Review: The Mystery of Irma Vep (Piccolo Theatre)

  
  
The Mystery of Irma Vep

Written by Charles Ludlum  
Directed by Michael D. Graham
Piccolo Theatre, 600 Main, Evanston (map)
thru Oct 12  |  tickets: $10-$25   |  more info
  
Check for half-price tickets 
  
  
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Bawdy, slap-stick caper showcases stellar performances

Piccolo Theatre presents

The Mystery of Irma Vep

Review by Anuja Vaidya

Bawdy, rip-roaring comedy, scintillating drama and plot twists that involve vampires, werewolves and men in drag, The Mystery of Irma Vep serves up all this and more in a sidesplitting two-hour show. This play is a satire of a number of theatrical genres, including the Victorian "penny dreadful," and is chockfull of references from literature, drama and film.

The show opens in Mandacrest Estate, with Jane, the housemaid, tidying up the living room. As she moves around the room, we see that Jane is played by Ben Mueller, and he is soon accompanied onstage by Brandon Johnson, playing the stable boy Nicodemus. Through their conversation we learn that the widowed Lord Edgar Hillcrest – the lord of the estate – has remarried the naive Lady Enid. Lady Enid is eager to know the history of the estate and about Lord Edgar’s first wife, Irma. She learns that Lord Edgar’s son with Irma was killed and Jane suspects that it was the work of a werewolf. We soon find out that Jane’s suspicions aren’t merely conjecture, when Lady Enid is attacked by a werewolf late one night. The drama, however, does not stop there. The second half includes a trip to Egypt where Lord Edgar attempts to bring a mommy back to life, a battle between a werewolf and a vampire and, finally, the unveiling of the true reason behind Irma Vep’s death.

Piccolo Theatre, as per usual, does a great job with sets and lighting. Seemingly simple pieces of the set, based on designs by Chad Bianchi, are revealed to have hidden passageways – they even manage to get a portrait of Irma to bleed onstage.  Particularly impressive is the attention to detail in the props (designed by Cassy Schillo) – everything from Egyptian figurines on the fireplace mantel to the hideous, but accurate, portrait of Lady Edith, is spot on. The lighting, designed by Julian Pike, is also used to great effect.

But it is the excellent performances by Mueller and Johnson (along with Erin Gallagher’s brilliant costumes) that make the madcap production one that I highly recommend. For upwards of two hours, their well-timed dialog delivery and uninhibited physical comedy keep the production moving in all its campy glory. Their split-second costume changes, as they alternate roles at the drop of a hat, are extraordinarily well done and are some of the most hilarious moments in the play. Together, Mueller and Johnson portray a total of six characters of both sexes. The most enjoyable to watch, of their various characters, is Mueller as Lady Enid and Johnson as Lord Edgar. They are perfectly in sync with each other, making for some great comedic moments.

While satirizing theatrical predecessors, including the "penny dreadful," The Mystery of Irma Vep also pays tribute to them by keeping them alive. And not only that, it also pays tribute to great literary and cinematic works by incorporating references to Hamlet, Macbeth, Ibsen’s Ghosts, the movie “Gaslight”, “Wuthering Heights” and “The Raven”. Ultimately, if you truly enjoy a crazy caper, quick-change slapstick comedy and rollicking performances, you’ll not only thoroughly enjoy this show, you’ll be sure to tell all your friends to go as well!

Rating: ★★★½

The Mystery of Irma Vep continues through October 12th at Piccolo Theatre, 600 Main Street, Evanston (map), with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 3pm.  Tickets are $10-$25, and are available by phone (847-424-0089) or online through their website (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at PiccoloTheatre.com.  (Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, includes an intermission)

Photos by Robert Erving Potter III

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artists

cast

Ben Mueller (Jane Twisden, Lord Edgar, an intruder), Brandon Johnson (Nicodemus Underwood, Lady Enid, Alcazar)

behind the scenes

Michael Graham (director), Tabbi Koller (stage manager), Kris Kontour (technical director), Chad Bianchi (scenic design), Erin Gallagher (costumes), Julian Pike (lighting design), Aaron Quick (sound design), Cassy Schillo (props design), Kari Warfield (scenic painting), Ben Cormalleth (floor manager), Nicholas Spence (graphic design), Robert Erving Potter III (photographer)

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