Joseph Kesselring's

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE

directed by Michael Stuart

BACK ROW (L-R): Freddie Carnes, Michael Stuart, Taylor Mattox

FRONT ROW (L-R): Craig Kanne, J. Damian Gillen, Richard Craig, Rebecca Robinson

A Few Flaws Don't Poinson the Fun of "Old Lace"

By Moira Muldoon

Special to the American-Statesman, Tuesday, July 20, 2001

    Men dressed as sweet little old ladies isn't always funny, though it's often done. But for a play with as much goofball humor as "Arsenic and Old Lace," putting a man in a woman's role sets the right tone - a light melodrama that doesn't take itself too seriously. And as long as the two little old ladies are onstage, much laughter ensues.

    Of course, the ladies have the best (and biggest) roles: They're sweet, thoughtful women caring for their lunatic but harmless nephew - he thinks he's Teddy Rossevelt - and performing countless acts of goodness and charity around town. Nevermind that one of their "good deeds" is to slip a little poison into lonely men and bury them in the cellar - the discovery of which nearly sends the other nephew, the sane Mortimer, to the madhouse. The aunties' sweet dispositions and horrible acts, along with a surprise visit from evil brother Jonathan and his Austrian plastic surgeon, set up the perfect caper-screwball comedy (remember, Frank Capra did the movie version in 1944).

    As aunts Abby and Martha, Richard Craig and Bernadette Nason are perfect ingenuous do-gooders; Craig's wry comic timing is an excellent foil to Nason's sweet-faced, charitable soul. The two putter about Michael Stuart's pitch-perfect lacy set making tea and serving arsenic-laced elderberry wine, chattering away about the funeral services they'll read over the recently deceased; the contrast between their lovely intent and murderous actions is as funny as it should be. And their ease with comedy is made even more apparent by contrast with J. Damian Gillen, who often overplays the straight-man role of Mortimer.

    It's hard to believe that anything could be overplayed in "Arsenic and Old Lace" - being the screwball comedy that it is. And yet, the situations are so ludicrous that sometimes a quieter touch is needed to draw out their humor. Although Mortimer is the "serious" character (a theater critic, no less), that doesn't mean Gillen should take him quite so seriously, or literally. Stuart has Gillen race about the stage, frantic and loud. Sometimes it works, as when he rushes to sit on a window seat concealing a dead body, but for the most part, it's too much. The dialogue and situations are big enough of themselves; a more understated, knowing performance would have brought the humor out more fully.

    Director and set designer Stuart takes on a third role, playing the evil brother Jonathan. He's physically perfect for the part (the man must be at least 6 feet 5 inches tall) and has his wicked laugh down to a science. For some reason his pratfalls fell a little flat - they seemed as if they should be funnier, though they didn't garner many laughs the day I went. The rest of the cast does well from W.T. Bryant as Teddy Roosevelt to Craig Kanne as the doctor. Indeed, the show is good fun all around. After all, who wouldn't be amused by a man playing a woman playing with murder?

May 19, 2001

Stafford Opera House

Columbus, Texas

July 5-21, 2001

Dougherty Arts Center

Austin, Texas

Woodlawn Theater

San Antonio, Texas

Lakeway Arts Center

Lakeway, Texas

ONSTAGE in association with The Company produced this play in 1997 with the following cast:

Abby Brewster --------------------- Debra Neel

The Revrend Dr. Harper -------- Rick Conner

Teddy Roosevelt ------------------ Don Sneed

Officer O'Hara --------------------- Kregg Foote

Officer Klein ------------------------ Carbon Reynolds

Martha Brewster ------------------ Jody Gillen

Elaine Harper ---------------------- Britta Thompson

Mortimer Brewster ---------------- Richard Reiss

Jonathan Brewster ----------------Michael Stuart

Dr. Einstein ------------------------ Craig Kanne

Mr. Gibbs --------------------------- Rick Conner

Lt. Rooney -------------------------- Brian Jepson

Mr. Witherspoon -------------------Rick Conner

first produced in 1997

CAST:

Abby Brewster ----- Richard Craig

Martha Brewster ----- Bernadette Nason

Teddy Roosevelt ----- W.T. Bryant

Mortimer Brewster ----- J. Damian Gillen

Elaine Harper ----- Rebecca Robinson

Jonathan Brewster ----- Michael Stuart

Dr. Einstein / Mr. Gibbs / Rev. Harper ----- Craig Kanne

Officer O'Hara / Mr. Witherspoon ----- Taylor Maddux

Lt. Rooney ----- Freddy Carnes