North Grenville Community Theatre is performing the devastatingly funny comedy Arsenic and Old Lace from November 13–16 at the Urbandale Arts Centre in Kemptville. Kemptville’s beloved community theatre group last performed this play in 1986. That performance — 39 years ago — was in Parish Hall in the Kemptville Campus. This time it will be in the Urbandale Arts Centre, right next to the hockey arena. What else has changed? Maybe not as much as one might expect. For one thing, in 1986 local media reported that rehearsals were invigorated by the bugle-tooting efforts of George Lamacraft, who was playing Teddy Brewster. It seems George’s sounds never did reach pure musicality. Fast-forward to now — and this year’s Teddy is once again bringing a real edge to the bugle playing.
Lee Gaw, who played Martha Brewster last time, has decided to do it again. No one else in the cast was in the 1986 show, which might seem to put them at a disadvantage, but they are all outstanding actors. The 2025 crew has built windows and platforms and stairs — and the costume department has dressed everyone to suit the era perfectly. It is going to be an unforgettable experience, and tickets have been selling well.
This play was originally going to be a dark and dreary drama based on some horrible crimes that took place in Connecticut over a hundred years ago. But in 1939 the producers looked at the original script and decided that people wouldn’t want to watch such a dismal story. So they told the author to make it funny, and he did — by changing just about everything. It is now perfect for family entertainment around Hallowe’en.
Arsenic and Old Lace does have some scary moments — and the body count gets up around a dozen. In fact, if you count brother Jonathan’s contributions, it would be a couple of dozen. No matter, we can guarantee that there is a happy ending, for the survivors.
Another way of looking at this play is as a sweet romance. Our boy Mortimer eventually falls in love with the beautiful girl next door — the very persistent Elaine. He can’t do much about that love stuff for a while, because his busy career as a drama critic makes him grumpy most of the time. Finally he asks Elaine to marry him, and she says yes! Joy abounds and the lovers share some cheery moments together in the cemetery before — later the same day — complications ensue…
There will be evening performances on November 13, 14 and 15 at 7:30pm, and a matinée on Sunday, November 16 at 1pm. All performances are at the Urbandale Arts Centre in Kemptville. Tickets are available online at NGCT.ca, and paper tickets are sold at B&H Your Community Grocer in Kemptville.