Open Space Theatre will stage the two shows of its play ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ on September 24 at the Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samity in the capital.
The troupe is going to stage the 30th show of the play ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ at 4:30pm, while the next will be staged at 7:30pm.
‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ is a farcical black comedy. M Arifur Rahman has directed the 1939 play of Joseph Kesselring in Bangla.
The play is an adaptation of the American film “Arsenic and Old Lace” produced by Lindsay and Crouse and directed by Bretaigne Windust, which was opened on Broadway at the Fulton Theatre on January 10, 1941.
The story of “Arsenic and Old Lace” revolves around the Brewster family, descended from the Mayflower settlers but now composed of maniacs, most of them homicidal.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” opens in the living room of the Brewster home, inhabited by two spinster aunts, Abby and Martha Brewster, and their nephew, Teddy. The Reverend Dr Harper is chatting with Abby about her other nephew, Mortimer, a drama critic who is in love with the reverend’s daughter Elaine. Teddy, who is rather crazy but harmless, believes himself to be Theodore Roosevelt. Things begin to unravel as Mortimer lifts the lid to the window seat. Later Mortimer and Teddy’s brother Jonathan arrives. Jonathan, a true maniacal criminal, is accompanied by Dr Einstein, a plastic surgeon of doubtful character.
The probable cast of the play includes Mahjabeen Chowdhury Tisha, Sayed Azaz Ahmed, Raihan Ahmed Dip, Sufian Mehmood, M Arifur Rahman, Rafayatullah Sohan, Rahat Ahmed, Iftakhar Mahi, Johayer Mahtab Khan and others.
