Arsenic and Old Lace
at Bishop Ireton High School

Reviewed on November 14, 2015

Sarah Santoro
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Almost every family has skeletons in its closet. Others, often the ones the world would least suspect, have them buried in their cellar. In a professional and hilariously absurd production of Arsenic and Old Lace, the cast and crew of Bishop Ireton High School pulled back the curtains to put the Brewster family skeletons on full display.

Considered American playwright Joseph Kesselring's greatest work, "Arsenic and Old Lace" opened in 1941 to laudatory reviews. The dark, farcical comedy experienced success on the stage as well as the screen, with a popular film version directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant. Possibly inspired by the true story of a Connecticut woman who killed boarders for their pensions, the play tells the story of two elderly sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, who poison lonely old men to bring them to peace. Beloved throughout their Brooklyn neighborhood for their kindness, no one suspects that the sisters could harm a fly. But as more and more members of the Brewster family become entangled in the plot and try to hide secrets of their own, it becomes clear that this respectable family might actually be more than a little unbalanced.

Katherine Beutner commanded the stage as sweet, murderous old Abby Brewster. From her trembling hands to her wavering voice, Beutner skillfully cultivated mannerisms that made her convincing and genuine as the elderly character. She and Juliana Mitchell (Martha Brewster) had a winning rapport, their sisterly dynamic adding an air of believability to the absurd events. Beutner demonstrated an astute and nuanced understanding of comedy, taking advantage of every opportunity for humor and creating a memorable, masterful performance.

Kyle Guzik and Kevin McNerney's contrasting but complementary performances as partners in crime Jonathan Brewster and Dr. Einstein created some of the show's most comedic exchanges. McNerney's portrayal of the wild-haired German plastic surgeon was delightfully ridiculous yet grounded, using strong, consistent characterization to provide believability while never shying away from the farcical extremes of the role, demonstrating a clear talent for creating authenticity out of the absurd.

From his formal, ceremonious exchanges with other characters to the way he charged up the staircase as if it were San Juan Hill, Ethan Ladd consistently won laughs in the role of Teddy, a Brewster who believed himself to be the U.S. president (Roosevelt) of the same name.

Despite having less stage time than many other characters, Alex Rodriguez stood out in his portrayal of Officer O'Hara, a playwright by nature but cop by circumstance. With his quintessential Brooklyn accent and excitable mannerisms, Rodriguez gave a charming, endearing performance.

While at times they struggled with diction, the cast's commitment to their roles and strong control of timing kept it from detracting from the humorous banter.

The actors' performances were heightened by the show's artistic and professional technical elements. Elaborate, hand-made costumes effectively conveyed the setting and cleverly designed lighting enhanced the onstage action. The intricate and layered set showed a thorough and developed command of space and detail.

With obvious skill and finesse, the cast of "Arsenic and Old Lace" delivered hilarious, distinct and authentic performances, strengthened by masterfully designed and executed tech. In their polished and engaging production, the students of Bishop Ireton High School painted a hilarious picture of a day in the life of the twisted, unconventional, but ultimately undeniably charming, Brewster family.

Juliana Gruver
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Discovering that every member of your family is either delusional or homicidal - fun, isn't it? Finding a body in the window-seat at your sweet old aunts' house, having a brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, having another brother seemingly straight out of a horror movie. Such is the life of Mortimer Brewster, protagonist of "Arsenic and Old Lace" by Joseph Kesselring, a play performed by Bishop Ireton High School. Over the course of one night, Mortimer attempts to prevent his aunts from committing murder, to get his murderous brother Jonathan arrested, and to keep his new fiancée from knowing about his family's homicidal tendencies. The play capitalizes on dramatic irony and makes use of witty banter and well-placed comedic moments to keep the audience laughing and on the edge of their seats.

On the whole, the cast members were committed to their roles, bringing to life all manner of quirks that added great authenticity to the show. Katherine Beutner delighted as Abby Brewster, with her quivering hands adding to the convincing nature of her performance as one of the aunts - sweet, elderly ladies who really believed that they were helping lonely old gentlemen by ending their lives with Aunt Martha's (Juliana Mitchell) poisoned elderberry wine. Another consistently convincing performance was that of Ethan Ladd as Teddy Brewster, the brother certain that he was Teddy Roosevelt. Ladd had as much enthusiasm the fifth time he mounted the staircase, screaming "CHARGE!" in imitation of the charge up San Juan Hill, as the first time, and the audience's laughter only grew with each repetition. Kevin McNerney excelled in the role of Dr. Einstein, displaying dynamic facial expressions and body language at all times and holding a thick German accent consistently for the entire production. McNerney's expressiveness carried even through his exits, with his character quirks visible even as doors shut behind him.

