‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ returns

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 22

‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ returns

Perhaps the greatest of all comedy thrillers will open at the Court Theatre on Friday evening. It is Joseph Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a dramatic favourite since its premiere in 1941. The play was adapted for a movie starring Cary Grant. It has not been performed in Christchurch for many years and never by the Court Theatre.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is set in the Brewster household in New York. Two spinster sisters, Martha and Abby, share their home with their brother, who thinks he is President Teddy Roosevelt. Their nephew, a drama critic, Mortimer Brewster, discovers that things are not what they seem, and that his aunts have been dabbling in benign euthanasia — with thes help of “a little something” in the elderberry wjne.

The arrival of another nephew, with a remarkable resemblance to Boris Karloff, really brings things to a head. As the play’s most famous line says, “Lunacy doesn’t simply run in this family, it gallops.” Judie Douglass and Elizabeth Moody play Abby and Martha, the dotty Brewster sisters, and Stuart Devenie plays their nephew, Mortimer. His fiancee, Elaine, is portrayed by Eilish Wahren whilst batty

Uncle Teddy Brewster, the would-be president, is played by! Bill le Marquand. Paul Barrett apt pears as Jonathon, the international murderer, jewel thief and con-man of the Brewster family.

The cast is completed by Lloyd Edwards, Craig Hood, Colin McCulloch, Kevin Smith and Geoffrey Wearing. The set, by Tony Geddes, recreates the ornate living room of a rambling, Gothic American mansion. The

lighting is by Mike McKenzie, and Joe Hayes captures the sounds of the 19405. The clothes are by Annie Graham. Bryan Aitken is directing the production. He directed last year’s hit, “The Share Club.” The season in Court One will be sponsored by Trust Bank Canterbury. In keeping with the Court’s new policy, the Thursday performances will begin at 6 p.m. instead of the usual 8 p.m.