Play Review for:“The Mystery of Irma Vep”

Playwright Charles Lublam

Director Craig Miller

---What do Vampires, Mummies, Werewolves, and Psychotic Maids all have in common? Halloween of course, and what better way to experience Halloween night than enjoying the classic horror stories passed down from generation to generation and what better way to do it than on the theatrical stage? The one and only Texas Repertory Theatre brings to the stage playwright Charles Lublam's exciting, intriguing, and hilarious play "The Mystery of Irma Vep" which grants a horrific night to a scale much more impacting and interactive than any other.

---The setting illuminates and becomes alive transporting the theatre and those within into the home of Lord Edgar Hillcrest or Mandacrest as the other characters tend to call it. It is a vintage home with a set of French doors at the back, a small table and chair, and a fireplace with a mantle over which is a portrait of a woman who is later identified as Lady Irma herself. Near the fire place is a set of chairs and other furniture is about the house including a nice sofa center stage. All about the home and the walls are indications of travel: relics and trinkets of African, Asian, and Egyptian origin. There is also a bookcase full of binders, books, and other small objects of foreign lands stage left. The attention to detail—the stagecraft, the lights, and the sounds—is very delicate and well approached making it that much more believable. The most worthy of note, as far as the lights are concerned, is perhaps the realistic moon which is very simply a light cast in shadow just above the set. Although the theatre itself is small, the illusion of infinite space is achieved as the carefully set lights and the set itself becomes a window into another world.

---Edger, a fragile man yet hunter and explorer of sorts, has lost his love, the woman his entire world seems to revolve, Lady Irma. He now lives with his maid Jane Twisden, servant Nicodemus Underwood, and new mistress, Lady Enid, who all try so hard to rid Edgar of his ghastly past. Although Jane seems all too interested in her cleaning, she strangely walks about making comments of evil and the devils work constantly blaming any type of horrific event on either it or some curse while Nicodemus panders about perversely trying to woo Jane. And Enid, a retired actress still tied to her flaring youth, tries desperately to rid the late Hillcrest from poor Edgar's memories. Although there are mainly these four characters, there are others still including an undead Egyptian, a wolf-man, and even a vampire all revealed as the course of the play continues.

---The conflict, the drama, the initial incident becomes apparent as the truth of Edgar's past reveals little by little a deep and dark secret of something concerning the supernatural. On the case of this great mystery is Lady Enid herself along with her curiosity of Mandacrest's real nature. However, her curiosity may be the end of her entirely. Will she survive the ever so increasing dangerous attempts on her life by terrible creatures that emerge in the night? Will Irma's true identity and even true whereabouts be revealed? Will Edger finally be redeemed of his past?

---As for the Actors performance, it is quite amazing to realize that the entire action of the play is created not by a full cast of six for each character but each character is, in fact, created on stage by only two actors, male actors as a matter of fact: Timothy Evers and Rob De Los Reyes. They are quite impressive and very entertaining gentlemen and quite obviously very energetic; however, one wouldn't blame them for being extremely exhausted after the show. It is also impressive to note that the both of them played rather convincing women as Evers took on the role of Jane as well as Nicodemus while De Los Reyes played Lady Enid and Edgar. Both, of course later would individually play other roles such as the monsters for example. It simply wouldn't be right to comment on the individual actors performance for this writer believes they both very equally shared the glamor of the stage with shear passion and quite simply fun. That is something to note, however, that as long as one can tell that even the actor is enjoying him or herself, one should be satisfied with such a fact to realize that the actors are performing with their heats and not just for the income.

---To conclude, this is a wonderful, hilarious, and must see play perfect for Halloween night and perfect for all ages. Although it is no longer playing at the Texas Repertory Theatre, they may plan on premiering it once again for October 2009. One should definitely make plans on seeing it then for it is simply too enjoyable to miss. Of course, to make the wait even shorter and to get an inside look of what the Texas Rep is like, anyone could walk in to see their many other wonderful shows throughout the year. This Christmas the Texas Rep is playing "A Christmas Story" which this writer most certainly intends on going to see and, of course, enjoy. The Mystery of Irma Vep is an overall experience to "die for."