Many new yorkers still have fond memories of the 1984 original production, a longrunning hit show for the ridiculous theatrical company that became a commercial bonanza for writerdirectorstar charles ludlam, a certified offoffbroadway genius whod. Warsaw federal incline theater 801 matson place cincinnati, oh 45204. Charles ludlams the mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful is a modern classic the most popular play in the playwrights catalogue of ridiculous pieces. The mystery of irma vep 7167 cast of ch lady enid hillcrest lord edgar hillcrest nicodemus underwood jane. The shows producers would have been bolstered, perhaps, by the oftextended run of charles. The mystery of irma vep has been described as a collision between downtown abbey and the twilight saga. Opening night on march 10 features complimentary preshow champagne and a meetthecast party following the performance. As founder of the ridiculous theatrical company in 1967, ludlams works were projections of his uncanny knack to spoof conventions and. The mystery of irma vep the berkshire theatre group offers up its take on charles ludlums comedic tale. Taking place as it does largely through the eyes of a. Hes recently remarried lady enid, a stage actress still uneasy with her new position as lady of the manor. The actors play the role of both male and female because it includes a stipulation that the actors need to be of the same sex thus ensuring crossdressing. With this particular play, the production crew usually receives a bow at the end because they put. A penny dreadful by joel benjamin charles ludlam was a leading light of the campy, avantgarde, gaycentric theater scene during the heady days of the 1960s and 1970s when offoffbroadway was leading the way with its dimestore, letsputonashow production values that cannibalized everything from pop culture to.
Irmas spirit seems to be watching over mandacrest, much to the chagrin of its new mistress, the former actress lady enid. I trust that, like most plays, a reader loses something in simply reading a script versus seeing it on stage. Origin theatrical mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful. In the mystery of irma vep, his 25th play, ludlam managed to parody at least a dozen literary and cinematic paragons, including joyce, wilde, poe and ibsen the play steals its opening lines directly from ghosts, classic horror movies, gaslight, wuthering heights, gothic novels and the movie rebecca, which provides the basic plot points.
Apr 02, 2010 here at the university, theses about drag queens are no surprise. Even the servants are discomfited, including nicodemus underwood a stable hand with a secret identity, and jane twisden the disgruntled housekeeper, with a few secrets of her own. The mystery of irma vep, currently being produced by the repertory theatre st. Lady enid has just married lord edgar hillcrest and moved to his ancestral home on the moors, mandacrest. Vr theatrical is proud to present this larger than life spoof at pieter toeriens montecasino theatre in johannesburg from 5 july and at theatre on the bay in cape. The mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful by elyse sommer if ever there was a theatrical marriage made in heaven, its surely the pairing of everett quinton and stephen derosa in what is likely to be the laugh hit of the offbroadway season, the mystery of irma vep, a penny dreadful. Director sousa comments, irma vep is such a technicallychallenging show that there will be more people backstage than onstage. Feb 23, 2009 t he biggest mystery of irma vep is why such an ephemeral piece has been revived in the first place. It is a satire of several theatrical, literary and film genres, including victorian melodrama, farce, the penny dreadful, wuthering heights and the alfred hitchcock film rebecca 1940. The mystery of irma vep at theatre on the bay southern vines. The mystery of irma vep is campy fun when the spirit moves. Called one of the greatest comedies of all time by the new york times, charles ludlams satirical masterpiece, the mystery of irma vep, tells the story of leading egyptologist lord edgar and his new wife, lady enid, both of whom must contend with the tragic and haunting figure of irma vep, lord edgars.
Vr theatrical is proud to present this larger than life spoof at pieter toeriens montecasino theatre in johannesburg from 5. Charles ludlams twoactor gothic farce, the mystery of irma vep. Mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful, the script order now. It is a satire of several theatrical, literary and film genres, including victorian melodrama, farce. Irma vep is a 1996 film directed by the french director olivier assayas, starring hong kong actress maggie cheung playing herself in a story about the disasters that result as a middleaged french film director played by jeanpierre leaud attempts to remake louis feuillade s classic silent film serial les vampires. The title is the name of a character in the 1915 french movie serial les vampires and is an anagram for the word. The mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful by elyse sommer. Weihuan chen indy star in a comedy like this, where the energy must never drop, its clear the two actors, along with director james still, rose to the challenge. The mystery of irma vep and other plays by charles ludlam.
Apr 18, 2014 charles ludlams twoactor gothic farce, the mystery of irma vep. The mystery of irma vep has the audience howling with. In his work he was known to mix references from both high art and. The mystery of irma vep is a penny dreadful, which means it is styled as cheap serial fiction that has gothic elements including characters from the grotesque vampires, werewolves, etc. If ever there was a theatrical marriage made in heaven, its surely the pairing of everett quinton and stephen derosa in what is likely to be the laugh hit of the offbroadway season, the mystery of irma vep, a penny dreadful. The mystery of irma vep is now playing at our copaken stage. Protect your debit card with a simple reply reduce fraud by keeping 247 tabs on your debit or atm card with text alerts. Protect your debit card with a simple reply reduce fraud by keeping 247 tabs on your debit or atm card with.
