The Theatre on Chester’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” was full of all the good things a black comedy play should have. A dysfunctional family, a dead body (perhaps even more than one) two sweet little ole ladies, oblivious policemen, competitive murderers, a plastic surgeon of dubious morals, a menacing villain, true romance and a small dose of poison in homemade elderberry wine…
When the curtain opened, it revealed an impressive set design with such attention to details that it stood out to me as a world class theatre set. Leon Coward, the set designer, with props by Sasha O’Brien and Coward, placed the audience immediately into the lavishly decorated upper class mansion during the 1940’s in New York City. Wallpaper claimed the walls from floor to ceiling. Featured were landscape paintings and portraits, notably one of a Brewster ancestor, a doctor and patent medicine inventor who made the family fortune. There were wood cabinets, solid furniture, fancy lamps and even a window seat (we’ll come back to that!).
One prop that stood out was an oversized vase filled with tall peacock feathers that made me feel nostalgic remembering this type of decor in a relative’s house when I was young. The grand architecture, which included stairs leading up to a second story and the stairs leading up to the front door of the house from the theatre’s floor, created a sense of grandeur and an assumption that there were many more rooms and sprawling grounds. The audience is told at a later date, that the house is next to a cemetery, so perhaps this is a negative for the property’s appraisal!
“Arsenic and Old Lace” revolves around the Brewster family. Mortimer (Ryan Atkins) a theatre hating drama critic, is on his way out to a job with the next door neighbour, the pastor’s daughter Elaine (Olivia Bartha). After proposing to Elaine in an awkwardly clumsy way, she leaves to speak to her father. Two sisters, Martha (Carla Moore) and Abby (Christine Rule) are sweet, likeable sisters. Teddy (Tracey Okeby Lucan) is the fourth resident in the house. He believes he is President Teddy Roosevelt and is responded to with salutes and respect from others, who humour him. This interaction between Teddy and the other characters remain a part of the ongoing comedic theme. Lucan plays a serious president with straight faced perfection, commanding respect though his administration who he believes is managing several military and colonial conflicts. His preparation to rush up the stairs shouting “Charge!” never failed to elicit uproarious laughter.
After lifting up the window seat, Mortimer discovers a body. Atkins’ portrayal of his character from this point on was a stand out. His facial expressions and body language complimented Mortimer’s stuttering incredulity at finding the body, and then increased when he discovered that both of his aunties were responsible. As more secrets were uncovered, Mortimer becomes even more freaked out and I was hooked!
Kudos to the Brewster aunties, with Rule and Moore commanding the stage both separately and as a team. Their comedic timing and portrayal of “the sweet little ladies” who believe they are doing their victims a good deed is hilarious. It’s their perceived innocence and likeable characteristics that made me almost want to have some tea and scones with them. But never, ever drink their homemade elderberry wine.
The third brother, Jonathon (Scott Hall-Watson) and his friend Dr Einstein (Alan Long) arrive at the Brewster home. Jonathon has been away for several years and he and Dr Einstein are hiding out from the law. To this end, he’s had several plastic surgeries by Dr Einstein and this plus the scars on his face make him ghastly and unrecognisable to his aunties. Well done to Hall-Watson, who is menacing and intimidating as Jonathon, making him a scary villain putting the dark in a comedic play. Einstein and Jonathon bring quite a few complications into the Brewster house.
The rapid fire chaos kept rising as the play went on under the expert guidance of the director, Isaac Owen. As the characters became more and more reluctantly involved in each other’s lives, the play’s fast pace and mounting disasters kept rolling. This included a very funny segment from Officer O’Hara (Jack Tyzack) who unwittingly became somewhat of a hostage taker himself, much to the audience’s amusement. Keep an eye on Mortimer during this scene and you’ll catch Atkins at his best. I have seen Atkins in A Kingdom of Fools 4 months ago, which he wrote and directed, and it was easy to see how seamless it was for him to capture the ridiculous and transform it onto the stage.
The costumes by Kate Alway, communicated the 1940’s perfectly with the men looking sharp in pin striped suits and Bartha’s Elaine looking beautiful in the dress common of the times.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” written by Joseph Kesselring was a riot of a play! It was rollicking fun from the beginning to the end. Go see it to experience a farcical comedy, and for a hearty laugh.
Season: November 6 - November 28 2026
Run time: approximately 2 hours with a 20 minute interval
The Theatre on Chester, Corner of Chester St & Oxford St, Epping
Tickets:
www.theatreonchester.com.au/post/arsenic-and-old-lace
To book tickets to Arsenic and Old Lace, please visit https://www.ticketor.com/theatreonchester/default.