★★★★

“joyfully madcap, full of twists, improbable developments, romance, and ghosts”

Packed with dead wives, werewolves, mummies, bleeding portraits, and more gothic cliches than the Monster Mash, The Mystery of Irma Vep is a hilarious and enthralling farce, brought wonderfully to life by the multi-rolling duo of Joe Newton and James Keningale. This revival of Charles Ludlam’s 1984 satire is a hit for Jack Studio Theatre’s Christmas production.

Drawing from Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, the play relates the story of Egyptologist Lord Edgar Hill Crest (Newton) and his second wife Lady Enid (Keningale), living amongst the moors in Mandacrest, Edgar’s ancestral home, they embark on their new married life, haunted by the memory of Edgar’s first wife Lady Irma, whose portrait hangs above the fire. The couple are isolated except for supercilious and jealous housekeeper Jane Twisden (also Newton) and manservant Nicodemus Underwood (also Keningale), whose lovelorn, half-ignored proclamations are a highlight. As is the dialogue generally, much of which references gothic precursors including Shakespeare’s ghosts and Edgar Alan Poe’s Raven. The play lives up to its subtitle, ‘A Penny Dreadful’. Without wanting to give too much away, the narrative is joyfully madcap, full of twists, improbable developments, romance, and ghosts, while never missing an opportunity for an intentionally groan-inducing bad joke: ‘it’s a terrible thing to marry an Egyptologist and find out he’s hung up on his mummy’.

The chemistry between the performers sparks as they play the parts of rivals, lovers, or co-workers, and the quick costume changes between characters, especially towards the play’s climax, elicit an uproarious response from the audience. The impossibility of certain characters sharing the stage is played both for laughs and dramatic tension, and the bond felt between Enid and Nicodemus (both Keningale), which can never be realised on stage, irreverently explores the mystery of human connection. Kate Bannister’s direction encourages the performers’ physical acting to flourish, weaving in the stylistic hallmarks of silent movies and gothic horror, from the exaggerated gestures of Lady Enid as she circles the stage, to the contorted skulking of monsters lifted straight from Nosferatu (1922), which is especially satisfying. Lady Enid’s insulted half-turn towards the audience with chin aloft, and Jane’s haughtiness and evasion of Nicodemus’ advances are also particularly enjoyable. The fight direction by Gabriele Lombardo is also strong, allowing character to shine through in the movement.

The set design by Karl Swinyard, assisted by Lizzie Spinks evokes the primness of a Victorian parlour, complete with chaise longue and dour portraiture. The projections that shift the action first to an Egypt then to a ship—yet another gothic motif—makes creative use of the tight space. The lighting design (Laurel Marks) is simple but effective, particularly the blue of streaming moonlight, and Julian Starr’s sound veers from the eerie to the macabre. Costume design (Martin J Robinson) combines both period dress and, out of necessity, quick changing, and is extremely successful in both, a standout is Lady Enid’s red dress, with which she attempts to enliven her relationship.

The Mystery of Irma Vep is a great option for a festive outing that blends the aesthetics of gothic horror with the camp sensibilities of pantomime and is catalysed by excellent performances and lively directing.

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

★★★★

“There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter”

There are plenty of theatre shows that pop up at this time of year that like to describe themselves as an ‘alternative’ Christmas gig. Not all live up to the accolade. “21 Round for Christmas” is one that does. Its originality sneaks up on you like the punchline of a shaggy dog story, hiding for much of the time behind the kitchen sink drama of a meandering monologue that, at times, veers as far away from ‘festive’ as the Grinch on speed.

Tracy is holed up in the kitchen, attempting to prepare Christmas Dinner, while a motley crew of assorted members of her extended family are making merry (a loose term) across the hallway. The turkey (and various substitutes to cater for multiple dietary demands) is, literally, left on the back burner. She blames us – the audience – for distracting her and allowing her to unleash her candid and foul-mouthed reminiscences while mother-in-law’s vegan tart burns. She often addresses a photograph stuck to the fridge door – a snapshot of her absent, best friend Jackie. It is the past escapades of the two of them that comprise the bulk of the narrative, the humour and occasional moments of pathos. The anecdotes gush forth, but too often they have little connection to the dramatic frame around which they are structured, and they become off-the-shelf recollections that could fit any scenario.

Cathy Conneff, as Tracy, is brash, profane, unashamed, and wonderfully charismatic. Her natural affinity with the audience gives the character an unaffected authenticity. There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter. One of a kind, Tracy is also ‘everywoman’ as she unwraps her regrets and throws them onto the pile of spent joys and tribulations like unwanted gifts.

“She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple”

Conceived in lockdown as part of the Hope@Home series of monologues, writers Matt Ballantyne and Toby Hampton (Hampton also directs) display a sharp insight, but the script is a bit unbalanced. Some yarns are stretched too far while others are left hanging. Alex Forey’s lighting cleverly transports us to past locations in Tracy’s mind while in the here-and-now the set (Hampton, again, with Laurel Marks) evokes the class-defined, London suburban kitchen with precise detail. There is a film maker’s eye at work here, enhancing the realism that Conneff already provides in abundance. Unfortunately, Emily Rose Simons lifelike sound design, that conjures up the rabble next door, doesn’t match the naturalism; which could probably be rectified by a re-jigging of the venue’s sound system.

There are bound to be comparisons to Willy Russell’s ‘Shirley Valentine’, which is no bad thing. Like the eighties’ forerunner, “21 Round for Christmas” (a clumsy title I have to say) has an existential quality, and Conneff skilfully manages to reveal the depth beneath the froth. We are teased in this respect, wanting to know more about Jackie who we learn is lying in a hospital bed at the Royal Marsden. The comedy is dished up loudly and haphazardly, but garnished with intimate detail that almost goes unnoticed. Something in Conneff’s eyes betrays a crisis unfolding. No wonder Tracy ends up hurling the roast potatoes. Her defiance, steeped in humour, has more than a double edge.

We come away feeling like we’ve caught up with an old friend. A bit of a black sheep. Flawed, but somebody we love. In small doses perhaps. For about an hour or so maybe. See you next Christmas, Tracy. We hope we do. She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple. She can’t please the twenty-one people she has round for Christmas – but she certainly pleases her audience.

THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP – A PENNY DREADFUL

Jack Studio Theatre

★★★★

“joyfully madcap, full of twists, improbable developments, romance, and ghosts”

THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP – A PENNY DREADFUL

Jack Studio Theatre

Reviewed on 11th December 2025

by Rob Tomlinson

Photography by Davor at The Ocular Creative

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE MYSTERY OF

THE MYSTERY OF

THE MYSTERY OF

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

★★★★

“There is an ease to the performance that disguises the daunting task of being alone on stage for an hour and a quarter”

“She has the makings of becoming a seasonal staple”

21 ROUND FOR CHRISTMAS at the Park Theatre

Reviewed on 11th December 2023

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Cam Harle

Previously reviewed at this venue:

21 Round For Christmas

21 Round For Christmas

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