The Mystery of Irma Vep: a penny dreadful ~Charles Ludlam
–published 1984
–Samuel French, Inc
–71 pages
–4/5 stars
In the comments section of the recent book giveaway post* for The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, I bared my soul to share my bad-library-patron story, involving the play, The Mystery of Irma Vep. With the arrival of genuine autumn weather coinciding with the appearance of October, I found myself staying up late Saturday night for a long overdue visit to this melodramatic, camp favorite.
The Mystery of Irma Vep is a two act send up of gothic literature and film, including several obvious references to Daphne du Maurier’s famous novel, Rebecca. The show takes place in two settings–a room in an old ancestral home called Mandacrest, and a previously undiscovered tomb in Egypt. There are eight charactes in The Mystery of Irma Vep, meant to be played by only two actors. A stipulation for performing the play is that both actors have to be of the same sex. Part of the humor of the show involves the cross-dressing aspect. The roughly two hour play has, according to Wikipedia, roughly 35 separate quick costume changes. The show is great fun both for its farcical play on many gothic/horror elements but also because of the skill of the actors as they handle off and on stage character changes with speed that, at times, defies belief.
The Mystery of Irma Vep contains allusions to vampires and werewolves, ghosts and mummies, unrequited love, suspicion, suspense, mystery and madness. This penny dreadful gives the audience member, or reader, plenty of options to boo and hiss as the puns and play on words cannot pass by without eliciting a groan. This is gothic at its campiest and it truly is fun. If you are ever given the opportunity to see this show, go see it, it is a real treat. Outside of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, there are few plays that I enjoy reading multiple times, and The Mystery of Irma Vep tops the list. I have no doubt that seeing this show over a decade ago brings a sense of nostalgia to every re-reading, yet I do believe that if you are looking for a tongue in cheek alternative to your scary autumnal reading, The Mystery of Irma Vep fits the bill.
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This play is a selection for the R.I.P. V Challenge
Speaking of campy, this weekend’s peril-filled screen time included an annual viewing of the relatively new camp-classic, Elvira’s Haunted Hills. Like The Mystery of Irma Vep, Haunted Hills is a groan-inducing parody of several horror stories, including Rebecca and the old Roger Corman film adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. No great writing or acting here, just plenty of innocent bawdy double-entendres and nods to the films and novels that inspired the R.I.P. challenge.
After the enjoyment of reading A Study in Scarlet, I couldn’t resist a trip to an area Redbox for a re-viewing of the Guy Ritchie adaptation of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I liked it just as much the second time around and was again incredibly impressed with the art direction of the film. The dirty, gritty city of London is itself a character in the film.
To close this weekend’s screen peril, we caught the Masterpiece Mystery presentation of the first episode of season two of Kenneth Branaugh as Swedish police officer, Wallander, based on a series of books by author Henning Mankell. I haven’t watched anything with Branaugh in it for a long time. I had forgotten how much I like him. The episode was moody and methodical and I am looking forward to episode two next week. I also added Series 1 to my Netflix queue as I want to see where it all began.
October has waltzed in bringing delicious crisp autumn air and my weekend was given over heart and soul to perilous reading and viewing. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the month brings as my list of books to read and films to watch threatens to bury me alive!
I hope each and every one of you had an equally perilous weekend.
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*for those of you who participated in the recent giveaway contest for The Man Who Loved Books Too Much I want to say a hearty thanks for the wonderful stories shared. It was a true pleasure reading your interesting stories. Unfortunately there can only be two winners, and the hand of fate has chosen:
and
Congratulations to you both! Please email your snail mail addresses to me at poegeek (at) gmail (dot) com and I will forward them on to the publisher so that your books can wing their way to your front door.
There are more book and R.I.P. related giveaways to come, so please stay tuned.
I love the Mystery of Irma Vep! I saw it performed a couple of years ago. It was laugh-out-loud funny. And a little creepy. Good combo.
It’s near impossible in 90 degree heat, and humidity to match, to feel fallish but reading your posts gets me awfully close! :o)
congratulations to the winners of the book!
