Two Burlington actors – Bruce Edwards and Christine Marchetti – are featured in the large cast of Dundas Little Theatre’s latest production.
Arsenic and Old Lace is definitely a throwback to another era, which most of us only remember from watching films with our mothers or grandmothers. Its references to the likes Boris Karloff and Teddy Roosevelt may be beyond the youngest audience members, but they’re bound to catch on soon enough as the play progresses.
The old lace of the title is a reference to the sweet spinster sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, and the arsenic is one of several ingredients in their home-made concoction of elderberry wine, which they use to poison prospective elderly male boarders who - at least to the sisters - would be happier if they were dead. The psychotic duo have killed 12 such men.
The sisters, played by Ruth Flynn and Jessica Thomas-Troian, are nicely directed by Peter Lloyd as perfectly at ease about their own crimes and sundry manic goings-on that ensue. The actors make a good pair, with Thomas-Troian the more convincing old lady, but with both pulling off their carefree attitude and fastidious preparations.
Conveniently living with the sisters is their more or less harmlessly psychotic nephew Teddy, who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt. Whenever the ladies need a burial place for a victim, Teddy digs another lock for the Panama Canal in the basement, where he buries what he is told are victims of smallpox.
In addition, Teddy, played with enthusiasm and accuracy and fun by Jared Lenover, keeps neighbours up with his bugle calls, affording visits from several
police officers to add to the antics.
The play is a huge undertaking because of its large cast, large set meant to depict a huge 11 bedroom former mansion turned into a boarding house, and a running time of two and three-quarter hours (including two intermissions).
Lloyd has filled his cast some brilliant actors, most notably Tim Hevesi, Edwards and Marchetti, and there are flashes of fun moments from the cameo appearances of seasoned actors like Stephen O’Brien, Dan Scott and Jason Swenor.
The set, with four entrances and exits, a 12-step staircase with two landings, was created by probably the best period piece set
designer in the area, Michelle Chin, and her team of the “Wednesday Night Crew.” It manages to be elaborate without being crowded, despite the number of actors that sometimes occupy it.
In addition to the spinsters and Teddy, the character of Teddy's brother Mortimer drives the plot. When Mortimer discovers the latest victim in the huge window seat, he uncovers the misdeeds of his aunties. Played by Brian Melanson, he is the voice of reason and sanity in the family, tasked with preventing more
involuntary assisted deaths, hiding his aunts’ crimes and committing his brother to an asylum.
Despite his character’s juggling all of the above and an engagement to the minister’s daughter and his job as a theatre critic, Melanson's portrayal is somewhat one-dimensional, not allowing his frenzied running around – which is often fun - to be mellowed by calmness on occasion.
Marchetti is lovely as Mortimer’s fiancée, the costumed red notes (her hat, earrings, dress trim, lipstick) accentuating her flirtatiousness, but her modern boldness shining through in her posture and voice and commanding presence. Hevesi and Edwards, who portray the mysterious missing brother Jonathan and his plastic surgeon Dr. Einstein both have outstanding stage presence.
While they resembled their counterparts from film and stage (Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre) in voice, their body language, movement and line delivery ran the gamut from fearful to funny and always entertaining to watch.
Hevesi’s convincing Jonathan is the truly evil psychotic serial killer, as opposed to his aunts who commit murder with tasty wine and pleasantries. Black comedy to be sure, it is a comic examination of psychosis.
Sally Watson’s costuming was effective and varied for the most part, though Mortimer’s suit looked a tad too modern. It should be noted, too, that John Bello’s lighting perfectly reflected mood in the play.
All in all, the audience was engaged throughout this rather long performance, and had good laughs right to the end.
Edwards and Marchetti, the two Burlingtonians, are next scheduled to appear in Bloom at Waterdown's Village Theatre in the Spring of 2024.
Arsenic and Old Lace continues for the next three weekends. Tickets are available at dundaslittletheatre.com or by calling 905-627-1620
Gregory Flis is a local actor and director and has previously written previews about Drury Lane for BurlingtonToday.
