threads the characters’ pasts with the present through skillfully rendered monologues that jolt and surprise with big reveals. The characters are given substantial dimension, each coming with their own complex sets of baggage, and the cast does a stellar job of breathing humanity into these individuals.

In her first major leading role, Marci Lucht commands the stage. Her character is hardened, yet haunted by her past, and she conveys this sense like a seasoned vet. Adam Moxness, who has a background in musical theater, is a revelation in such a serious dramatic role. He has a breathtaking moment in the second half of the play that knocked me out of my winter boots. Thomas Matthes, in his big return to the stage, plays against his type, embodying his character with a slimy and confrontational vibe that is a thrill to witness. And then there’s the standout Carolyn Pool, who swaps her usual comedic talents for a juicy role as a villainous, grieving mother who is a bottle of stress waiting to shatter.

“Red Herring” is a compelling crime case, but it also runs much deeper than the typical whodunnit. It’s an adept examination of trauma, and a reflective character study that stirs up real, heavy emotions. This play emphasizes that sometimes we get distracted by the trails we choose to follow in life. It travels through a landscape of dark territory, but it never loses sight of the instinctive human need to make peace with what hurts us.

The LAB Series gives Minnesota-based creatives the opportunity to showcase their work at Park Square Theatre without the barrier of rental fees.