Arsenic and Old Lace

Assisted Lying

Arsenic and Old Lace

by Joseph Kesselring

Teddington Theatre Club at the Hampton Hill Theatre until 25^th October

Review by Steve Mackrell

Dated? Probably. Corny? Possibly. Implausible? Completely. Entertaining? Entirely.

Arsenic and Old Lace, as a title, has an unfortunate tendency to be theatrical code for an old pot-boiler, but this revival by the Teddington Theatre Club, at the Hampton Hill Theatre, is full of fun and entertaining energy. Written by American Joseph Kesselring, this classic black comedy opened on Broadway in 1941 and was later adapted into a successful film in 1944 starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra.

Despite its age, the play still delivers a wicked mix of comedy, farce and spoof horror, served with wit and dark humour, plus a splash of poisoned home-made elderberry wine. The core of the play centres around a family with an unfortunate habit of murdering people, as if murder is somehow built into their DNA. The count of dead bodies reaches a staggering 24 or, spoiler alert, could it rise to 25?

It is 1941, and we are in the home of the Brewster family in Brooklyn, with two elderly sisters, whose feminine charms include poisoning lonely old men as an act of charity. Helping is their nephew, Teddy, who buries the dead bodies in the basement. Enter Mortimer, yet another nephew, a New York theatre critic, who discovers their latest dead victim then slowly stumbles on evidence of their previous dastardly crimes. All in all, twelve dead bodies, murdered by the sisters with their generous glasses of home-made elderberry wine, spiced with a dash of arsenic. Then, a further plot twist with the arrival of a third nephew, Jonathan, with his assistant Dr.Einstein, who are on the run from a world-wide killing spree where they too have claimed a dozen murder victims. Right, that’s probably enough plot to give you the gist of what this tall tale is all about.

Bringing order to this improbable tale of farcical chaos is director John Gilbert, who manages to balance the comedy with the macabre. His direction creates constant fluid movement, bringing the comedy to life, and teasing out the humour. Indeed, the pace and energy of the direction is a key element that helps protect the play from the weathering of time. However, fault lines clearly exist in the play’s structure, such as a slow opening to the first act, and a rather convoluted ending to the final act. It’s only from Mortimer’s first entrance that the play begins to ignite, and then the flame becomes even brighter from his discovery of a body in the window seat.

Unfortunately, Arsenic is now an old play surviving on life support, but in this production is resuscitated with firm direction, a strong cast and an excellent set. Wes Henderson Roe’s two-level design adds much authenticity to this madcap farce with its depiction of a 1940’s Brooklyn household cluttered with old Victorian furnishings. The large cast of thirteen work tirelessly as an ensemble and breathe much life into the play. Even their stab at American accents were heroic, certainly to British ears, although occasionally diction lost clarity.

The doyens of the Brewster family, the two elderly murderous sisters, are played by Sue Bell (Martha) and Anthea Barter (Abby), with performances that capture the delicate balance between sweetness and the sinister. Playing the “Cary Grant” role is Matt Tester, as the hapless theatre critic Mortimer Brewster, in an engaging performance of frantic energy. His on-the-button timing is perfectly judged as he expresses mounting panic and exasperation as the dark secrets of his two aunts begin to dawn.

Playing the “baddie” is a scar-faced David Hannigan, in the larger-than-life role of the psychopath Jonathan Brewster, squeezing the most out of his comedy moments with relish. This is a great comic role full of exaggerated Frankenstein-type movements and facial contortions, and David Hannigan’s cigar chomping character completely captures the comedy while resisting the temptation to overplay.

In an excellent cameo role, John Mortley’s sinister Dr. Einstein, a mysterious alcoholic plastic surgeon, generated many laughs with well-judged reactions and timing. However, the show was nearly stolen by David Webb’s Officer O’Hara, who probably has the funniest lines, as a character more interested in pestering Mortimer to read his play than with official police duties. Also, some well-observed character acting from Dave Dadswell as the Reverend Harper and from Gondwana Pietsch as his perky effervescent daughter Elaine, Mortimer’s love interest. Getting the short straw of playing the thanklessly ludicrous part of Teddy Brewster was Graham Schafer, as a delightfully certifiable man who is clearly delusional.

Without doubt, 85 years on, Arsenic is beginning to creak. Rather like Marmite, you either laugh along with it, or dismiss it as having no real relevance. However, the play’s lasting legacy is perhaps to remind us that one of the powers of theatre is to simply entertain. This is an old-fashioned classic comedy that certainly entertains and, judging by the standard of this production, has not quite reached its sell-by date.

Steve Mackrell, October 2025

Photography by Sarah J Carter