Longmont Theatre Company's 'The Mystery of Irma Vep -- A Penny Dreadful' delivers satirical fright

Sep. 15—Halloween may not be until next month, but Longmont Theatre Company is embracing the spooky spirit with a production that offers a shapeshifting werewolf, vampiric happenings, supernatural suspense, murder, a number of wigs and an astounding 35 costume changes.

"The Mystery of Irma Vep — A Penny Dreadful," written by Charles Ludlam, first premiered in October 1984 at the Sheridan Square Playhouse in New York City's Greenwich Village.

The campy show — now a cult classic — is a tour de force for its two male actors who over the course of the two-hour production take on the roles of eight characters of both sexes.

Set at the eerie British estate of Mandacrest, Lord Edgar— an Egyptologist — resides with his new wife Lady Enid, although he longs for his first wife Irma Vep who recently mysteriously perished. Although, she still finds time to haunt the halls.

Like the production itself, the title of the play is a homage to frightful works that came before.

The name Irma Vep actually comes from a character in "Les Vampires," a French silent serial film from 1915. Penny Dreadfuls— cheap Victorian novels of the 19th century — were loved for their sensational tales of ghoulish violence and otherworldly scares.

After Enid is attacked by a vampire, Edgar seeks answers within the tomb of an Egyptian Princess — who is resurrected for a spell.

He returns home with a sarcophagus and an urge to seek revenge and find the werewolf he assumes is responsible for the death of his son and first wife Irma Vep.

The quick-paced show is filled with mayhem, comedic blunders, wit and secret identities.

Audiences will discover that the manor's maid Jane Twisden and a handyman named Nicodemus Underwood are not necessarily what they appear to be at first.

A homage to the corny monster movies of yesteryear and Gothic melodramas, this satirical offering is the ideal appetizer to a season of fall fright.

Showtimes for "The Mystery of Irma Vep — A Penny Dreadful" are September 16, 17, 23, and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30.

We caught up with the play's director Pat Payne to find out more about this upcoming production, what other slightly corny horror shows he is a fan of and what he hopes the show provides attendees.

Kalene McCort: When motivated you to want to bring this cult classic to the stage, and have you always been a big fan of this satirical play that premiered in the '80s?

Pat Payne: I actually just learned about this show when LTC approached me about directing this piece. I immediately read it and found myself laughing out loud and seeing the charm of this very funny and wonderful show.

KM: Are there really 35 costume changes throughout the 2-hour production? What's it like handling this sort of intense change over?

PP: Yes, absolutely. The two actors change costumes many times during the show, and the changes are very precisely rehearsed. Our stage manager, who is also our dresser for the actors, has done an amazing job working on the magic of the backstage craziness.

KM: Love the cheesy horror theme. With Halloween coming up next month, I'm curious what are some of your favorite films, plays or novels that could be classified under this genre of supernatural fright?

PP: The first show that comes to mind is the musical "Sweeney Todd." It is sort of a homage to the "Penny Dreadful" genre that this show plays off. Way back when I found the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to be a lot of fun. I enjoyed that it didn't seem to take its self too seriously. I can see some parallels with this show. This show does not take its self too seriously.

KM: Who are the two actors that star in the production, and what's been the most rewarding aspect of directing them?

PP: The show features Andy Jacobs and Elliot Clough. They are both very talented actors who have created many different characters, and what I find most impressive is how well they work together as a team to create this show. The cool part is that the two actors are really close friends off stage, and I think that most certainly helped with the chemistry of the actors on stage.

KM: From what I gather this show is filled with campy darkness, but what are you hoping audiences take away? Any underlying messages or morals we should be on the lookout for?

PP: You know, I think that as we emerge from the last two years and with all the uncertainty in our world right now, I think that it's okay to simply just go sit in a dark theater with other people and have a communal experience and simply enjoy your evening. I hope audiences are reminded that it's okay to laugh and enjoy being told a story. I also hope that the audience marvels at what these two actors accomplish in the two hours they will be entertaining you.