Features

It seems a little unfair that so many reviewers and their ilk have blown the best joke of them all in Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s hilarious new production The Mystery of Irma Vep. 

Granted, the play’s been so popular for so long that they may think that by this time everybody knows what to expect. But there are still plenty of innocents out there who could be justifiably startled when only two actors show up for curtain calls …like, where are the other six characters? Well, it sure looked like the women characters might be in drag, but… 

Arnie Burton and Erik Steele are making their debut at Berkeley Rep. They’ve both compiled a lot of New York credits, but if we’re all very nice to them, maybe we can get them to stick around for a while. 

The pace is so fast and the illusions so successful that it would be possible to leave the theater swearing that there were scenes in which more than two actors appeared on stage simultaneously. When the play first appeared in Charles Ludlum’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company, the most prized seats were off-stage where it was possible to watch the quick-changes. 

Some of us would pay good money to get a chance to do that this time around. These two guys are nothing short of terrific. Altogether they play eight roles—popping on and off stage with such phenomenal speed and dexterity that the illusion of wildly different characters is flawless. 

Most of this piece of nonsense is a spoof of the great old melodramas—complete with spooky mansions, werewolves howling in the background—thunder and lightning—even the undead walking, for goodness sakes! (The staging here fantastic. The lights in the old mansion dim, an organ growls base notes and a red glow colors the stage. Ah, it’s all quite wonderful). 

Anyone who can recall the film Rebecca will instantly recall the evil housekeeper obsessed with her previous dead mistress’ perfection. This time the ghost lady is called Irma Vep. It’s tough going for a young second wife coming to her husband’s old mansion for the first time. Irma’s the one whose picture and ghost seems to be hanging around determined to cause everybody serious trouble. But in good Victorian style, we also get involved with Egyptian mummies and their unpleasant interest in the plot. 

Ah...Its a meaty thing, this play. 

In addition to all the fun and game so satisfactorily presented on stage, Ludlum played what we might like to think of as Berkeley-style tricks with the dialogue—he steals quotes from just about every hallowed poem and play you’ve ever encountered in English (yes, of course Hamlet is there), and works them into the dialogue with a perfectly straight face.  

To make a really bad phrase, there’s absolutely no mystery why The Mystery of Irma Vep has been played more often than any other play in the United States. And this is a terrific production. 

The Mystery of Irma Vep runs through May 23 at Berkeley Rep’s Thrust Stage. $39-$55. For tickets or information call 647-2949 or go to www.berkeleyrep.org.