I have never heard of this play. I wonder if I can find this being performed over here somewhere.
It hasn’t been “fallish” as deslily puts it, here either, until last night, when it cooled off a little and this morning it’s trying to rain, but only succeeding in wetting the pavement a little. Still, it’s a start. Not being much of a fan of the penny dreadful (the name is true on all counts) I’ll skip Vep. Good to read your reactions to it though.
I’m wondering if you are EVER going to read that Chandler book. I think you did start it. Just not to your taste?
Richard: I blame growing under the influence of Rocky and Bullwinkle, in particular Dudley Do-right, and similar bad-pun-filled cartoons and shows on my abiding love for melodrama, penny dreadfuls, etc. 🙂 As for Chandler, I’ve actually been reading it and a couple of other short story collections little by little throughout R.I.P. I just finished a story in the collection last night and started another one before deciding that I needed to get some sleep. I’m liking it thus far.
Vivienne: I’ve never seen it being performed anywhere since seeing in in Tulsa, but if it made its way around here I would definitely go see it again.
Deslily: (and Richard) We’ve had highs here in the 60’s, and Sunday morning I woke up to 39 degree temps. Its been wonderful. I see in the forecast that it is supposed to creep up in the 80’s by the end of the week which is frustrating. Hopefully it won’t last.
Mrs. DeRaps: Ah, so good to know I’m not the only one around who has seen and enjoyed this. I so wish I could see it again.
How Exciting that the hands of fate chose a winner who admitted to stealing her brother’s books! Thank you!
These things affect different people different ways. I’m high on Chandler the way you are on Gaimin, have been since I first read a short story by him. It was “Red Wind”. I couldn’t put that, or any book by Chandler, down once I started it.
Richard: I’m going against my normal tendencies right now as I generally just tear through short story collections. It certainly isn’t any reflection on the material, I’m just trying to fulfill a few very pleasant reading obligations, for lack of a better word, while reading these collections. Speaking of Chandler, Maureen Corrigan talks about in that Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading book I recently reviewed. She told me enough that I couldn’t help but be intrigued without spoiling it. Definitely appreciated that.
Lori: Yes, I found that ironic! Dame Fate must have a wicked sense of humor! Congrats. 🙂
Sounds like you had a positively wonderful weekend!!! I’d never heard of Irma Vep before, but I am now dying to see it in person…in fact, I already slipped off to google it on the slim chance someone might be performing it anywhere in the area but no such luck.
Debi: It is goofy and fun. Hopefully it will come your way soon. For a few years a local theatre was doing several short one act plays based on scary stories during the month of October, but they haven’t done so for years now which is pretty disappointing. I had gotten used to that being one of our seasonal traditions.
Sounds like a lot of fun! Totally unrelated, but for some reason this reminded me I should go to the haunted house around here this year… lol Weird how the mind works!
First off let me say bring back the 80’s. I didn’t get to enjoy to me weeks of that yet plus the 60’s are to damn cold for me to sit and watch outdoor soccer. I would rather have 80’s and 70’s for three more weeks please. 🙂
I have never heard of Rebecca or Imra. The play sounds like something I would really enjoy though. If you see it being advertised some time in KC let me know and maybe we can take our wives.
Wallander sounds more interesting to me than the Haunted Hills of Elviria ( sorry I’ve never been a fan of hers ). I like Kenneth though I should try and catch an episode to see if I would like it.
Sounds as if I need to read both some Sherlock Holmes and Raymond Chandler. I haven’t read either but am familair with both and have always wanted to try read each of them one day.
Jeff: No! You beat me in FF this week. You cannot win the weather war as well. I won’t have it!
I’ll definitely drag you and Keri to this if it comes around this way.
I want to go back and catch Season 1 of Wallander. Nick told me that they were all pretty dark, which she didn’t like but actually intrigues me. Branaugh does moody well. I wanted to try to catch Season 1 before this came out but it never worked out. Still, I didn’t feel like I missed much jumping in on this episode. It was still enjoyable.
