Written by Joseph
Kesselring
Directed by Jon
Elphick
Tempo Theatre
Belconnen Theatre to
12 September
Review by Len Power 5
September 2015
‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ was written in 1939 and is a black
farcical comedy that still works for audiences today, as Tempo Theatre showed
in their new production at the Belconnen Theatre.
Two spinster sisters are murdering lonely old
men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with
arsenic, strychnine, and "just a pinch" of cyanide. Their nephew naturally worries about the
impact this might have on his impending marriage.
The play contains a lot of topical references from the era
in which it was written which go over an audience’s head today but it doesn’t
matter. One of the best jokes in the original
production was the description of a character as looking like Boris Karloff of ‘Frankenstein’
fame. The role was played on Broadway by
Boris Karloff!
Every member of the cast did very well but it’s the quirkier
characters who stand out in this play. There
was impressive work from Jon Elphick as the demented Teddy Brewster who thinks
he’s the President, Teddy Roosevelt, Kim Wilson as the stressed Lieutenant
Rooney, Bill Kolentsis - especially delightful - as the mad Doctor Einstein,
Michael Effron as the wonderfully boring and demanding Officer O’Hara and Jason
Morton who did a great Boris Karloff, given that Mr Karloff seemed to be
unavailable.
 |
| Bill Kolentsis as Dr. Einstein |
The more ‘normal’ characters included Sam Kentish in a nicely
controlled performance as the harassed nephew, Mortimer Brewster, and the very
pretty and accomplished Angela Edwards as his headstrong bride-to-be, Elaine
Harper. Lynne Seaman and Marian
Fitzgerald gave nicely understated performances as the two murderous old ladies
that you would never suspect of any crime.
In the smaller roles, Bryn Evans, David Henderson and Alistair Henderson
all gave good characterizations.
 |
| Lynne Seaman and Marian Fitzgerald as the murderous duo |
Jon Elphick has directed the show very well, obtaining strong
characterizations from his actors, keeping the pace fast and furious and giving
full weight to every funny moment in the plot.
His set design works very well and the technical aspects of the show
were fine.
Tempo Theatre gives Canberra the opportunity to see classic
plays that other companies don’t present these days. The second night audience I saw it with were
clearly having a great time.
Photos by Sarah Bourke
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast in the ‘Artcetera’ program on Artsound FM 92.7 on Saturdays
from 9am.