Arsenic and Old Lace
at Fountain Valley

Reviewed on January 14, 2016

Claire Alkire
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Fountain Valley's ‘Arsenic' will leave you breathless

Two charming older women live alone, run an inn, and make a special kind of wine – a wine laced with arsenic, with which they kill hopeless inn guests as a twisted attempt at "charity". Fountain Valley High School's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" is just as potent, delectable, and intense as the old women's elderberry wine.

The show begins in a unique way as an all-female acting troupe wearing sweats and leggings enters the set of an abandoned house and decides to put on a play. With each added costume piece, prop, and touch of makeup, the "troupe" is quickly transformed into the cast of Arsenic and Old Lace.

Murderous old ladies Abby and Martha Brewster, played by Ariana Isbell and Madison Arne respectively, give off a falsely innocent air, blinking with wide eyes and smiling delicately up at their nephew Mortimer (Gabriela Guerrero). Guerrero successfully portrays the masculine essence of her character, pacing and speaking quickly to indicate anxiety or excitement about Mortimer's homicidal aunts or his darling fiancée Elaine (Tiffany Bakthy).

Another shining member of the Brewster family is Teddy, played by Ashley Leal. Leal brings Teddy to life as she marches across the stage, makes oblivious decrees, and gleefully yells "Charge!" just how the character envisions Teddy Roosevelt would have done.

The darkest of the Brewsters is the estranged Johnny, who has undergone countless face-altering operations in attempts to escape the law. Alyssa Kammerer brilliantly portrays the warped older brother with sneering grins and a slouching posture. As certain words inflame her character, Kammerer begins to shake and bite at her nails, indicating fury, and manages to instill great fear in spite of her small stature.
Makeup by Ashley Leal and Haley Mindrum cleverly highlights the more masculine features of the actresses faces with the use of shadows around the chin, cheekbones, and jawline. Scars and dark circles around the eyes were also applied to Johnny's face, making the character appear all the more frightening.

The hairstyles envisioned by Ariana Isbell and Haley Mindrum are incredibly intelligent solutions to females with long hair portraying males – these actresses wear their hair in a braid that runs up the back of their head, creating the illusion of short hair.

A tale full of humor, fear, and love, Fountain Valley's creative take on "Arsenic and Old Lace" pleases and delights.

Claire Alkire
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Fountain Valley's ‘Arsenic' will leave you breathless

Two charming older women live alone, run an inn, and make a special kind of wine – a wine laced with arsenic, with which they kill hopeless inn guests as a twisted attempt at "charity". Fountain Valley High School's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" is just as potent, delectable, and intense as the old women's elderberry wine.

The show begins in a unique way as an all-female acting troupe wearing sweats and leggings enters the set of an abandoned house and decides to put on a play. With each added costume piece, prop, and touch of makeup, the "troupe" is quickly transformed into the cast of Arsenic and Old Lace.

Murderous old ladies Abby and Martha Brewster, played by Ariana Isbell and Madison Arne respectively, give off a falsely innocent air, blinking with wide eyes and smiling delicately up at their nephew Mortimer (Gabriela Guerrero). Guerrero successfully portrays the masculine essence of her character, pacing and speaking quickly to indicate anxiety or excitement about Mortimer's homicidal aunts or his darling fiancée Elaine (Tiffany Bakthy).

Another shining member of the Brewster family is Teddy, played by Ashley Leal. Leal brings Teddy to life as she marches across the stage, makes oblivious decrees, and gleefully yells "Charge!" just how the character envisions Teddy Roosevelt would have done.

The darkest of the Brewsters is the estranged Johnny, who has undergone countless face-altering operations in attempts to escape the law. Alyssa Kammerer brilliantly portrays the warped older brother with sneering grins and a slouching posture. As certain words inflame her character, Kammerer begins to shake and bite at her nails, indicating fury, and manages to instill great fear in spite of her small stature.
Makeup by Ashley Leal and Haley Mindrum cleverly highlights the more masculine features of the actresses faces with the use of shadows around the chin, cheekbones, and jawline. Scars and dark circles around the eyes were also applied to Johnny's face, making the character appear all the more frightening.

