Arsenic and Old Lace Buries the Audience (in Laughter) at Orem’s Hale Theater

A Utah Theater Review by Joel Applegate

The American stage classic Arsenic and Old Lace, which currently is being performed at the Hale Center Theater in Orem, has achieved its status honestly. It’s full of very clever writing – and there’s a wonderful conceit within the play where our reluctant protagonist, Mortimer Brewster, is a theater critic who hates his job. Of the twelve plays Joseph Kesselring wrote, Arsenic and Old Lace remains his most popular and seals his place in American theater.

The play opened in New York on January 10, 1941 and played for three and a half years closing on June 17, 1944, having played 1,444 performances, an amazing run for a non-musical of that era. The opening night review in The New York Times called the play “so funny that none of us will ever forget it.”

For those unfamiliar with this comedy, it’s the tale of Mortimer Brewster’s sweet old aunties, Abby and Martha. Their charity of choice leads them to “help” lonely old men to their reward with a nice homemade glass of elderberry wine; perfect for masking the taste of the three deadly poisons with which it is laced.

In the hands of Orem’s Hale Theater, the able cast demonstrates once again why this classic retains its freshness and appeal. My friend, Shelby, and I had a great time, as did the sold out audience. Shelby remarked how all the actors had well-developed characters, and astutely noted how well choreographed the actors use of the space was.

The production set the tone nicely from the start. First we hear clever musical riffs. A comic, but ever so slightly spooky gavotte sets the tone. Then we’re introduced to our first killer, er, Auntie, Abby, played with gleeful earnestness by Actors Equity member, Jayne Luke.

These two kindly “killers” have great chemistry between them. Luke’s Abby drove the action while Karen Baird’s Martha excelled with a skilled and natural delivery. There’s a great moment when they are obliged to explain to their nephew, Mortimer, what they’re doing. Far from hiding their crimes, their “confession” – as it were – is so forthright that even a jury may be in danger of succumbing to their sincerity and logic. They certainly had the audience on their side. Another moment when Baird was at her best is a great bit where she casually waves a wicked looking knife around. Relax, she’s just using it to cut the pound cake.

Many parts in the show are double cast, with cast members alternating nights. Bret Merritt played Mortimer the night we attended. He turned out a nicely staid performance, then turns it around hilariously when forced out of his comfort zone by the insanity that “doesn’t just run, but gallops through this family.” I especially enjoyed Merritt’s delivery when he characterized life in his family as though “Strindberg had written “Hellzapoppin’,” a reference to a musical from 1938 at which contemporary audiences would have howled.

Mortimer’s criminally insane brother, Jonathan, shows up to further complicate his life – and the plot. Jonathan is the character so famously played by Boris Karloff in the Broadway original. But Karloff has a very worthy successor in Daniel Hess. When he stepped through the door for his first scene, his presence was immediately menacing. This well-measured performance was impressive and consistent throughout, as well as being funny in all the right places. One little nit I have to pick is when he and his accomplice tie up Mortimer. The “trussed up and gagged” line should have got big laugh, but I suspect they just had the choreography a tad off and the moment wasn’t as big as it should have been.

Jason Purdie as Dr. Einstein gives Hess an able and suitably creepy assist, his twitchy paranoia threatening to undo him at any moment. John Liddiard, (also a member of Equity) gives us a loopy and loud Teddy living large as a delusional Theodore Roosevelt. Tanya M. Quinn gave us a clear-voiced Elaine (this role is also double cast), effortlessly believable by turns as a loving and frustrated fiancée. Even small roles were ably handled, especially a nice turn by Trent Boulter who got the Brooklyn accent just right as Officer O’Hara petitioning Mortimer for help writing his police novel.
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For those who have never seen a production at the Hale Center in Orem, it’s an inviting, intimate place to see live theater. The scene designer, Bobby Swenson, did a wonderful job of using this in-the-round space to envelope the audience on all four sides, even behind some of the seating areas. We felt like we were really inside a room consisting of well-chosen Victorian décor and inhabited by some wonderful, entertaining characters.

Costumer Maryann Hill had an expert eye for her job. The costumes for the women were especially well done, from the chic Elaine, to the rich mourning weeds of our sweet Aunties. Production values were strong throughout.

We were lucky enough to have a chat afterward at the meet ‘n’ greet with Ms. Baird, our lovely actor playing Aunt Martha. We were absolutely charmed by the infectious enthusiasm she has for her role. And we were certainly awed when she told us she was 72 years of age. Obviously her energy is still great because the whole show was mounted with just a one month rehearsal period. We wish her, her worthy cast and crew mates and the Hale Center Theater Orem many more years of joy in their work, as they all so ably demonstrated with this performance of Arsenic and Old Lace.

If you love theater, this is a required addition to your bucket-list.

Arsenic and Old Lace

Hale Center Theater

25 West 400 North, Orem Utah

 

August 16 – Sept. 22

Tickets: Adults $16 – $20, Children $12 – $16

Evening Performances at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Matinees at 3:00 p.m.

801.226.8600

http://www.haletheater.org/theater/