Arsenic and Old Lace at the Empress Theatre

Last night I could not stop laughing at the Empress Theatre's entertaining production of the classic madcap comedy Arsenic and Old Lace. Two elderly spinsters, Abby and Martha Brewster (Rose Lagos and Diana Sorensen, respectively), are known in their Brooklyn neighborhood for their numerous acts of charity. However, their charity includes poisoning lonely old men who come to their home looking for lodging with their homemade elderberry wine. Their nephew Teddy (J.D. Robison), who believes that he is President Theodore Roosevelt, helps them by burying the men in the holes he digs for the Panama Canal in the cellar. Chaos ensues when their other nephew Mortimer (Marc Reading) discovers one of their victims in the window seat and when their estranged nephew Jonathan (Mike Brown), a homicidal maniac, suddenly appears wanting to dispose of one of his victims in the same window seat. It takes an unwilling accomplice (Ryan Munsey), a bumbling policeman who really wants to be a playwright (Adrian Young), and a curious fiancee  (Rachel Felt) to end the mayhem. This show features a lot of physical comedy and the entire cast does a brilliant job with it. I especially loved Reading because his Mortimer is hilariously overwrought as events spin wildly out of control (I laughed out loud every time he shrieked in panic), Brown because his Jonathan is so menacing as he looms over everyone, Robison because his Teddy is completely over the top as he charges up the stairs fighting the Battle of San Juan Hill, and Young because their Officer O'Hara reenacts the play with a frenetic energy that is fun to watch. It is also so much fun to watch Lagos and Sorensen because their facial expressions are an absolute hoot (another laugh out loud moment was when Sorensen skipped to the cabinet to get the elderberry wine) and I loved the chaotic scenes involving the dead bodies in the window seat. There was also an amusing mishap last night involving the police officers and a baton but Brad Goodman (as Lieutenant Rooney) played it off so well it was a highlight of the show for me (the actors could barely hold it together as they exited the stage). The set for this show is impressive and filled with all of the fussy period furniture and objects you would expect two elderly spinsters to have in their drawing room. I loved the attention to detail, especially the books on the cabinet (the lady sitting next to me kept picking them up to look at them) and the cut glass decanters and goblets. My favorite elements were the wood wainscoting and family portraits along the upstairs hallway and the elaborate picture window and seat. I also enjoyed the period costumes, particularly those worn by the Brewster sisters (I loved the black bombazine gowns). Getting a ticket to this show (go here) is a guaranteed fun night out and it is a great way to support one of my very favorite community theatres!  Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through April 18.