The hairstyles envisioned by Ariana Isbell and Haley Mindrum are incredibly intelligent solutions to females with long hair portraying males – these actresses wear their hair in a braid that runs up the back of their head, creating the illusion of short hair.

A tale full of humor, fear, and love, Fountain Valley's creative take on "Arsenic and Old Lace" pleases and delights.

Danielle Kelly
Laguna Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Fountain Valley High School Presents "Arsenic and Old Lace"

With its all-female cast and talented crew, Fountain Valley High School puts on this farcical dark comedy with notable humor, memorable characters, and brilliantly executed tech elements.

Arsenic and Old Lace follows Mortimer Brewster as he struggles with the decision to go though with the promise to marry the woman he loves or to spare her, on account that his family consists of more than one murdering maniac.

Mortimer, played by Gabriela Guerrero, walks with slick, poised confidence when conversing with his fiancé, Elaine (Tiffany Bakthy). This contrasts greatly with the panicked, voice-cracking countenance of disbelief that he adopts when he discovers his family members are killers.

Playing the part of Elaine, Tiffany Bakthy is curious and firmly grounded. She paces the stage while arguing with Mortimer, demanding to know what is going on in the Brewster household.

Ariana Isbell as Abby Brewster, Mortimer's seemingly gentle aunt, showcases two contrasting personalities that become apparent to the audience early on in the play. Although she seems gentle and compassionate, she is also crazy and unstable, as she believes that by committing homicide she is allowing her victims to die a peaceful death.

Teddy, Mortimer's brother who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt, is played by Ashley Leal. Teddy makes the audience erupt in laughter as he walks through the Brewster house discussing his term as "president", yelling "charge", and talking about the cellar, which he believes to be Panama.

Mortimer's other brother, Jonathan, is portrayed by Alyssa Kammerer whose dramatic makeup, deathly glare, and mean, sarcastic gesticulations complete his character as a murdering sociopath.

Played by Fiona Raven, Officer O'Hara is passionate and animated as he explains the play that he wants to publish to Mortimer. Using wild gesticulations, exaggerated movements, and facial expression, O'Hara has the audience laughing till the moment he leaves the stage.

The actors' makeup is done fantastically by Ashley Leal. By adding shadowing to the girls' jawlines, she successfully makes them look more masculine. By adding dramatic dark shadowing to the face of Jonathon (Alyssa Kammerer), she produces a spooky, Frankenstein-inspired look.

Overall, the actors' wholehearted commitment to the characters they are playing provides this farce with comedy and energy. Fountain Valley High School's cast and crew entertain audiences with their unique, memorable characters, alternate world, and masterful telling of the play that is "Arsenic and Old Lace".

Danielle Kelly
Laguna Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Fountain Valley High School Presents "Arsenic and Old Lace"

With its all-female cast and talented crew, Fountain Valley High School puts on this farcical dark comedy with notable humor, memorable characters, and brilliantly executed tech elements.

Arsenic and Old Lace follows Mortimer Brewster as he struggles with the decision to go though with the promise to marry the woman he loves or to spare her, on account that his family consists of more than one murdering maniac.

Mortimer, played by Gabriela Guerrero, walks with slick, poised confidence when conversing with his fiancé, Elaine (Tiffany Bakthy). This contrasts greatly with the panicked, voice-cracking countenance of disbelief that he adopts when he discovers his family members are killers.

Playing the part of Elaine, Tiffany Bakthy is curious and firmly grounded. She paces the stage while arguing with Mortimer, demanding to know what is going on in the Brewster household.

Ariana Isbell as Abby Brewster, Mortimer's seemingly gentle aunt, showcases two contrasting personalities that become apparent to the audience early on in the play. Although she seems gentle and compassionate, she is also crazy and unstable, as she believes that by committing homicide she is allowing her victims to die a peaceful death.

Teddy, Mortimer's brother who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt, is played by Ashley Leal. Teddy makes the audience erupt in laughter as he walks through the Brewster house discussing his term as "president", yelling "charge", and talking about the cellar, which he believes to be Panama.

