Arsenic & Old Lace

Arsenic & Old Lace

The Woolgatherers

26/3/26

Arsenic and Old Lace is set in the living room of the Brewster home, inhabited by two spinsters, Abby Brewster (Debbie Smith) and Martha Brewster (Leila Godchild), and their nephew, Teddy (Mike Hunter). Their neighbour the Rev. Dr. Harper (Connor Jones) is chatting with Abby about her other nephew, Mortimer (Finley Gordon) a theatre-hating drama critic who is in love with the reverend’s daughter, Elaine (Dominique Peach). Soon joining the conversation are two friendly police officers, Brophy (Sam Endeacott) and Klein (Sam Robinson), who have come by (as they often do) to pick up a box for charity from the kindly Brewster sisters. The play, is a clever combination of the farcical and the macabre, the two elderly Brewster sisters who are famous in their Brooklyn neighbourhood for their numerous acts of charity. Unfortunately, however, their charity includes poisoning lonely men who come to their home looking for lodging. The two sisters are assisted in their crimes by their mentally challenged nephew Teddy who believes he is President Theadore Roosevelt, frequently blasts a bugle and yells "charge" as he bounds up the stairs, believes the cellar is Panama, he is digging the canal.  Matters get complicated when Mortimer, a second nephew drops by to give his charming aunts the news that he proposed to Elaine and she accepted, they are delighted, he however is worried he may inherit the family madness. The discovering of a dead body in the trunk under the window he confronts his aunts to be told ‘that’s Mr Hoskins one of their lonely gentlemen’. Mortimer is visibly shocked and horrified, especially when he narrowly prevents them from poisoning another gentleman Mr Gibbs (Shaun Greenbanks). He cannot take it all in, knowing that his two gentle aunts are ‘serial killers’ killing eleven lonely gentlemen with poisoned elderberry wine and burying them in the cellar. Fearing inherited madness Mortimer breaks off the engagement with bemused Elaine. The other Brewster brother, Jonathan, left home years ago and has not been heard from since. This is about to change, in his delicious adroit mixture of comedy and mayhem.

What a wonderful iconic play to direct, Gareth Jones I am sure relished the opportunity. An extremely talented cast gave stellar performances. The set designed by Terry Collister was on two levels with stairs to the left. A large window stage right (ideal for body transportation) with sufficient space for the furious action to come. Credit to the wardrobe, Julie Khayati, sound Mike Jones & Connor Fitzpatrick, lighting  Great job.

Unannounced and unexpected Johnathan (Carl Latham) returns home after having just escaped from a mental institution in Indiana. He's accompanied by an alcoholic accomplice, Dr. Herman Einstein ( Helen Brickwood), who has performed plastic surgery on him to conceal his identity, and now looks like horror film actor Boris Karloff  (a side joke as the part was originally played on Broadway by Boris Karloff). They're looking for a hideout and a place to dispose of their own murder victim.

 

Mortimer and the aunts are not pleased to see Jonathan, but reluctantly agree to let him spend the night. Jonathan and Dr. Einstein plan to turn Grandfather Brewster's old lab into an illicit plastic surgery clinic for criminals who want to hide their identities. Mortimer and the aunts try to hide their body from the intruders, while Jonathan and Dr. Einstein try to bury their body in the cellar. They're interrupted by Elaine, who wants to know why Mortimer broke off the engagement, then local police officer O'Hara (Charlie Wood), who insists Mortimer helps him write his play. Confusion reigns, as Teddy collects Mr Hoskins assuming he died from yellow fever. What a wonderful script this play is.

Jonathan plans to kill Mortimer and Teddy, though Dr. Einstein is against it, deciding to tie him up. Fortunately, they are interrupted by O'Hara, who returns to work on the play and is oblivious to Mortimer's predicament. Elaine returns and rescues Mortimer. The police, led by surly Lt. Rooney, (Shaun Greenbanks)) raid the house and recognizing Jonathan as a fugitive arrest him, he shouts that there are thirteen graves in the cellar. Jonathan, Teddy, and the aunts insist that there are definitely thirteen bodies in the cellar, but the police think they are all crazy ignore him. Lt. Rooney orders Teddy to be committed to a sanatorium. Mr. Witherspoon (Connor Jones), the head of the sanatorium, arrives to collect Teddy. The aunts refuse to abandon Teddy and insist they be committed as well. They leave the house to Mortimer, but confess that he is actually the illegitimate son of their old cook, and therefore not a Brewster by blood. This delights Mortimer, who feels he can now marry Elaine. Dr. Einstein glibly walks out the front door, unnoticed by the police. Jonathan is arrested and taken away, but taunts the aunts that he's still killed as many people as they have. The play ends with the aunts offering the superintendent of the sanatorium a nice glass of elderberry wine. What an ending to a truly iconic play.

 

This production Arsenic & Old Lace from the Woolgatherers is a riotously hilarious experience from start to finish. The Brewster sisters were splendid, genuinely believing they are doing charity work by saving their gentlemen from the sorrows of life, Debbie Smith was a joy. Its humour relies on the contrast of wholesome, charming characters with horrific actions, creating a "pitch-black" comedy that remains a "masterpiece of comic chaos" The audience loved it.

Thank you for my invitation ‘Woolies’ it was a blast, and congratulations for an evening of fun and laughter.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

 

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