Spooky Gothic Thriller Tickles Funny Bone At Civic Theatre

Where portraits bleed, werewolves howl and sinister servants sulk. Where every day is a dark and story night and Lord Edgar has serious “mummy” issues…

“The Mystery of Irma Vep — A Penny Dreadful,” by Charles Ludlam is one of the most produced comedies in U.S. history, and it has come to the .

Directed by Alan Wilkie, the show is a tribute to gothic horror films, liberally stealing from well-known film classics like "Wuthering Heights," "The Mummy's Curse" and Hitchcock’s "Rebecca." Literary detectives will also recognize pilfered dialog from Ibsen, Shakespeare and Poe.

Comic actors Scot Garrett and Buddy Mahoney play seven role is fast change style. Garrett was last seen on stage in Renton this summer in “Run For Your Wife,” and Mohoney is a seasoned Seattle actor who is making his Renton debut with Irma Vep.

Set design, including glamorous sliding panels, by Dan Ranking; set illumination by Bill Huls; and Gothic drag costume design and construction by Rachel Wilkie.

Complete with werewolves, vampires, damsels in distress and an Egyptian mummy, this definitive spoof of Gothic melodramas is sure to provide hearty mixture of thrills, laughter and extravagant showmanship.

Shows are Thursday, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. All tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors.