The Mystery of Irma Vep

"The Mystery of Irma Vep" is a play in two acts by Charles Ludlam. A penny dreadful, "Irma Vep" is a satire of several theatrical and film genres, including Victorian melodrama, farce and the Alfred Hitchcock film "Rebecca" (1940). The name Irma Vep is an anagram for "vampire".

Background

The play includes eight characters that are intended to be performed by two actors. The actors play roles of both sexes. In order to ensure cross-dressing, rights to perform the play include a stipulation that the actors must be of the same sex. The show requires a large number of sound cues, props, special effects, and lightning-quick costume changes. [http://www.berkeleyrep.org/HTML/Season0304/IV_programnotes.html#twoBerkeley Repertory Theatre notes] ]

The play includes references to (and appearances by) vampires, ghosts, mummies and werewolves. It contains the occasional jibe of an adult nature, but is largely acceptable for younger audiences. It is played in camp style. Ludlam said, however, "Our slant was actually to take things very seriously, especially focusing on those "things held in low esteem by society" and revaluing them, giving them new meaning, new worth, by changing their context". [Samuels, p. 31]

Productions

"The Mystery of Irma Vep" was first produced by Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company, opening off-off-Broadway in New York City's Greenwich Village in September 1984 and closing in April 1986. It starred Ludlam as Lady Enid, the new mistress of the manor, and a butler, and Everett Quinton as Lord Edgar Hillcrest, the master of the manor, and the housekeeper (among other characters). [Gussow, Mel. [http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?html_title=&tols_title=THE%20MYSTERY%20OF%20IRMA%20VEP%20(PLAY)&pdate=19841004&byline=By%20MEL%20GUSSOW&id=1077011431698 "Stage: "The Mystery of Irma Vep",] "The New York Times", October 4, 1984] ["The New York Times" "Theater Directory", September 16, 1984, p. H10; and April 17, 1986, p. C25] The "Cast and Crew" won a Special Drama Desk Award. Ludlam and Quinton won the 1985 Obie Award for Ensemble Performance. [ [http://www.villagevoice.com/obies/search "Village Voice" listing] ]

The show was later produced off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre from September 1998 through July 1999, with Quinton and Stephen DeRosa. The production won the 1999 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival, [ [http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=315 Lortel listing, 1998] ] along with Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Lighting Design (John Lee Beatty), and Outstanding Costume Design (William Ivey Long). [ [http://www.curtainup.com/irmavep.html "Curtain Up" review, 1998] ] [Marks, Peter. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0CE2D71438F931A35753C1A96E958260 "Lady of the Manor Meets Mayhem on the Moor",] "New York Times", October 2, 1998] [ [http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx?_y=1998-1999 "Awards for 1998-1999",] Outer Critics Circle Awards, Outercritics.org]

In 1991, "Irma Vep" was the most produced play in the United States, and in 2003, it became the longest-running play ever produced in Brazil. [Gussow, Mel. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DC1039F93AA15752C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all "Books of the Times; The Roman-Candle Life of a Downtown Original",] "The New York Times", January 29, 2003] [Scheib, Ronnie. [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117931367.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=%22The+Mystery+of+Irma+Vep%22 "Irma Vep - She's Back!",] "Variety", August 21, 2006]

ynopsis

Mandacrest Estate is the home of Lord Edgar and Lady Enid. Lady Enid is Lord Edgar's second wife, though he has yet to recover entirely from the passing of his first wife, Irma. The house staff, a maid named Jane Twisden and a swineherd named Nicodemus Underwood, have their own opinions of Lady Enid.

Notes

References

*Samuels, Steven (ed). "Ridiculous Theater: Scourge of Human Folly, The Essays and Opinions of Charles Ludlam" (May 1992), Theatre Communications Group, ISBN 9781559360418

External links

* [http://www.arenastage.org/season/07-08/mystery-of-irma-vep/ Arena Stage notes, 2008]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEFDE113FF937A15752C0A965958260 "The New York Times" review, January 24, 1993]