Deconstructed Productions Presents THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, OPENS 9/24

Deconstructed Productions presents Charles Ludlam's comic masterpiece The Mystery of Irma Vep. This smart, clever, quick-change marathon ransacks literary and cinematic pop culture as it satirizes everything from Hitchcock's Rebecca to classic horror films (The Mummy, The Wolf Man) to literary classics like Wuthering Heights and Shakespeare.

The Mystery of Irma Vep is co-produced by the WeHoChurch, and press previews on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 8:00 pm. Opening night is Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 8:00 pm. The show will run for a limited engagement, performing Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 7:00 pm through October 11. The WeHoChurch Space is located at 916 North Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood, CA.

The mission of Deconstructed Productions, founded by Michael Lorre and Kevin Remington, is to take a great play and strip it down to its essence. In this case: Two actors, eight roles, ‘30s film acting styles and the smart camp, mixed with genuine pathos, that personifies Ludlam's amazing work. The set and prop elements are purposefully kept to a minimum, with most props being mimed, as the Production Company focuses on the characters, utilizing sound and lights to help tell the story.

And, what a story it is: There's a new Lady Hillcrest in the manor. After years of mourning the mysterious death of his first wife, Irma, Lord Edgar Hillcrest has brought home a new bride, Lady Enid. Having just left the London stage, Enid must adjust to her new role in this country manor. Housekeeper Jane is none too happy about her arrival but stable hand Nicodemus shows a keen interest in the new Lady of the house. What fate shall befall poor Lady Enid? Madness? The same demise as the first Lady Hillcrest? Werewolves? Vampires? Or, can she save herself by solving The Mystery of Irma Vep?

"The Mystery of Irma Vep grew out of two guys creating a piece based on things they were passionate about: Nineteenth century literature, camp comedy and old Hollywood movies (specifically ‘women's pictures' and the Universal horror films). They took all these elements and wrapped them into a quick-change play where the action flowed cinematically using multiple characters but only two actors. Charles Ludlam and Everett Quinton wrote, directed, designed and constructed the play themselves, then acted in the piece for a successful two-year run.

Our passion for The Mystery of Irma Vep comes from a similar place and we wanted to take it back to its roots. Over the years, this play was most often done with the focus on the camp, where everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at it. The camp became silly "man-in-a-dress" shtick. However, one of Ludlam's great talents was finding the truth in the absurd. His Camille was a camp classic but legend has it that there was not a dry eye in the house when this "man-in-a-dress" died of consumption at the end of the play.

In this production of The Mystery of Irma Vep, we wanted to focus on one of our great passions: period acting from the films of the 1930s. There are two kinds of camp. One is to ape and the other is to be overly truthful... like Joan Crawford, at 50, trying to play the sad, put upon, young wife in the early scenes of one of her good girl-gone-bad later pictures. Sure, she's practically a
"man-in-a-dress" herself but the camp is delicious because of her earnestness. Our goal from the beginning has been to honor the things Ludlam honored when he wrote the piece... the silliness will take care of itself. We've stripped it down to its bare comic essentials so hopefully the play that those two passionate guys created will shine through." Michael Lorre & Kevin Remington

The Mystery of Irma Vep features Michael Lorre and Kevin Remington and is produced by Kimberly Glann. Lighting by Chris Wojcieszyn.

Michael Lorre (Nicodemus, Lady Enid, etc.) is an actor, writer, director. He has performed in over 60 productions with roles ranging from Lucky in Waiting For Godot to Motel in Fiddler on the Roof to the Arles roles in Greater Tuna and most recently as Leonard in E. M. Lewis' Leonard's Voice in Moving Arts' The Car Plays. As part of that festival he also directed Steve Lozier's The Runner. He can be seen in such stellar films as Johnny Be Good, Dream Date and My Boyfriend's Back. His screenplay, Arden, Texas, an adaptation of As You Like It set in Depression Era Texas, is inching towards production. Michael studies with the amazing Carole D'Andrea.

Kevin Remington (Lord Edgar, Jane, etc.) trained in dance and musical theater at the Atlantic Foundation for Performing Arts and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Favorite roles include: Truman Capote in the L.A. premiere of Carved In Stone, Galveston in Edward II, Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet and Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. As director and choreographer: The Beastly Bombing (Chicago), HAYWIRE!, Torch Song Trilogy, and Last Train to Nibroc. On TV, he choreographed Xplay: The Musical for G4TV network. Kevin's choreography for The Beastly Bombing received an LA Weekly Theater Awards nomination and was honored by the New York Musical Theater Festival.

 

WHO: Presented by: Deconstructed Productions & the WeHoChurch
Featuring: Michael Lorre & Kevin Remington
Produced by: Kimberly Glann

The WeHoChurch Space,
916 North Formosa Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90046

Press Preview: Wednesday, September 23 at 8:00 pm
Opening Night: Thursday, September 24 at 8:00 pm
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm
Sundays at 7:00 pm

September 24 - October 11

TICKETS: $16 Adult; $12 Students & Seniors
https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/account/21
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124333628605
Info/Groups/Tickets: 323-667-1304

 

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