I watched Wallander too. It’s excellent and I’ve always liked Branagh. I love me some Masterpiece Theatre and Masterpiece Mystery!
Michelle: I’m looking forward to watching it again on Sunday. Isn’t Alan Cumming just perfect as the Masterpiece guy? Love his introductions.
It certainly feels Fall like here with some crisp weather. Although, yesterday was simple beautiful with mid-70 degree weather. Today is suppose to be much the same, and lucky me was cancelled off from work today.
I am very curious about The Mystery of Irma Vep, and searched for it via my library system to no avail. Well, actually, my local community college has it, but I don’t have a card there. The quandary…purchase for 3.90 at B&N or not. I think I should not and stick to my no purchase books for now rule. Although, I have broken that rule a couple of times already (good reasons). I am curious because I have not read a play before, and this sounds interesting, and does not sound like a whole lot of time commitment to the reading…do you think that is true?
Moving along… sherlock Holmes has been on my list of movies to watch for a bit of time now. Glad you liked it the second time around…I really need to get to it. Currently, I have Ever After with Drew Barrymore sitting around awaiting my viewing. I love that movie, and this would be my uptenth time viewing it. I am home today which is unusual for a saturday, so maybe I should watch it. I seem to always tend to like Masterpiece Theater productions…classic movies,and mystery..but I never remember to purposefully watch them. I view them on a hit or miss type basis. One reason why I cannot watch weekly series…I tend to forget about viewing them, or the kids are not cooperating for me to have some tv time. Ahhh well, another reason why I read books as they fit into my schedule far better. 😀
Ibeeg: If you haven’t read a play, and like classics (not sure if you do), I would strongly recommend reading Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest or An Ideal Husband. Both are romantic and witty and fun. Really fun.
Ever After is really great. I’m not a huge fan of Barrymore, but there are a handful of her films that are just perfect, and that is one of them.
The nice thing about Masterpiece is that they mostly aren’t weekly series. They are just films with a particular character that really can be watched as a stand alone. Sure, there is some carryover from the last episode with series like Lewis or Wallander, but not a ton. The Agatha Christie films are generally entirely stand alone. I know what you mean though. We only watch television twice a week. We watch House and Castle on Monday and then watch half hour comedies on Thursday. Otherwise I just don’t want a bunch of shows that I have to feel compelled to keep up with.
Thanks for the play recommendation. My library does have a Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays which contains An Ideal Husband. It is an inter-library hold which I sometimes feel guilty about placing since state funding was cut for helping to defray the expenses of the program. So, I feel like placing a hold on interlibrary books is also placing a burden on the community. I still do it though, so the guilt must not be that great. :\
I also find Barrymore rather good in the two movies that she has done with Adam Sandler. The pairing of those two lends to fabulous humor laced throughout.
Even with shows that are not weekly such as Masterpiece, I tend to forget about their air time even though I would really like to view it. And if I dvr the show, I still forget. I guess tv stuff is not a high priority for me. It is complicated to watch tv with the kids, especially IJ…too many interruptions….or the need for a late night viewing…I’d rather read, much easier. Another reason why I am hit or miss with my stream of movie watching.
I have been hearing good things about Castle and I am interested enough to attempt watching the first episodes that is if they are available via DVD or Netflix instant streaming.
Ibeeg: You should definitely check out the most recent film version of An Ideal Husband starring Rupert Everett and Mini Driver, among others. It is excellent. And then skip the most recent version of The Importance of Being Earnest with the same Rupert Everett and instead see the 1952 film. It is wonderful. They take too many liberties with the more recent adaptation and try too hard to make it dirty as comedy, rather than letting the rather excellent comedy stand on its own.
I always figure that if things like intelibrary loan aren’t used then someone will decide they are unnecessary and take them away, so use it, use it, use it. 🙂
Yes, Barrymore and Sandler are fun together.
Castle is way too much fun, and needs to be watched from the first season on. The father daughter relationship is fabulous and it is such a clever show. You guys should definitely get it on Netflix.