Theatre review: Arsenic and Old Lace serves up charm and dark humour with a splash of poison elderberry wine
With the skilled direction of Catherine Morrison and a small army of strong actors, Joseph Kesselring’s witty retro comedy comes alive onstage
Metro Theatre’s Arsenic and Old Lace.
Metro Theatre presents Arsenic and Old Lace to April 26
IS MURDER SOMETHING that runs in families?
This certainly seems to be the case in Arsenic and Old Lace. Written by Joseph Kesselring, this play about a family with a bad habit of killing people was a huge hit when it opened on Broadway in 1941, before making it to the big screen in 1944. Now, over 80 years later, Metro Theatre’s production is a true delight, showing that this black comedy is still a hit with modern audiences.
Set in Brooklyn in 1941, the story centres on elderly sisters Abby (Michelle Collier) and Martha Brewster (Sheila Keating), who murder lonely old men, thinking they’re doing them a service. The method of killing is always the same: under the guise of a social call at their home, the sisters give each victim a glass of their homemade elderberry wine, laced with arsenic and other poisons. Afterwards, the sisters get their nephew Teddy (Kimball Finigan) to bury the body in the basement.
The sisters have two other nephews—the straitlaced Mortimer (J.D. Dueckman), who works as a New York theatre critic; and the family dark horse, Jonathan (Hayden Clewes), who’s been away for many years for a mysterious reason. When Mortimer discovers his aunts’ murderous behaviour, he doesn’t have much time to intervene, as a flurry of unforeseen circumstances suddenly erupt in the household, with life-or-death stakes.
Under the skilled direction of Catherine Morrison, Kesselring’s witty comedy comes alive onstage. Les Erskine’s set, despite looking like the scene of a horror movie with its early-1900s-style wallpaper and eerie family photos, is also quite pretty. That’s a vibe that’s fitting for Arsenic and Old Lace, because aside from the murder element, this play is wonderfully charming.
The Brewster family is off-the-charts dysfunctional, unhinged, and tremendously fun to watch. Collier and Keating are sweet and lovable as Abby and Martha. Clewes is deliciously evil as Jonathan, with a voice and mannerisms that may remind some audience members of Brain from the ’90s animated show Pinky and the Brain. Finigan is completely odd as Teddy. And Dueckman is every bit the classic “straight man”, trying to reel things in amid the chaos.
As Mortimer’s girlfriend, Elaine, Rachel Craft adds a youthful, feminine touch, making a nice counterpart to Dueckman. And as Officer O’Hara, Dan Meredith really makes a meal out of his role, playing up the comedy as a police officer with ambitions of being a playwright.
With a cast of 14—on the large size for a play—it’s nice to see Metro Theatre giving so many local actors the opportunity to share their talents onstage. Metro Theatre also has a stunningly beautiful upstairs lounge, reminiscent of something you’d imagine from the golden era of Broadway. In fact, the “Broadway” sign from the set of the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Guys and Dolls hangs over the bar. And while it’s a treat to visit the lounge at every Metro Theatre show, it’s especially fitting for Arsenic and Old Lace, helping to transport audiences back to 1940s New York.
From start to finish, Arsenic and Old Lace is a wickedly clever and entertaining ride. Balancing dark humour with heart, this production proves that even murder can be hilarious—when served with a smile and a splash of elderberry wine. 
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