On occasion, chemistry between characters left something to be desired, with some stiff and forced dialogue, though individually the characters were excellently portrayed. In addition, though the facial expressions of the cast were wonderful, they were occasionally difficult to see due to tendencies to face away from the audience, a minor inconvenience that improved over the course of the show.

Costumes were mostly produced by the students from vintage patterns, or altered from existing suits. Each individual costume was painstakingly designed from period-appropriate images of each character, including from photographs of Teddy Roosevelt for Teddy Brewster. The set was constructed so as to have five entrances, incredible considering that for each not on ground level, stairs and other support mechanisms had to be built to accommodate cast entrances and exits. Lighting effectively set the mood for each scene, with blue lighting serving to illuminate the set as "moonlight" during nighttime scenes, allowing the audience to clearly see activity despite minimal light. The use of real matches provided another authentic touch, when used by Jonathan Brewster (Kyle Guzik) while creeping around at night.

The production on the whole had a convincingly authentic nature, aided by small touches such as real match flames and Aunt Abby's quivering hands. The cast excellently brought their characters' quirks to life, delighting the audience and earning peals of laughter and applause. Just remember: Don't drink the elderberry wine!

Michaela Flemming
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Alex

"Men don't just get into window seats and die," says Mortimer Brewster. That is, except if they're in Bishop Ireton's hilarious production of "Arsenic and Old Lace," where not one, but two bodies take up residence in the window seat over the course of two hours. With strong comic performances from the actors and a gorgeous set, Arsenic and Old Lace was a delightful portrayal of a dysfunctional, but endearing, family of crazies.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" is a 1941 play by Joseph Kesselring about a family of homicidal maniacs, the Brewsters. The body count reaches epic proportions by the end of a wacky night with Mortimer Brewster, who tries to deal with the multiple homicides committed by his family members while keeping his family's bloody secret from his fiancée Elaine and the local law enforcement. When Mortimer's estranged brother, the evil Jonathan, returns home, Mortimer must protect his aunts and his new fiancée from his brother's rage.

Katherine Beutner stole the show as Abby Brewster, a kindly old lady with a dark secret. She made the most of her character, from her consistently shaking hands to her reedy voice. Her age makeup completed her character, until she was indistinguishable from an eighty year old woman. Alex Rodriguez as Officer O'Hara made his role the most memorable, from his strong but consistent accent, to his uproarious description of his magnum opus, the play he hoped to write with Mortimer. Ethan Ladd, playing Teddy, was hilarious as Mortimer's insane brother who was convinced he was Theodore Roosevelt. Whereas some actors may have thought to ham up the part, Ladd made his role even funnier by acting completely nonchalant. In the Brewster household, Teddy charging up the stairs as if they were San Juan Hill was a completely normal occurrence. This incongruity was at the heart of what made "Arsenic and Old Lace" hysterical, from Martha listing her favorite poisonous concoction like it's a recipe for cookies to Teddy convinced that he was digging the Panama canal in his aunts' basement, to Abby nonchalantly telling Mortimer that there were in fact twelve bodies buried in the basement. By delivering these lines with a completely straight face, the actors made "Arsenic and Old Lace" even funnier. Overall the cast had the audience in stitches whether they were stuffing bodies into window seats or casually poisoning the elderly gentlemen of Brooklyn. At times poor diction made the actors difficult to understand, but the actors generally recovered quickly.

Technically the show was very strong, bolstered by a richly detailed and well thought out set. The Bishop Ireton set design team created a beautiful set that was both functional and lovely. They also paid great attention to detail, for example when doors opened, they had backgrounds behind them and the basement, though never seen, was lit when the door opened. The lighting, done by Maddie Hong was especially creative and layered, and despite several scenes done with the lights "out" in the Brewster house, the actors were still visible onstage. The use of matches and candles onstage was an especially interesting touch that added an element of suspense to the many scenes with characters sneaking around in the night.

