PicksInSix Review: Arsenic and Old Lace - Court Theatre
‘Bully!’ for the Brewsters of Brooklyn.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder
As the sounds of Duke Ellington and the like jazzed throughout the venue, a true mansion of elegant decadence transported last night’s audience back to 1940’s Brooklyn at Court Theatre’s 2022/23 Season opener “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The lights went down, and the packed house began to giggle with delight and anticipation as if they knew they were soon to be reminded as to why Court Theatre so-deserved their recent 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award. And they were right!
Centered on the multi-generational home of Brewster sisters Martha and Abby, undoubtedly beloved by all Brooklynites, “Arsenic and Old Lace” is a rollercoaster of discovery. In true farcical fashion, “Arsenic and Old Lace” reveals outlandish truths, exposes unexpected identities, and packs perfectly-timed quirks and turns that trigger endless cackles of laughter. As each character is introduced, don’t be fooled! There is more than meets the eye, and the once happy home becomes a near house of horrors, brimming with hilarity.
The play rightfully focuses on the home’s current occupants, Celeste Williams’s oh-so-huggable Martha Brewster and TayLar’s strict-yet-kind Abby Brewster. The pair is so wholly lovable and frank, you truly believe they should be reprimanded with nothing more than a rap on the wrist for the atrocities they have committed. Although less criminal than the rest of the Brewster family, it’s Allen D. Edge who shows the greatest facet of acting duplicity with his quick-changing, manic Teddy Brewster, while love interests Emma Jo Boyden’s effervescent Elaine Harper reveals bold strength and Eric Gerard’s sleek Mortimer Brewster stokes the fires of self-discovery. The malicious duo of Guy Van Swearingen and A.C. Smith’s Dr. Einstein (no, not THAT Dr. Einstein) and Jonathan Brewster almost too realistically execute their scene of attack, but they expertly ease us back into the dramedy like the smooth-moving criminals that they think they are. A quarter dozen of officers sprinkle comedic tension throughout, played smartly by Norm Boucher, Matthew Lunt, Allen Gilmore, and Thomas J. Cox, with the latter’s multiple appearances so neatly crafted to be nearly indiscernible as being played by the same actor.
Court Theatre has so deftly fulfilled their mission to reimagine classic theatre for modern audiences, it’s hard to believe that Joseph Otto Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” premiered in 1941! More of an ensemble piece, each character is so fully realized that, despite their outrageous natures, they’re never pushed beyond believability. In a cast of could-be zany caricatures, each actor stays true to their subtext and intentions, never allowing the absurdity of their circumstances to overstep reality. That’s what truly seals the deal for a masterful production!
Although categorically a period piece, beloved Chicago director Ron OJ Parson pushes the text and action to such a nearly unrecognizable contemporary energy, regifting modern audiences with this sparkling vintage. That being said, as consistently engaging as it is, the play begins to sputter post-intermission with multiple spliced scenes, marked with full blackouts. However, even the last beat before lights out continues to tickle. Scenic Designer John Culbert’s detailed Brewster mansion is an almost “I Spy” of ornamentation, so filled with photos and knicknacks (obviously hoarded over multiple generations) to such an extreme, one could not help but feel right at home. Rachel Anne Healy’s costume designs mirror Culbert’s set, with stunning works of ornamental patterns in intricate and fashionable styles of the time. Even sound designer Sarah Ramos gets a part of the action with a bombardment of doorbells and eerie ambience.
After two-and-a-half hours of exceptional mirth and amusement, I was nearly too exhausted to cross the University of Chicago campus to return to the nearby parking garage in order to drive home. In short, if you’re looking for a show with such excellent comic timing that you’ll find yourself reacting in the most merrily and embarrassing manner in public that you can remember, make your way to Court Theatre’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” running now through Oct 2. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I suddenly have a taste for homemade elderberry wine. #IYKYK
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com
PHOTO | Michael Brosilow
COURT THEATRE
presents
Arsenic and Old Lace
through October 2, 2022
5535 S. Ellis Ave. (map)
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 753-4472
info@courttheatre.org
WEBSITE
PROGRAM
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