Its written for two actors of the same gender, who must play eight characters of various genders and, occasionally, species. The mystery of irma vep first appeared at the ridiculous theatrical company. Such is the case, however, with next weeks senior thesis performance of the mystery of irma vep in the 92 theater, starring mark mccloughan 10 its his thesis and jaime maseda 11. Between the horrors of a marauding beast terrorising the estate and the looming presence of the recently deceased former mistress irma vep, matters become awkward in the extreme. Jun 11, 2015 the mystery of irma vep, which requires a small army backstage to pull off over 35 costume changes, is no exception. Mar 05, 2018 the mystery of irma vep is a satire of several theatrical, literary and film genres, including victorian melodrama, farce, the penny dreadful, wuthering heights and the alfred hitchcock film, rebecca. Lady enid has come to mandacrest as the new wife of lord edgar hillcrest, unaware of the tragedy that befell his first wife, lady irma. The mystery of irma vep is supposed to be a comical satire of gothic literature. Origin theatrical mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful, the. The wesleyan argus the mystery and mayhem of irma vep. T he biggest mystery of irma vep is why such an ephemeral piece has been revived in the first place. She must command all her resources to battle the curse of werewolves, vampires and even an egyptian.
The mystery of irma vep is a play performed by eight characters though it is meant to be performed by two actors. The mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful at indiana. The mystery of irma vep has the audience howling with laughter at cal shakes rating. Oct 04, 1984 charles ludlams latest ridiculous theatrical company escapade, the mystery of irma vep, begins at mandacrest on the moors, in the manner of rebecca, then, after wuthering heights of. The synopsis of the mystery of irma vep promises either something horrendous or something horrendously funny. The plot of the play revolves around lord edgar and his new wife, lady enid. The mystery of irma vep is a two man, quick change masterpiece. Vr theatrical by special arrangement with samuel french inc presents. The mystery of irma vep is the most perfect expression of ludlams approach to theatre. Downton abbey and the twilight saga collide in the spoof the mystery of irma vep at pieter toeriens theatre on the bay from 2 19 august 2017. California shakespeare company calshakes, bruns amphitheater, 100 california shakespeare theater way, orinda. Hes a widower, having lost his beloved wife, irma vep. Sousa, runs thursday, friday, saturday, and sunday at key city public theatre from june 18, 2015 through july 19, 2015. The mystery of irma vep was written by charles ludlum and first performed in 1986.
This definitive spoof of gothic melodramas, recently revived offbroadway to raves, is a quick change marathon in which two actors play all the roles. Apr 06, 2016 the mystery of irma vep is a penny dreadful, which means it is styled as cheap serial fiction that has gothic elements including characters from the grotesque vampires, werewolves, etc. A thesis performance in drag, on the other hand, is a bit of a rarity. The mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful by charles ludlam.
The title is the name of a character in the 1915 french movie serial les vampires and is an anagram for the word vampire. A penny dreadful, is back in a production from red bull theater, directed by one of the plays original stars. Starring 2010 denver post ovation award winner, chad afanador and patrick du lany this zany show will delight with every. The prospect of reviving the mystery of irma vep seemed, in advance, a treacherous one. A twoact penny dreadful by charles ludlam in the style of his theatre of the absurd, the mystery of irma vep is a satire of several theatrical and film genres, including victorian melodrama, farce, and the 1940 alfred hitchcock film rebecca.
Jul 08, 2017 the mystery of irma vep directed by elizma badenhorst pieter toriens montecasino theatre, fourways, johannesburg the mystery of irma vep is, by design, a ridiculous piece of theatre. Ludlum mined the script for other sight gags and oneliners, as well as the. Fully living up to the camp part of the summer camp repertory season, the mystery of irma vep is a mystery, a spoof, a quickchange comedy, and so much more. The mystery of irma vep is, by design, a ridiculous piece of theatre.
Scripts and rental materials are not included in this estimate. In dickens era, penny dreadfuls filled the popular need for gruesome. Here at the university, theses about drag queens are no surprise. The mystery of irma vep is a ridiculous penny dreadful. Set on a remote manor called mandacrest, the audience soon finds out something is amiss.
The mystery of irma vep is a play in three acts by charles ludlam. In a search for an actress to play irma, rene has become impressed with chinese martial artist, maggie cheung herself, because of her beauty, her grace, and her presence, he says. A penny dreadful, is back in a production from red bull theater, directed by. On a remote manor called mandacrest, something is amiss. Louis, is a mostly successful campy comedy thats at its best when cruz and russell are both on stage indulging in.
Red bull theater unwraps a 30thanniversary revival of charles ludlams classic camp burlesque of victorian melodrama and horror, in which werewolves, vampires. The star of les vampires, irma vep, was played by a french actress named musidora. Like the original production, there is a cast of only two. Called one of the greatest comedies of all time by the new york times, charles ludlams satirical masterpiece, the mystery of irma vep, tells the story of leading egyptologist lord edgar and his new wife, lady enid, both of whom must contend with the tragic and haunting figure of irma vep, lord edgars late first wife. The mystery of irma vep brings high comedy and gothic horror to key city. The servants nicodemus underwood and jane twisden initiate lady enid into the regrettable past of irma vep, her and edgars dead son victor, and a mysterious. Oct 20, 2012 the mystery of irma vep is now playing at our copaken stage. Dramatists play service, one of the premier playlicensing and theatrical publishing agencies in the world, was formed in 1936 to foster national opportunities for playwrights by publishing affordable editions of their plays and handling the performance rights to these works. The mystery of irma vep a penny dreadful concord theatricals. Charles ludlams latest ridiculous theatrical company escapade, the mystery of irma vep, begins at mandacrest on the moors, in the manner of rebecca, then, after wuthering heights of. The mystery of irma vep plays the lucille lortel theater. Ludlams theatrical style focused on spectacle and entertainment, rather than gritty realism. Lord edgar seems to love lady enid, but is also haunted by the memory of his first wife, irma vep, and their child, both of who apparently died in a mysterious fashion. Opening night on march 10 features complimentary preshow champagne and a.
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