Sitting in the Lohrey Theatre in the middle of what has culturally become known as “spooky season,” you might be inclined to notice, if you are on the lookout for such things, a skull motif in the pattern of the purple wallpaper on the set of Theatre Memphis’ Arsenic and Old Lace. If you are unfamiliar with this 1940s Broadway play, you should know that it exemplifies the term “dark comedy.”
The plot of Joseph Kesselring’s zany play is convoluted at first glance. Dramatic critic Mortimer Brewster is shocked to find out that his sweet old aunts, beloved and known throughout their community for their generosity of spirit, are in fact totally off-the-rails serial killers. Of course, they don’t see their morbid hobby as anything more than another charitable act in their repertoire.
Aunts Abby and Martha Brewster aren’t the only colorful members of Mortimer’s family. One brother believes himself to be Teddy Roosevelt, another previously-thought-to-be-missing brother shows up with an altered face to conceal his identity, and a prospective member of the family, Mortimer’s new fiancée, lives next door in the church parish.
The cast, directed by John Maness, brings this bizarre group of characters to life in a well-balanced ensemble. Each character has their own brand of hilarity, carefully wrought through physical comedy, vocal inflection, and timing. Kinon Keplinger especially shines as Mortimer Brewster, the keystone that the rest of the group rests on. Mortimer could be seen as a stock straight man evening out the eccentricity of the other members of the cast, but Keplinger manages to bring off Mortimer’s energy and quirkiness without a hitch, excelling especially at physicality. Mortimer practically jumps around the stage, much to the delight of the audience.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Abby and Martha Brewster, played by Jeanna Juleson and Martha Jones. The hilarity of these characters is achieved with subtlety, and Juleson and Jones allow the humor of the dialogue to come through by adding just the right dose of guilelessness.
Maness explained in a release, “What I’ve tried to do is make this wildly believable, too. By focusing on the subtle acting details to support the dark comedy, we’ll get the result of a lived-in, truthful world despite the zany goings-on of the plot. Every character knows where they’re coming from. … We want the audience to just enjoy the ride about where they are all going!”
There were a few hitches during the performance that could be chalked up to opening-night jitters — a couple of lines tripped over and some pacing that seemed a little off-kilter. However, by the top of the third act, the entire cast was seamlessly in their stride.
According to Maness, “The play is a classic for a reason, and we aren’t shying away from what we’ve been calling that ‘Turner Classic Movies’ feel.” This is a play that non-theater-goers might think of as “basic,” but when performed with the energy and comedic dexterity I saw on opening night, it clearly deserves, instead, to be called a “classic.”
As I observed during intermission, this show is one that all audiences can enjoy. A grandfather glanced at the TV monitor downstairs near the bathrooms, depicting a live stream of the show. He remarked to his granddaughter (who was maybe around 10 years old), “Looks even better on camera, doesn’t it?” She replied, “I think it looks better in real life.” Thus the magic of live theater was demonstrated in a simple tableau.
Arsenic and Old Lace is the perfect show to see in October for both those who enjoy getting into the Halloween feel and those who just want to have a fun night at the theater. The play is just macabre enough to be called “dark” while still maintaining a buoyant tone.
Arsenic and Old Lace runs through October 30th at Theatre Memphis.
