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Art Beat

Killer Aunts

By Sarah Phelan

Arsenic and Old Lace is vintage black comedy about two maiden aunts with hearts of gold but one very bad habit--they're serial killers.

These Brooklyn-based biddies advertise peace and quiet at a bargain basement price to lure lodgers. Unfortunately, their victims end up resting in peace--permanently --in the cellar, which so far sleeps 12.

Rita Wadsworth (a delight as Abby) and Claire Hodgin (the matronly Martha) are perfect as the aunties whose weapon of choice is arsenic with a pinch of cyanide. After all, what homemaker wants to clean up dismembered bodies on the rug?

Of their three nephews, darling Teddy (a brilliantly batty Jim Gordon) believes himself to be President Roosevelt. His main duty is taking out the cadavers when he's not charging upstairs brandishing a saber. Then there's mostly normal Mortimer (marvelously played by Paul Sampson), who freaks out when he discovers his aunts' dark secret just as black sheep brother Jonathan (Frank Jas) reappears with a devilish Dr. Einstein (Ron Maysenhalder) in tow to upset the elderberry wine on the whole wacky household.

Fine performances from Sampson, Wadsworth and Hodgin together with excellent timing from the whole cast allow Joseph Kesselring's witty and finely crafted plot to fit together as smoothly as a Chinese puzzle box.

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Arsenic and Old Lace plays Fri.-Sat. (8pm) and Sun. (2pm) through Dec. 16 at Park Hall, 9370 Mill St., Ben Lomond. Call 336-2278 for tickets: $10/adults, $8/seniors, $5/under 15.


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