Mortimer's other brother, Jonathan, is portrayed by Alyssa Kammerer whose dramatic makeup, deathly glare, and mean, sarcastic gesticulations complete his character as a murdering sociopath.

Played by Fiona Raven, Officer O'Hara is passionate and animated as he explains the play that he wants to publish to Mortimer. Using wild gesticulations, exaggerated movements, and facial expression, O'Hara has the audience laughing till the moment he leaves the stage.

The actors' makeup is done fantastically by Ashley Leal. By adding shadowing to the girls' jawlines, she successfully makes them look more masculine. By adding dramatic dark shadowing to the face of Jonathon (Alyssa Kammerer), she produces a spooky, Frankenstein-inspired look.

Overall, the actors' wholehearted commitment to the characters they are playing provides this farce with comedy and energy. Fountain Valley High School's cast and crew entertain audiences with their unique, memorable characters, alternate world, and masterful telling of the play that is "Arsenic and Old Lace".

Spencer Hill
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Fountain Valley lures in the laughs

In the house next to the graveyard, two old ladies sit inside. While they are gentle and kind, they also hide a terrible secret. They happily murder innocent men who venture to stay the night at their house. With memorable characters and high energy, Fountain Valley's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" tells the story of a man trying to deal with the many secrets of his family.

Ariana Isbell and Madison Arne star as the two old sisters Abby Brewster and Martha Brewster. Their glee to kill people comes off as charming through their high energy and chemistry. They are never on stage alone and they finish their sentences like siblings often do, demonstrating how well Isbell and Arne work together. Their expressions of disgust and disappointment with their nephew when they reveal their secret to him is like a small child being scolded by an adult.

Despite playing a man, Gabriella Guerrero personifies the nephew of Abby and Martha Brewster, Mortimer Brewster. Since Mortimer is played by a woman, one would think she would not be a good fit, but instead, Guerrero fits in well as a man. She walks, talks, and emotes like a man, especially when she is tied up in a chair, trying to escape from her brother's clutches. Guerrero's face is like plastic. At one point, she has eyes wide open gaping into a window seat with a dead man in it; another time, she winces at Jonathan Brewster's ugly face.

The make-up by Ashley Leal is astounding. Her ability to transform women into men is not to be overlooked. She seamlessly creates fake stubble on the actors, making them seem more realistic and manly. Haley Mindrum and Ariana Isbell go the extra mile with hair. The hair seems right out of the 1940s especially on Abby and Martha Brewster.

Fountain Valley's unique production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" is comedy that defines what crazy is and how it can be found in everywhere we look.

Spencer Hill
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Fountain Valley lures in the laughs

In the house next to the graveyard, two old ladies sit inside. While they are gentle and kind, they also hide a terrible secret. They happily murder innocent men who venture to stay the night at their house. With memorable characters and high energy, Fountain Valley's production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" tells the story of a man trying to deal with the many secrets of his family.

Ariana Isbell and Madison Arne star as the two old sisters Abby Brewster and Martha Brewster. Their glee to kill people comes off as charming through their high energy and chemistry. They are never on stage alone and they finish their sentences like siblings often do, demonstrating how well Isbell and Arne work together. Their expressions of disgust and disappointment with their nephew when they reveal their secret to him is like a small child being scolded by an adult.

Despite playing a man, Gabriella Guerrero personifies the nephew of Abby and Martha Brewster, Mortimer Brewster. Since Mortimer is played by a woman, one would think she would not be a good fit, but instead, Guerrero fits in well as a man. She walks, talks, and emotes like a man, especially when she is tied up in a chair, trying to escape from her brother's clutches. Guerrero's face is like plastic. At one point, she has eyes wide open gaping into a window seat with a dead man in it; another time, she winces at Jonathan Brewster's ugly face.

The make-up by Ashley Leal is astounding. Her ability to transform women into men is not to be overlooked. She seamlessly creates fake stubble on the actors, making them seem more realistic and manly. Haley Mindrum and Ariana Isbell go the extra mile with hair. The hair seems right out of the 1940s especially on Abby and Martha Brewster.

Fountain Valley's unique production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" is comedy that defines what crazy is and how it can be found in everywhere we look.