Overall, the cast of "Arsenic and Old Lace" gave an amusing study into the lives of Brooklyn's most prolific murderers. They were sharp, hilarious, and stayed in character while the tech added a rich background to the Brewsters' melodrama. In all, it was murderously good time.

Corinne Kleinman
Wakefield School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

To create the perfect black comedy about murder, start with a great poison hiding in plain sight: a bottle of elderberry wine loaded with "a teaspoon of arsenic, half a teaspoon of strychnine, and just a pinch of cyanide." Sift together two kooky old ladies, a tablespoon of romance, and a pinch of insanity. Beat in terrific costumes and a detailed set, stir, and bake with an enthusiastic audience. Out will pop the tongue-in-cheek, laugh-out-loud "Arsenic and Old Lace," performed last Saturday night by Bishop Ireton High School.

"Arsenic and Old Lace," Joseph Kesselring's most popular work, opened on Broadway in 1941, featuring Boris Karloff playing a killer who looked remarkably like Boris Karloff. In 1944, the movie premiered starring Cary Grant – garnering critical acclaim and becoming a staple in American cinematic culture for the next 60 years.

This black comedy hasn't grown stale. In Bishop Ireton's production, Mortimer Brewster (Nicholas Beane) discovers that his two elderly aunts, Abby (Katherine Beutner) and Martha (Juliana Mitchell), have been quietly murdering lonely old men and burying them in the cellar. When Mortimer's psychopathic brother Jonathan returns with his own dead body in tow, Mortimer's problems only get more complicated.

To make a deliciously fun comedy, be sure to include talented, entertaining actors. For instance, Kevin McNerney (Dr. Einstein, Jonathan's accomplice) stayed in character the entire time: from the moment he carried poor, dead Mr. Spenalzo to the cellar, to his palpable relief as he slipped away from the police, he consistently maintained his German accent and projected his lines distinctly.

Mixing in Katherine Beutner's great character choices really spiced up the show: it was difficult not to laugh as she portrayed sweet, murderous Aunt Abby through strong, believable facial expressions, quavering voice, and shaking hands. Ethan Ladd (Teddy Brewster) was hilarious in his portrayal of the brother who believed himself to be Teddy Roosevelt, with crisp gestures, enthusiastic "charges up San Juan Hill" (that is, climbing the stairs), and excited helpfulness in "digging the locks in Panama" (that is, digging the graves in the basement).

Be sure, when concocting great comedy, to include terrific costumes, sets, and lighting –Bishop Ireton did a great job of stirring in these elements. The costumes seemed to be accurate to the time period, and many were hand made. Some of the most remarkable costumes belonged to the aunts; their dresses reflected their personalities and were intricately detailed. The set was crammed full of detail – from the frying pan behind the door to the kitchen to the picket fence outside the front door, to the pictures hanging on the wall. The lighting was skillfully designed, with working wall sconces; even in the darkened scenes, a clever use of "moonlight" made it possible to see the movements on stage.

Every recipe can have its glitches. Although a few issues with diction in the first act slowed down the momentum, and some scenes didn't quite feel natural, the show kept the audience laughing, and technical issues were minimal. The actors worked well together, creating larger-than-life personalities onstage – culminating in an outrageous curtain call, where all of the bodies down in the cellar also came up to take their bows.

With all the necessary ingredients for having a good time, Bishop Ireton's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" cooked up the perfect way to spend an evening. After all, who doesn't love a bit of murder, especially when it's seasoned with laughter and elderberry wine?

Daile Paige
Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

It's not every day that one gets the chance to say that he or she has 13 dead bodies hidden in their cellar. Who knew death could be so hilarious? Bishop Ireton's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" by Joseph Kesselring, certainly provides the answer.

The play centers around the peculiar lives of the Brewster family. Each member of the family is more outlandish than the other.The only thing they all have in common, quite frankly, is that they're insane. Spinster aunts, Abby (Katherine Beutner) and Martha (Juliana Mitchell), feel as if they're of service to all the lonely gentlemen that lodge in their humble abode. Of course, the only service they provide is that of a funeral. Living with them is their nephew, Teddy (Ethan Ladd), who believes that he is Teddy Roosevelt. When their murderous, estranged nephew Jonathan (Kyle Guzik) comes back home, their other nephew, Mortimer Brewster (Nicholas Beane), must devise several different plans on how to deal with his homicidal relatives and insane brother, Teddy (Ethan Ladd).

