THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. Directed by Elizma Badenhorst, with Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder. At the Theatre on the Bay, until August 19.
THERESA SMITH reviews
Deliciously silly and clever at the same time, this penny dreadful is ridiculous fun. It is a coherent amalgamation of everything fascinating about Gothic literature, black and white silent movies, Hammer Horrors, the tradition of Grand Guignol theatre and farce, and yes, it will make you want to rewatch the Penny Dreadful TV series.
It features fantastic performances from two actors who tackle a myriad of roles (thanks to two fantastic dressers Megan Rigby and Naret Loots) in OTT costumes that fit the ornate set to a T.
Beautiful delineation
Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder sport a variety of accents and wonderfully finicky physical performances that beautifully delineate several characters.
There is housekeeper Jane who makes it abundantly clear in a broad Scottish burr that she is unimpressed with her new mistress, Lady Enid, who comes from a stage background, or with Nicodemus, the groundsman with a peg leg.
Lady Enid has married Lord Edgar, who is still pining after his dead first wife, whose portrait presides over the living room in which much of the action takes place. Edgar is fascinated by Egyptology – something you would know was popular in the early 1800s if you are familiar with the time period.
The penny dreadful was a type of British fiction published in the 19th century that featured lurid serial stories appearing in parts over a number of weeks, each part costing a penny. The publications featured cheap sensational fiction, the kind of thing that turned out to be wonderful fodder for scary movies in the 1950s and 1960s. Like Hammer Horrors The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Mummy, that kind of thing.
Expect secret passages, weeping paintings, deliberately cheap special effects, howling winds, pratfalls, double entendres and actors standing still for a few beats because you’re laughing so much.
Badenhorst’s deft touch
Charles Ludlam’s script is heavily stylised, drawing as it does on all these old conventions, but director Elizma Badenhorst’s deft touch clarifies in the movement and dialogue exactly what the characters mean.
While the two actors stay in character there are moments when they break the fourth wall, made all the more funny by the easy way they slip back into character and just keep on going.
It is fast-paced, extremely melodramatic and utterly ridiculous, which is part of the charm. While a good part of your enjoyment will be contingent on you understanding the context this play comes from – for example appreciating the gruesome dramatics of the Grand Guignol theatre means you will get a kick out of the wolf costume – you could get away with not knowing anything about the play by picking up the very detailed programme.
The charm of this play lies in its utter ridiculousness, which is approached by two disciplined actors who completely disappear into their roles. The madcap ride is absurd and Roxmouth and Swain Lauder pull it off with élan.
Four out of five stars!
What: The Mystery of Irma Vep
Where: Theatre on the Bay, Camps Bay, Cape Town
When: Until August 19, 2017
Book: Computicket
Info: 021 438 3301
Web: http://www.pietertoerien.co.za
WS
