Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'Arsenica stale in I By Cyndto Larsen Qam?cock St?H Wfttsr In theatre there is a place for sensationalism, but in a play like Arsenic and Old Lace, Tuesday night at Workshop Theatre, it certainly did not belong. Arsenic and Old Lace, a timeless play by Joseph Kesselring, opened on Broadway in 1941, and enjoyed great success. Two dear, but mentally unbalanced, spinster sisters, unable to curb their incurable appetite to do good, invite old gentlemen into their home and poison them for their own good ... namely to alleviate their loneliness. Teddy, the mad nephew, deducts that the men are yellow fever victims, and neatly hurries them in the cellar. Teddy's long lost brother shows up with a stiff of his own. As Mortimer, the third brother, explains to his fiancee, "You see, insanity runs in my family; it practically gallops." THE MOVIK, released in 1944, starring Cary Grant and Peter Lorre, and the play proved most successful presumably because it suited audiences to poke fun at death during the war years. But by the performance at Workshop Theatre on Tuesday night, one would be hard pressed to guess that Arsenic and Old Lace is still considered one of the best plays of the twentieth century. tr l i _ 11 A J ivesyeiring s exceueni arama making light of death is made ohso-heavy by the cast and director, Randall Browning. THE TWO LEAD roles, Abby and Martha Brewster, are played by Cary Crouch and Callie Thigpen. Amiable and kind as the two little old ladies are thev are still the two strongest characters in the play, or shall I say, should be. After all, they do have the wits to murder a dozen old men, unknown to the rest of the world. While Thigpen did an adequate job portraying the character of Martha Brewster, though a little weak, Crouch really missed the boat. She could have been anywhere from a senile 20 to 60 years of age. Her motivation for hor movements and conversation were not evident, unless it was to merely enlighten the audience to . the fact that she was alive and breathing and capable of altering her vocal pitch. Just because an actress sensationalizes her role does not mean she successfully establishes her character, and the audience cannot be fooled into believing what is not believable. THE BEST performance was given by Rex Wilson, who played nuftv nprfhpw who believed he was Teddy Roosevelt. Not only did Wilson give an excellent and hilarious performance as Teddy Brewster, he did very well as Teddy impersonating Roosevelt. If anything could have saved the play, Wilson was it. Martha Ivey, who played the flighty fiancee of Mortimer Brewster, did well in her role as Elaine Harper. Mike Collins, playing Mortimer, the only sane Brewster, did a notable job in characterizing the shocked and disbelieving young nephew. Charlie Peterson, cast as Jonathan Brewster, the homocidal insane asylum escapee who looks like Boris rKarloft, did a good job as Boris Karloft ? not Jonathan Rrpwstpr IT MIGHT BE noted that for a play set in Brooklyn, N.Y., the characters all came off as being very much southern. If the cast was unable to assume Brooklynite speech and manner, Browning could have at least taken the trouble to designate another setting in the stage bill. Overall, Workshop Theatre was not able to instill life to A rsenic and Old Lace, but the superior script alone should be enough to carry the play until it closes on March 2. ind Old Lac Vorkshopi Martha Ivey as Elaine Hart rehearse for Workshop's . Ola Lace. IF Ifthel^sse if y? 'Yes, the Travel Ce any semester's curr reservations, hotel a T-r-?qnc nr InfprnaHnn V7* I1A1VI IIM|,i\/lli | But guess what eh wants to escape the \ i you to the woods to | bags, lanterns, stove If you know where - J ? 1 ? til i come visii our iiurar perfect trip. Or bettei | Caribbean, a winter i group rates. So when travel is rVnfpr in ivJ IV/VV41VV* 111 information on these It starts with us. but The I :e'remains f ? 0 ler and Mike Collins as Mortim screwball comedy Arsenic and /\ r 5r 11 House Univer du know where you're g nter provides a full range of f iculum. Sure, we can arran iccomodations, car rentals, tr al travel tips. *e? If you're a perennial hock lotel world of slinky bars and < 4iruff-it." We help by renting s. Everything you need to eari you're going, we can get yoi y of vacation brochures. 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