ST. GEORGE — Just as the Brewster sisters have found the perfect mix of poison to help their sad, lonely guests — arsenic, strychnine and “just a pinch” of cyanide — The Stage Door has found the perfect mix of talent to pull off Joseph Kesselring’s disquieting yet funny Arsenic and Old Lace taking place through Sept. 14 at The Electric Theater in St. George.
Directed by Josh and Jalee Scott, this dark comedy tells the story of two well-meaning old sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, who have taken it upon themselves to alleviate the sadness of the lonely old men visiting their home — by murdering them with poisoned elderberry wine. When their nephew Mortimer Brewster, a well-known theater critic, pops by for a visit, he discovers the latest victim hidden in the window seat of the parlor. As if one body isn’t bad enough, Mortimer soon learns this is only the tip of a diabolical iceberg that includes 11, no 12, bodies, depending on which aunt is counting.
Complicating matters is the fact that Mortimer has two brothers, Teddy, who believes himself to be President Teddy Roosevelt, and an estranged brother Jonathan, whose evil childhood antics have evolved and turned him into a full-fledged murderer as well.
Yet somehow, Arsenic and Old Lace really is a comedy.
Bringing the endearing, albeit homicidal, Brewster sisters to life are Jane Williams as Abby and Chrystine Potter Hyatt as Martha. Independent of one another, Williams and Hyatt each bring a level of energy and spunk to the stage, and together they are a force with which to be reckoned.
From their dead-pan delivery of lines describing their reasons for mercifully bringing their victims’ lonely lives to an end, to the flustered way they try to handle the ripple effect of their serial killing spree, both Williams and Hyatt seem right at home on stage. Their physical movements — stooped posture, slow ascension of the steps and more — were believable reflections of aging women, which added to the credibility of their characters. Even when they each took a turn occasionally stumbling over one of their lines, it was almost in character to do so. Almost. A slightly more polished dialogue is likely to come with the repetition of a few more nights on stage, and in the meantime, their likability makes a sporadic misstep easy to forgive.
Bursting onto the stage with an infectious energy that carried him throughout the night, Michael Lee’s portrayal of Mortimer Brewster was one of the highlights of the show. His ability to turn on a dime between loud, frantic line delivery and soft, urgent pleadings maintained a level of intensity in the storyline, while punching up many of the jokes. His candor and confidence made it easy to see him as the esteemed theater critic, and the comfortable dynamic between he and Emily Holt as the fiancée Elaine Harper added a layer of realism to their relationship.
While it was easy to chuckle at the antics of the Brewster sisters — even if they were guilty of murder — there was an immediate shift in the energy of the space when Jonathan Brewster (played by Parker Rawlins) and Dr. Einstein (played by Coy Andrew Shinn Jr.) stepped into the storyline. A shift that was spine tingling and delicious. Their entrance, aided perfectly by the lighting design by Joshua Scott, made it clear that in Arsenic and Old Lace there is murder, and then there is cold-blooded murder.
Although Einstein did occasionally get to play the comic relief to Jonathan’s sinister plotting, the majority of this duo’s roles took this dark comedy to a realm just a few shades darker, particularly as Rawlins as Jonathan described the fact that he would prefer to use the “slower method” in order to rid the world of his brother Mortimer.
The dark moments with the show’s villains make bright spots, such as Holt’s sunny portrayal of Elaine Harper, a welcome contrast. Holt held her own in her scenes with Mortimer and managed to be strong when needed, and weak and somewhat helpless when the script called for it.
Another bright spot that cannot be overlooked is Trey Paterson’s delightful role as Teddy Brewster, the senile brother who believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt. Whether charging up the stairs (or in his mind, charging up San Juan Hill) or digging the locks of the Panama Canal (but actually digging graves) in the cellar, Paterson’s presence on stage was always a welcome sight.
With a comedy, timing is everything and, for the most part, the cast maintained a fluid dialogue, especially when there were only two or three actors in the scene. There were a few times when the conversation included more cast members, such as near the end of the show when there are several bumbling police officers, as well as the main players of the cast all on stage at once, that the dialogue felt just a little bit clunky; a problem that may also be remedied with time.
Beyond the acting happening on stage, the physical elements in this production deserve a bit of a nod. Costume design by Tonya Christensen and assisted by Wyatt Brown added a great deal to the visual appeal on stage. From the crushed velvet and wide lace collars of the Brewster sisters’ costumes to everything Elaine wore, there was beauty and attention to detail that enhanced the simple, but effective set design by Joshua Scott, rounding out a very enjoyable evening.
You won’t want to miss a minute of all the murder, mayhem and mirth unfolding on The Electric Theater stage. But maybe bring your own refreshments.
Editor’s Note: Photos for this production have not been received. They will be added to the review when received by UTBA.
