The Mystery of Irma Vep

The Texas Repertory Theater vamps it up for Halloween

A A A Comments (0) By Olivia Flores Alvarez Thursday, Nov 6 2008

Think Tuna Goes to Transylvania, and you’ll get an idea of what the satirical comedy The Mystery of Irma Vep is all about. Taking a poke at Victorian melodramas and theatrical farce, and spoofing films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rebecca, the wickedly funny Irma Vepfeatures two actors, eight characters and a lot of razor sharp silliness. Lord Edgar of Mandacrest Estate has recently married his second wife, Lady Enid, even though he’s not really quite over the death of his first Mrs., Lady Irma. (Here’s a hint: death be damned, Irma’s not completely over him either.) His servants, a scowling maid and a one-legged handyman, aren’t too happy with Lady Enid, who is stepping in a little too quickly after Lady Irma’s death to suit them. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, goblins, mummies and all sorts of other scary creatures come calling on the new couple before it’s all over.

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Part of the fun of Irma Vep is the lightning speed with which the actors change characters, sexes and accents. With the flip of a wig, the rough, crude handyman becomes the dainty, refined Lady Enid. Just as quickly, the housekeeper with the dragon face becomes the lonely, sad Lord Edgar. (Go ahead, all you anagram fiends, see what you can do with the name of the title character.) 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Through November 16. Texas repertory Theatre Co., 14243 Stuebner Airline Road. For information, call 281-583-7573 or visit www.texreptheatre.org. $25 to $45.
Oct. 29-30; Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m.; Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Starts: Oct. 29. Continues through Nov. 16, 2008