‘Irma Vep’s campy nuttiness appealing despite opening-night slipups

Well-timed for Halloween merrymaking, Swift Creek Mill opens its season with "The Mystery of Irma Vep," Charles Ludlam's 1984 sendup of the Hollywood horror genre. It's a mashup of werewolf, mummy and vampire films, with a little "Rebecca" and "Jane Eyre" mixed in, seasoned with Shakespeare and Poe.

Ludlam, famous for his cross-dressing roles, engineered the comedy for two actors, each of whom plays four roles, some male, some female. To make this work, you have to have a stalwart and speedy backstage crew to facilitate many quick changes of costume, along with sound effects and sight gags.

The Mill's Tom Width directed and designed the tricky set for the production, and while there's a lot of fun to be had, there were slipups on opening night, including dialogue mixups and scenery malfunctions. The campy nuttiness of "Irma Vep" requires razor-sharp accuracy, and when that falters, it's less funny than it should be.

John Hagadorn and David Janeski are the intrepid actors who undertake this madness. The setup is out of "Rebecca": We're in an old manor house on the heath; housekeeper Jane and handyman Nicodemus are discussing the master's new bride, Lady Enid, under the portrait of his late wife, Lady Irma. Nicodemus exits, and in comes Lady Enid, arrayed in what must be the world's puffiest sleeves (courtesy of costume designer Maura Lynch Cravey); Jane exits, and in comes Edgar, the dashing lord of the manse.

It goes on this way as other characters are introduced; a tale of violence and death emerges, and Lord Edgar travels to Egypt to unravel a mystery. Hagadorn and Janeski are game and energetic, emoting in the requisite high-camp style; their dulcimer duet on "The Last Rose of Summer" is a hoot, and Janeski's flourish as he dons an Egyptian headdress is the kind of detail that slays the audience. There's spooky organ music, supplied to perfection by Paul Deiss, and the busy workers behind the scenes provide lightning, thunder, wind, an awesome squeak for a mummy case and much wardrobe assistance.

Special praise goes to Joe Doran for his lighting design, which employs a multitude of effects to create the unique mood of Gothic comedy.

Susan Haubenstock is a freelance writer and editor based in Henrico County. Contact her at .