Though some of the acting was a bit stiff and stagey, there were commendable performances. Beutner's character portrayal of Aunt Abby was phenomenal. She truly embodied her character, even going as far as having shaky hands throughout the entire play. The audience could sense the startling joy that Abby felt when talking about one of her "gentlemen." Dr. Einstein (Kevin McNerney) served as a marvelous comic character. McNerney presented a hysterical portrayal of the doctor to the audience, not once breaking character. Finally, a commendation to Ethan Ladd for his exceptional characterization of Teddy Brewster. While he may not have had a lot of stage time, there was never a dull moment when Ladd was onstage. He commanded the attention of the audience in a good-humored and entertaining way. The cast's interpretation of "Arsenic and Old Lace" was perceived through their enthralling performance.

A standing ovation to the Bishop Ireton Design Team for their work on the set. The set was absolutely stunning and there were so many intricate details that really helped to shape the atmosphere of the play. The wallpaper, a beautiful, light pinkish purple, and the pictures of ancestors hanging on the walls told their own stories. The addition of a fence outside the front door showed just how much hard work was put into this play. The lights and sound worked lovely together and helped to create a wonderful ambiance. Lastly, the costume and makeup crew did an outstanding job in their representation of the time period.

The cast did a superb job at gifting the audience with a performance that stood true to Kesselring's original vision. They nonetheless gave a uniqueness to their interpretation of this play, and the appearance of the dead bodies at bows served to further prove that. It truly was an unforgettable performance.

Robert Mourad
Teens and Theatre
Submitted for publication to The Catholic Herald

Suspend reality for a moment, and imagine this family: a murderous psychopath, a noisy and deluded ‘Teddy Roosevelt,' two sweet, poison pouring old ladies, and one sane (if slightly love-struck) theatre critic. This is the strange bottle of deadly elderberry wine that is the well-known play ‘Arsenic and Old Lace.'

"Arsenic and Old Lace" is a dark comedy written by Joseph Kesselring in 1939. It features Mortimer, a theater critic who suddenly finds himself in a nightmare. His sweet and beloved aunts kill lonely old men out of ‘kindness,' and his demented brother Jonathan is back in town for an extended visit. The show enjoyed its first stage performance was in 1941. The play owes perhaps much of its fame to the film directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant, which was popular in 1944 and remains so today.

Bishop Ireton High School performed most admirably in their production of this dark comedy. Their hilarious interpretations kept the audience in stitches all throughout both acts. From the tech to the sweet little old ladies, this show was awesome.

On the whole, the cast showed a comprehensive grasp of comedic timing. They paused well for the many gales of laughter they induced and mostly stayed in character for the duration. Though some actors did struggle with this at times, Katherine Beutner (playing the compassionate, though murderous, aunt Abby Brewster) in particular did a wonderful job with maintaining character. Beyond this, Beutner brought real character and sweet agedness to her role.

The set was an amazing work of art. It was multi-leveled and solidly constructed, with six different exit points. There was pleasant detail in the aesthetic value of the set, such as a pot seen just on the other side of the kitchen door, or a fence outside the front.

Another lovable character of this show is Dr. Einstein (no, not Albert) as played by Kevin McNerney. The weak-willed accomplice of Jonathan Brewster tries to temper his companion's quick and livid temper. His masterful accent and exceptional comedic insights brought life to the show and merriment to his viewers.

While some of the actors seemed to have difficulty creating genuine relationships between their characters, this was overshadowed by the development of individual characters. Many had diverting and interesting quirks that added depth to the character they portrayed.

The lights for the show were student-designed by Maddie Hong, and provided excellent accents for the many oddballs that are the Brewsters. When the lights were on, they were well aimed and did not leave dark patches on the stage. When most of the lights were off for the moonlit scenes, the stage was tastefully and gently illuminated by soft blue light that showed the hilarious silhouettes in their farcical endeavors.

Watching "Arsenic and Old Lace" was a wonderful experience. From the first scene to curtain call, they stayed on target, summoning laughter with joke after joke. Physically, technically, and aesthetically, Bishop Ireton High School performed exceptionally, and their audience loved them for it.