Terror By Gaslight
at Eden High School

Reviewed on February 26, 2010

Tristan O'Rourke
Welland Centennial Secondary School
Submitted for publication to

The streets are not safe in Eden High School's successful production of the foreboding tale, "Terror by Gaslight". And neither, it seems, is the doctor's office…

This play, written by Tim Kelly and first presented in 1979, presents the predicament of early nineteenth century surgeons, who were limited in the use of cadavers to the bodies of executed prisoners. To continue their studies, many turned to the services of grave robbers. This story follows one such doctor, Dr. Cyrus Norton (Dexter Lautenbach), attempting to juggle his responsibilities to his studies, his school, and the public. But when events threaten to uncover his secrets, he falls to ever darker acts to save himself and his profession.

Despite the challenges of working in such a small theatre, the technical aspects of this production anchored the show. From the jars of frighteningly realistic pickled organs lining the shelves, to the corked decanter of brandy, the detailed props brought the set to life. The costumes, many of them handmade by the students themselves, were equally well done. Rain and thunder sound effects convincingly deepened the heavy atmosphere, and the clever use of lighting to simulate the swinging of the titular lantern was remarkably effective.

The play gave many actors a chance to shine. Rachel Martens, in the part of the young and emotional servant, Opal, gave a very convincing performance. Nikki Hovdebo and Dorian Phoenix, playing Dr. Norton's apprentice daughter Marilyn and his new assistant William Dover, were an interesting dynamic in the show, as their relationship developed from a budding romance to ultimate tragedy, as Marilyn became just as cold as her father.

Throughout the drama, Jordan DeYoung and Natalie Lammers brought welcomed comedy as the villainous grave-robbing duo, Scrubbs and Gin Hester. Whether carting around corpses or attempting to kill each other, they showed a deep commitment to their characters, maintaining cockeyed accents and the slinking body language one would expect from such vagrants. Lammers was hilarious, showing an impeccable comedic timing and wringing every laugh she could from the audience.

Jessica Versluis, as the mad widow Mrs. Culp, who finds her husband's corpse dug up and sold to the Doctor, conveyed particular intensity to the show. Though she had very few lines, her frozen stares through the on-stage window were downright scary. When she burst through the door during an ominous thunderstorm, she brought genuine fright to the shocking climax, making up for the less dramatic deaths seen before.

The show developed at a good pace, offering moments of genuine suspense, shock, and even humour. While some performances were a little wooden, and a few lines were rushed in delivery, the story came through clearly.

The play begs the question: Does the end justify the means? Perhaps. But the means can bring about their own dire consequences. Thankfully, the audience suffers no penalty from attending this enjoyable performance.

Victoria Hills
Denis Morris
Submitted for publication to

"Let conversation stop, let laughter cease. This is the place where death delights in helping the living." This single-minded belief is the justification behind the grotesquely realistic jars of pickled gallbladders and eyeballs — as well as the occasional bucket of blood and used scalpel—adorning the set of Eden High School's recent production of Tim Kelly's "Terror By Gaslight".

Perhaps that dictum fits a surgeon's workroom in early eighteenth-century Scotland, but for the common people who were forced to deal with the plundered graves of their loved ones, the scientific community was drastically overstepping their bounds. Then, as it is now, the best way for doctors to learn and teach anatomy was through the dissection of fresh cadavers. But in the 1800s the only way to legally obtain a cadaver was from executed criminals, whose numbers could not satisfy the universities' demand for bodies.

Introducing Dr. Cyrus Norton, portrayed by Dexter Lautenbach, a cold surgeon who pays shady crooks to rob graves of their "fresh" occupants in order to complete his grand anatomical museum. What ensues is a complex web of lies, deceit, theft, and murder—spun in the name of science, a conundrum specifically concocted to force the audience to question whether the end truly does justify the means.

