By Jason Hagey and Alisha Hagey
There are few shows as delightful and fun as The Sandy Arts Guild’s Arsenic and Old Lace in The Theater at Mount Jordan in Sandy, Utah. Filled with laughs, this dark comedy farce is clever and character-driven.
Starting on a September afternoon in 1941 and spanning a whole night and into the evening, Arsenic and Old Lace presents us with a crazy combination of two good-willed serial killer old ladies, their three eccentric nephews, a confused fiance, and witless police officers. Brilliantly, Joseph Kesserling (Playwright) throws his characters into a situation where a nephew finds out that his aunts have been luring older, single men into their home as lodgers, poisoning them (as acts of mercy), and having another nephew bury them in their basement. The aunts are completely oblivious to the idea that their euthanasia is murder – after all, they are only helping these men in their suffering – and the love of their nephew keeps him from wanting them to go to jail.
Every moment from the discovery of a dead man in the window seat of the living room to the last moment of the play is lead by the decisions of the characters. An unusual occurrence in our day and age when oftentimes the characters are merely pawns in the machinations of the plot, Kesserling’s characters drive every action, which keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. They are, after all, a little bit insane. “Look I probably should have told you this before but you see… well… insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.”
Sallie Cooper (Abby Brewster) and Michelle Groves (Martha Brewster) are loveable murderers. Their naivete is never forced. As true veterans of the theatre, their pleasure in playing their parts is palpable. Instead of performing for laughs, these two actresses are honest with their characters. As they flit about the stage, they do so with guileless glee while being charitable killers. As a nephew or niece, there is no way you wouldn’t love these adorable aunts immediately.
Eric Geels (Mortimer Brewster) is supposedly the sane nephew that is trying to protect his aunts from charges of murder. His madcap approach to Mortimer is a thrill-ride as Geels’ emotions ebb and flow effortlessly with each passing realization. Paul Murphy (Teddy Brewster) explodes onto the scene with his call of “Charge” and trumpet blowing. Murphy’s comedic timing brings the would-be Teddy Roosevelt to life, showing us a character that is more than just a stereotype because his inhabiting the role of Roosevelt is, in the end, his way of coping with the world. Lindsay Higbee (Elaine Harper) is the audience’s stand-in, her love for Mortimer her only anchor in the sea of madness that is the Brewster home. Higbee would be most of us if we were thrust into this world of loveable but insane characters. Higbee’s performance is empathetic, her expressions emphasizing her mounting confusion on what exactly is happening in the home of Mortimer’s aunts.
Charrisse Fuhriman (Costume Designer) and Robyn Rausher-Fellows (Props Designer) give us a lush and realistic world. The costumes are a breath of fresh air, especially the women’s pieces. They feel lived in and natural on the actors. But what can’t help but steal the show is Dwight Western’s set design. People talked before the show, during intermission, and afterward, about the lovely setting we are transported into. He gives the audience everything that is familiar about a living room play, and yet allows the space to have levels and shape. He creates a living space that is both functional and a thematic roller-coaster.
A deliciously macabre dark comedy ends up being a delightful night in the theater. Whether you have grown up loving this play or are new to the text, Sandy Arts Guild offers a lovely and side-splitting evening, fun for the whole family. “It’s sad to be all alone in the world,” but you won’t be once you attend Arsenic and Old Lace. Just don’t drink the elderberry wine.
*The theatre is located inside the Mount Jordan Middle School, near the Blue Line Trax Station behind Jordan Commons
Sandy Arts Guild presents Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesserling
The Theater at Mount Jordan, 9351 S. Mountaineer Ln., Sandy, Utah 84070
Contact Info: 801-568-2787
January 31, February 1, 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 7:30 PM
Tickets: $10-$12 per person available online through Smithtix or at the door
Sandy Arts Guild Facebook Page
Arsenic and Old Lace Facebook Event Page
Smithtix Website
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