Risa Brainin

IRT gives life to the monster, and the woman who created him

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By Wendy Carson

While all of us are familiar with Mary Shelley’s story, “Frankenstein,” in one way or another, none of us truly know her full intentions in bringing the tale to life. The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s current production of the drama adapted by David Catlin strives to shed light on suppositions scholars have given over the years as to Shelley’s various metaphors and allusions within the text.

The play opens on the fateful night in 1816 when Mary Godwin (not quite Shelley yet, played by Rebecca Marie Hurd), Percy Shelley (Ty Fanning), Lord Byron (Nate Santana), Dr. Polidori (Terry Bell), and Claire Clairmont (Andrea San Miguel) gathered on a stormy night in Switzerland, engaged in a competition of storytelling. While hesitant as first, Percy’s condescension of a mere woman’s abilities causes Mary to join (and ultimately win) their little game.

As she begins to weave her story, the group joins in acting out the narrative. This brings about a more light-hearted feel to the tale but does not detract in the slightest from the horrors held within. It also brings about a glimpse into exactly what was happening in the historical context that influenced some of the prose.

Hurd is sheer perfection as our titular heroine and tale-spinner, showing the depth of the woman behind the monster. She also brings forth the heart-wrenching feelings of love and struggle of Elizabeth, Doctor Frankenstein’s adopted “more than” sister and betrothed.

Fanning brings Percy Shelley’s failed attempts at dominance to life while also reminding us of his vulnerability and desires. He perfectly embodies Victor Frankenstein’s obsessive delusions and selfishness that ultimately lead to his own downfall.

San Miguel avidly encompasses the characters thrown at her (often quite literally) with a gamely attitude while never betraying that she is almost a footnote in the whole event. She channels Frankenstein’s Mother’s love and devotion beautifully.

Bell shows the true gentleman of Polidori, defending Mary’s rights and fighting off the testosterone-laden nay-sayers (again, sometimes literally) who seek to squelch its continuance. His turn as Henry, Frankenstein’s best friend, befits his caring nature. He also plays the ship’s captain who bookends the narrative.

Santana emulates the rakish self-importance with overwhelming charisma that Byron was known for. He also does an amazing job as the Creature, showing us the frustrated loneliness felt by one who suffers in vain to understand why everyone reviles him.

In director Risa Brainin’s notes on the show, she hints at the question that is often asked upon experiencing the story, “Who is the true monster here?” Go to the IRT and decide for yourself.

“Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’” runs through October 14 on the main stage at 140 W. Washington St., downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at irtlive.com.

IRT’s Christie mystery an exciting ride

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By Wendy Carson

In whodunits, the locked-door mystery is one of the cornerstones and most compelling of all scenarios in the genre. Someone had to have done it, but who, and how? Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” is one of the most original versions of the mystery in existence – not only because of the lavish setting, but also the revolutionary solution to the puzzle. Famed playwright Ken Ludwig has adapted this intriguing story for the stage, now playing at Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Legendary detective Hercule Poirot (Andrew May) has to cut his vacation in Istanbul short to take a case in England. In need of quick travel arrangements, he accepts an offer from his dear friend, Monsieur Bouc (Gavin Lawrence), of transport on his company’s train, the luxurious and now-legendary Orient Express. These two are joined by a quirky array of travelers.

British Colonel Arbuthnot (Ryan Artzberger) and Mary Debenham (Nastacia Guimont) are scheming about something in secret, yet not too covertly.

Samuel Ratchett (Ryan Artzberger in a second role) is a loud, rude American “businessman” who feels money can buy anyone or anything. Hector MacQueen (Aaron Kirby) is his overworked and oft-abused secretary.

Princess Dragomiroff (Dale Hodges), one of a number of exiled Russian royalty roaming about Europe, is traveling with a new companion, Greta Ohlsson (Callie Johnson) who has been serving as a missionary in Africa and is very unsure of anything.

The beautiful Countess Andrenyi (Katie Bradley) is traveling on her own. With her storied past, including a stint as a medical doctor, she intrigues everyone, including the elusive Poirot.

Also traveling on her own is the obnoxiously abrasive Helen Hubbard (Jennifer Joplin), an American who quickly gets herself on everyone’s “hit list.” Attempting to oversee all of this is Michel (Rob Johansen), the train’s French conductor.

Add to this a snowstorm that stops the train – right before a murder occurs – and you have a wonderful setting for a grand mystery. All passengers are accounted for at the time of the killing, or are they?