Overall, the cast was a strong one, highlighted by enchanting performances by the supporting actors and actresses. Jordan DeYoung and Natalie Lammers were superb as scruffy grave robbers by the names of Scrubbs and Gin Hester, often provoking hilarity and never once breaking character. Jewel Pezzullo, as Constance, expertly blended seventeenth-century conservatism with believable obliviousness, while Nikki Hovdebo's character Marilyn, Constance's niece, gave a subtle, surprising performance as Dr. Norton's dispassionate daughter. And not to be overlooked, Jessica Versluis's brief appearances as Mrs. Culp, whose husband's body had recently disappeared, added a noteworthy element of intensity to the play. As a whole the cast worked well together, maintaining focus despite several instances of rushed or botched lines.

The cast and crew did a good job adapting to Eden's tiny stage, and performed well under the scrutiny of such an intimate audience. The few props were put to very good use, although several, including the detective's spiral notebook and Constance's plastic mirror, were not historically accurate. The play's lone set could have been redundant were it not for the actors' effective use of furniture and floor space. Music was used sparingly, but was always employed at precisely the proper time to increase dramatic effect.

"Through dissection," Dr. Norton teaches his students, "we seek an understanding of life." Unfortunately for him and many of his fellows, the understanding is entirely scientific; he fails to grasp the true dynamics of actual human life, and is forced to pay the ultimate price as penance. If the audience attempts to follow the diverse cast of characters down their dark paths of realization, lawlessness, and immorality, it will be a struggle to remain detached from their "Terror By Gaslight".

Kennedy Laufman
Beamsville
Submitted for publication to

"Does the end justify the means?" In a chilling display, this age-old question was brought to mind during Eden High School's production of Tim Kelly's "Terror By Gaslight".

"Terror By Gaslight" relays the plight of a surgeon in the early 1800's, struggling to teach anatomy and the medical sciences in spite of the lack of test subjects. In order to remedy the situation the surgeon, Dr. Norton, resorts to hiring night crawlers - a motley pair of grave robbers who supply him with stolen corpses. Somehow Norton's sister, Constance, manages not to notice the foul deeds going on, while the doctor's daughter (Marilyn) and his newfound apprentice (William Dover), both students of the surgeon, merely go along with his actions for their own personal gains. However, when a crazed widow (Mrs. Culp) starts accusing surgeons of bodysnatching, things begin to go awry. Norton is then forced to attend to the blackmail of a previous student (Edward Daniels), a nosy investigator (Detective Harrison), and the crazed widow lurking about, just waiting to take advantage of even the slightest slip.

The cast interacted naturally with each other and used the set well, utilizing the full scope of the stage to give each scene balance and realism.

Jewel Pezzullo, playing Constance, conveyed notable emotion in her part, combining it with clear pronunciation, to deliver a solid performance. As Dr. Norton, Dexter Lautenbach was suitably serious, staying true to his character throughout the play. Nikki Hovdebo portrayed Marilyn, the surgeon's daughter, superbly, rivaling the surgeon in terms of the clinical calmness of her character. Her male counterpart, Norton's newfound apprentice, and Marilyn's love interest William Dover (played by Dorian Phoenix), complimented her serious personality with his own.

Performances by Jordan DeYoung and Natalie Lammers, the ragtag night crawlers Scrubbs and Gin Hester, often brought forth laughter from the audience, even eliciting a scream from an audience member in a shocking scene meant to frighten another character. They worked phenomenally together, but also dominated the stage with their exuberance and authentic behaviour when interacting with other characters. Zack Friend fit the role of the nosy Detective Harrison commendably, forming a sense of tension in the second act of the play as he began to close in on Dr. Norton's illegal activities. Rachel Martens played the surgeon's maid, Opal, with outstanding clarity and an appropriate sense of emotion. The crazed widow, Mrs. Culp (Jessica Versluis), contributed considerably to the eerie atmosphere of the play with her soulless stare.

The intricately detailed set, designed by Jordan DeYoung, displayed notable creativity, and was accurate to the era. The props, created by Emily Dyck, were equally as detailed, and distinctly realistic, particularly the various human body parts preserved in jars that composed the surgeon's "museum of anatomy". The lighting, handled by Stacey Kuipery, was spot-on and executed with precision. It complimented the mood of the play exceptionally.

Overall, considering the complexity and difficulty of the dialogue involved in the play, Eden High School delivered an exquisite performance, seemingly captivating the audience, and leaving them glancing over their shoulders as they departed.