Arsenic and Old Lace

So, a trip across to the other side of the M1 to see, as it says in the programme, a ‘timeless piece of theatre,’ and a staple of the theatre since it was first written by Joseph Kesselring in 1939 and made famous by the 1944 film, of the same name, directed by Frank Capra. This version was directed by Josh Rush in only his second directing role.

It tells the story of two old spinster sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster who poison those of their lodgers who have no known next of kin and get their nephew Teddy, who believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt, to bury them in the cellar, by telling him they are Yellow Fever victims, and its where he is digging the Panama Canal. When their theatre critic nephew Mortimer discovers a body hidden in a bench seat and is told his family are homicidal maniacs going back to the days the Mayflower landed, he questions the wisdom of marrying his fiancé Elaine. It is then further complicated by the arrival of his long-lost brother Jonathan with yet another body in tow, accompanied by a mad scientist, Dr Einstein.

The set designed by Natalie Shearer and Josh Rush was a very cosy box set Parlor very much of the wartime period with a front door to centre rear, kitchen door stage left and a window stage right. The cellar door leading to the ‘Panama Canal’ All with neatly papered light blue wallpaper interspersed with a bird pattern. Furniture included a round table and chairs, a chaise long and window box seat, to hold the bodies. Albeit a little small to actually fit a real body so a bit of stage licence required there. And of course the required drinks trolley containing the decanter of ‘Elderberry wine.’ Going off to stage left was the staircase to the upstairs, up which Teddy was destined to run up periodically throughout the play shouting ‘Charge!’ – a reference to Teddy Roosevelt’s participation in the Spanish American war of 1898 and his famous charge up San Juan Hill. Very good set indeed, but it did suffer from the perennial problem of slightly shaking walls when doors were slammed.

Lighting and Sound by Paul Horster were also very well done, sound was crystal and the lighting gave the required cosy effect to the aunt’s Parlor perfectly.

Costumes by Sarah Benjamin and the cast themselves looked to be very appropriate to each character, with the dresses for the two aunts looking particularly outstanding as you would expect were very much belonging to an even older period than the 1940’s.  And the NYPD uniforms complete with sidearms looked particularly authentic. An excellent array of outfits for Teddy including white coat, Panama hat and colonial pith helmet.

Lindsay Orchard  as Abbey Brewster in her first role for AFDS alongside AFDS stalwart Sarah Benjamin as her sister Martha made a very convincing pair of maiden Aunts indeed. Both had great comic timing. And butter wouldn’t melt in their murdering mouths!

I really wasn’t expecting a gender-neutral Teddy Brewster, but with a fabulous, realistic looking moustache, a superb haircut and very appropriately fitted clothes I didn’t realise he was being played by a female until Lizzy Drewett said her first line. And what an excellent job of the character she did too.   Mannerisms, eccentricity, delivery, all nailed the character to great humorous effect.

Simon Tuck, more accustomed to Dame’s dresses than 40’s evening suits, did bring the humour of his part to the fore as Mortimer Brewster, as he slowly unravels the macabre goings on in the house. Loved his expression of incredulity when he lifted the lid on the window box. By contrast, Aldo Saralli as his evil, long lost brother Jonathan paced up and down exuding malice, as he too tried to dispose of a body. He seems to specialise in Creepy parts. Alistair Kelly, apparently in his 102nd role in his 24 years with AFDS (Wow!) was the mad scientist, Dr Einstein, and with his evil grin just as creepy as his sidekick! Both could however do with a little more practice in binding and gaging Mortimer.

Emma Lidford also in her first role for AFDS provided the love interest as Mortimer’s fiancé, Elaine Harper giving him grief of her own as he seesaws from wanting to marry her to calling it off not wanting to prolong the murderous legacy of his insane family. Nicely pitched as the only person remaining naïve to the goings on around her and her frustration with the all at sixes and sevens Mortimer was particularly well done.

Mark Tuck as the sceptical Lieutenant Rooney, laughing off the idea that 13 bodies were buried in the cellar, accompanied by Adam Awan and Mal Wells as swaggering uniformed officers Brophy and Klein, with Hansi Jayawardana as plain clothed Officer O’Hara represented New York’s finest. Mal Wells also played the very different role of the single Mr Gibbs, a potential victim of the dear old ladies until Mortimer saw him off in less than a polite manner to much hilarity!

And Jack Goodenought started off as the very straight Rev Dr Harper having tea with Abby and Martha and returned at the end as the latest lonely lodger looking for room as the curtain finally falls.

In the main a pretty good stab at this iconic timeless play. Everybody in the cast had obviously put in the hard graft to get their characterisations honed. Brooklyn accents, not an easy one to do, came and went with the various members of the cast. The pace dropped a few times and there were a couple of awkward pauses for a late entrance or a missed line or two. It was however opening night, and I expect these little blips were ironed out during the run.

So, well done Director Josh Rush, his cast and crew, a very entertaining evening which as comedy is more of a quiet chuckle than a raucous farce, but it certainly had one or two moments of those as bodies were moved from Box seats to Cellar. Keep up the hard work as it certainly paid off with this play. And finally thank you for your excellent hospitality.

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