Arsenic and Old Lace
When people in town see Martha and Abby Brewster, they only see half of what is truly there. The people of Brooklyn, New York see two elderly sisters who give to charity and do good all around town. Little do these people know that these ladies are sinister sisters, they poison travelers and have their nephew, Teddy, bury them in the basement. The two women have two other nephews, Mortimer and Jonathon, one is engaged and the other is the black sheep of the family. Lots of laughs were thrown into this twisted play that some how keep the sisters lovable. Early in the play the sisters are chatting with the minister of their church about the war. Abby says at one point, "It may not be very charitable of me, but I've almost come to the conclusion that this Mr. Hitler isn't a Christian. (462)" Now people may wonder how such sweet old ladies may turn to murder. The twist in the plot is that they do not see it as murder at all and do not hide the fact that they kill people and bury them in the basement. They see their act of murder as an act of ch
Now it the score stood Jonathon with twelve murders and the twisted sisters with thirteen. (473)" After the men were dead their nephew, Teddy who thought he was President Roosevelt, took them down into the cellar to be buried. One reviewer, Sam, called it a, "fast-paced, madcap, slightly sinister comedy. When he finds out the aunts have twelve murders, the same amount he has, he feels the need to have more murders than they do. " Even a critic could not kill this play's terrific plot and irony. Finally Jonathon gives himself away after waking up and seeing several cops in the house. Critics, viewers, and readers always seem to enjoy this play for its witty plot and lots of laughs. So exactly how do these sisters manage to do these horrible murders? It is simple really, their father was a doctor and had various medicines and powders stored in his laboratory and they borrowed a few of them. The aunts said in the last act, "Jonathon always was a mean boy. At this point in their lives both women are in their late sixties and their father has passed on so they have free access to the lab and its materials. Never could stand to see anyone get ahead of him. His aunts are important to him and he wants to protect them. Another critic, Eric Snider from the Provo, Utah Daily Herald, could do nothing but praise this play.
Common topics in this essay:
Mortimer Jonathon,
Happy Dale,
Panama Canal,
Brooklyn York,
Daily Herald,
Finally Jonathon,
Fiancee Elaine,
Abby Martha,
President Roosevelt,
Abby Brewster,
elderberry wine,
play sisters,
bury basement,
mental institute,
twelve murders,
twisted sisters,
lots laughs,
nephew teddy,
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Acceptance Essays
