Fangs a lot
To understand what you’re in for with “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” begin by looking at the name Irma Vep. Unscramble the letters to get “vampire.” This Charles Ludlam comic romp is about vampires, werewolves, spooky manor houses and all things melodramatically gothic.
Another clue is provided by the name of the late Ludlam’s theater troupe: the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, which first staged this show in Greenwich Village in 1984.
Expect to see plenty of ridiculous theater in “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” which opens for previews tonight at Interplayers, Spokane’s long-established professional theater.
Ridiculous theater is somewhat like absurd theater, except campier and more hysterical. It’s filled with puns, sight gags and references to grade B horror movies.
And to make the whole thing even more ridiculous, two men play all eight characters; male and female, human and werewolf, alive and mummified. The show is a quick-change extravaganza.
“Each actor often barely misses meeting himself onstage,” said Mel Gussow of The New York Times, writing about the original 1984 production.
That production turned out to be a surprise hit – the only Ludlam play that went on to huge national success in regional theaters. He probably would have had more triumphs, but he died in 1987, a victim of the AIDS epidemic.
The dizzying costume changes are a large part of the appeal, yet “The Mystery of Irma Vep” goes beyond gimmickry. It mines practically the entire spectrum of American theatrical traditions.
Vincent Canby of The New York Times said it “recalls burlesque, vaudeville, Broadway farce of the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the golden age of Hollywood.”
“You’ve never heard of projectile laughing?” wrote fellow critic Peter Marks about a 1998 revival. “It’s a serious concern at ‘Irma Vep,’ far and away the funniest two hours unfolding anywhere today on a New York stage. …
“The jokes are so blatant, so wickedly retro, they’re almost reprehensible. But even when the gags are cheap – this is a show that manages 11 or 12 laughs out of a set of false buck teeth – they’re never flimsy.”
The Interplayers production features Damon C. Mentzer and Christopher Bange.
Mentzer is a well-known Spokane actor with a gift for comedy. He has recently been seen in “Inspecting Carol” and “Proof.”
Bange is a Seattle actor known for his prowess as a physical comedian. He and collaborator Ian Fraser form a clowning duo called The Baggy Pants, who have written and performed several neo-vaudevillean shows at the Seattle Fringe Festival.
Director Nike Imoru was so certain that she wanted Bange for this show that she delayed the opening by a week to accommodate his schedule.