Anyone familiar with the character of Poirot knows that he is a quirky and particular personality. May adeptly explores as many facets as he can without frolicking into the territory of camp. His performance alone is worth the price of admission.

Artzberger does an exceptional job of playing vastly different characters with great aplomb. Guimont keeps her character a frigid distance from all but Arbuthnot, seemingly as a protective guise.

Joplin submerges herself into the typical “ugly American” so well, it is surprising that she is not the one who meets with the knife.

Hodges keeps the Princess as mysterious as her peculiar wardrobe. Johnson’s take on Ohlsson, the missionary, is wacky and almost overdone, but it does lend some lightness to the dark tale.

Kirby does an exceptional job of keeping his character sympathetic rather than just shady. Lawrence deftly keeps his frantic businessman persona from being entirely heartless, worrying equally about the safety of his passengers and the bad press a murder would bring to his luxury rail service.

Johansen shines both as the Conductor – not quite as minor a role as you’d first think – and his hilarious turn as the Head Waiter of Bouc’s restaurant in the show’s opening scene.

Bradley as the Countess enthralls us all, characters and audience alike, daintily dancing her way through the story never demanding but certainly drawing all attention available to her.

Christie’s story is a tale for the ages, especially with a twist ending that anyone unfamiliar with the book or movies will never see coming. Director Risa Brainin does a remarkable job keeping the soberness of the entire drama while allowing for its sharp wit, no doubt aided by Ludwig (known for farces like “Lend Me a Tenor”), to shine through.

The stage is a visual spectacle worthy of the legendary train, with designer Robert M. Koharchik placing elements of the sleeping and dining cars on an inventive rotating stage. This and projected elements by L.B. Morse give the proper sense of motion and help the scenes flow when the Express is stopped, maintaining the necessary tension. Even if you already know how it will eventually play out, it’s one exciting ride.

“Murder on the Orient Express” runs through March 29 at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis (near Circle Centre). Call 317-635-5252 or visit irtlive.com.

IRT mystery with murder, mayhem and Moriarty

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By John Lyle Belden

Would you recognize Sherlock Holmes if you saw him? That question is at the heart of “Holmes and Watson,” a mystery by Jeffrey Hatcher opening the 2018-19 season at Indiana Repertory Theatre.

The play is set on a remote Scottish island, several years after Holmes is believed to have died, gone over a Swiss mountain waterfall with his archrival Moriarty. (Tired of the character, author Arthur Conan Doyle offed the detective in “The Final Problem.” Bowing to public pressure, he brought Holmes back to life 10 years later.) Dr. Watson (played by Torrey Hanson) has been debunking the many impostors claiming to be the miraculously surviving Sherlock Holmes. Now, in an old fortress and lighthouse converted to an asylum, he is confronted with three.

The facility’s head, Dr. Evans (Henry Woronicz) presents a trio of distinctly different men (Michael Brusasco, Nathan Hosner and Rob Johansen), all claiming to be the detective. Having otherwise only seen an orderly (Ryan Artzberger) and the Matron (Jennifer Johansen) in the building, Watson surmises the three men are the only inmates. The mystery deepens as we discover that there has been a murder prior to Watson’s arrival, and a mysterious woman at large.

I dare not say more, so you can unravel this for yourself at the show. We tend to think of Sherlock Holmes as a singular character, but we are presented by three different but familiar archetypes: the classic Holmes of old films, the adventurous Sherlock of Benedict Cumberbatch, and the odd iconoclast reminiscent of Jonny Lee Miller in “Elementary.” We also noticed a clue – never noted by anyone on stage – that could be an insight into what’s really going on.

These amazing actors all put in excellent work. I don’t want to give individual praise for fear of giving away a secret, but suffice to say all are perfectly suited to characters where any of them may not be whom they seem.

The play is directed by former IRT artistic director Risa Brainin, who is familiar with Hatcher’s works, as well as the man himself. Robert Mark Morgan’s brilliant stage design contains sweeping layered curves, suggesting an aperture or the eye’s iris, opening and closing as the focus of the inquiry shifts.

Though not by Doyle, this drama fits right in the world he wrote for Holmes, with a tantalizing mystery worthy of the canon, complete with plot twists you’d see on an episode of “Masterpiece.”

“Holmes and Watson” runs through October 21 at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St., downtown Indianapolis. Call 317-635-5252 or visit http://www.irtlive.com.