Arsenic

and

Old Lace

Principals

Martha Brewster

Teddy Brewster

Mortimer Brewster

Dr Einstein

Rev. Harper

Jonathan Brewster

Elaine Harper

Mr Witherspoon

Brophy

Klein

O`Hara

Lt. Rooney

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Wikipedia info

Arsenic and Old Lace

The "murderous old lady" plot line may also have been inspired by actual events that occurred in a house on

Prospect St in Windsor, Connecticut.

"Come in and meet the Brewster family"

As farcical black comedies go, Arsenic and Lace might well be the most farcical and blackest of them all. Truly...

Written in 1939, at the end of a tumultuous and trying decade (things picked up in the 40’s if I remember), Arsenic and Lace, the hit play by Joseph Kesselring, clearly displayed the hallmarks of a writer who really felt things were going well in society, and humanity was on the up.

Most of the characters border on the psychologically deranged, though it’s fair to say some have long bought their passport and moved there with blissful abandon. Throw into that mix just your everyday maniacal poison-loving serial killers. The kind who on the surface appear well put together (if you consider a house of cards built on an inflatable pool toy in the middle of a hurricane ‘well put together’) but after a single conversation from them you probably wouldn’t entertain the idea of even eating a crisp if they so offered it to you.

Set all that in the family house of a drama critic in Brooklyn, New York, with bodies piling high in the basement, and give it a good old ‘will-he-won’t-he’ romance story, and you’ve got yourself one of the most brilliant, black and altogether berserk endeavours you’re ever likely to see on stage.

It’ll make you think twice about buying a glass of wine at the interval...

Original text for Arsenic and Old Lace costume hire © Callum Blake@Curtis Brown 2021

Cast size 3F / 11M

Duration 120 min

You can be sure when hiring from Thespis Theatrical Costumiers that you will look truly amazing in any of the "Arsenic and Old Lace" costumes from our studio reflecting Brooklyn 1940 period as accurately as possible .

Enquire now

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What our customers are saying...

Sister Act one of the best. Testimonial

Thank you Margaret. Who knows, maybe one day our paths will cross again. I hope so as I do think your company is one of the best I've ever worked with and I've been doing wardrobe for over 20 years. Kind regards Jane

St Albans Musical Theatre Company

Oliver

Hi Margaret Wow just wow! They are absolutely stunning. We are very excited to see them on our students later this afternoon. Thank you, just a fantastic service. Jo

Jo @ Highworth Grammar Ashford

Sister Act Brighton

Morning Dearest Margaret,

My god – we had a riot last night with a sold-out show and a standing ovation and cheering that did not stop!

Just wanted to say the costumes looked fabulous (baby!) and to thankyou for all your hard work.

...

Chairman Brighton Theatre Group

The Sound of Musical - Exeter Music Society

From Margaret's first response to my initial enquiry, I knew that we were in expert hands. As a newcomer to Wardrobe, I had a whole host of questions. Margaret seems to be on han

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Exeter Musical Society

Betty Blue Eyes Best Production Winner NODA Awards

To Margaret, Thank you for supplying us with such fantastic costumes once again. We won the NODA President's award for "best production" and attention to detail was one of the reasons mentioned-so thank you for your help with that! We look forward to deal...

Ellesmere MTC

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Hi Margaret, As promised I have attached a few images of the show for your use with marketing the costume set - which as I have said before were just beautifully presented and made - a real asset to the production. I will...

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Dear Margaret

The Willows company are currently in that glorious moment of exhausted joy, in which the show is complete but the thrill of having achieved it keeps you on cloud 9! Everybody who has contacted post-show has spoken so highly of your marvellous cost

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Sale Grammar School

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"Excellent costumes" Very refreshing to have such a complete service and good quality costumes. Really made the show work. Thank you so much!

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Dear Margaret,

Thank you once again for the most amazing costumes for "Into The Woods" - we loved them! Have a wonderful summer!

Alice

Hampton High School - Richmond upon Thames

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Good morning Margaret, the costumes look beautiful. Thank you so much for all your hard work. They have bought our show to life and we couldn’t be more grateful. Kind Regards Michelle

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Hi Margaret,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for ‘busting a gut’ to create such a wonderful set of costumes.

Everyone is so impressed with them!

Many thanks

Claire J
Head of Wardrobe
<...

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Thanks SO much for all the help with our production. The costumes are beyond fabulous! Will definitely send over some pictures after the production.

Thanks again.

Best wishes,
Georgia

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The costumes were received yesterday and first glimpses are very exciting. We are about to do a costume parade this morning ahead of tech, and very excited to see everything in action.

Can I just say, we are extremely impressed a

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Dear Margaret “We were very impressed with the quality of the costumes we received. The company had also been thorough in sending thed Regards, Sarah. Addison Ousedale school
Miss Saigon costumes
correct sizes ...

Ousedale school

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Hi Margaret, Hope your Sunday delivery went well, and you have caught up with some sleep. We are all very sad that the show is over!! The costumes were amazing and definitely contributed to the overall success of the production.

Janice Lim

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Thank you so much. Here is a testimony for you website Perins School’s production of Phantom of the Opera was a huge hit. With the help of Thespis, our show was worthy of the West End stage! Every performance was awash with co...

Perins School

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The show was a resounding success for the group, everybody was talking about the costumes, the Van Trapp kids were crying on Saturday night having to part with theirs ♥?

Boyle MTC

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Coward or Hero Margaret, "Thank you so much for the fabulous job on the costumes....they really enhanced the show. Beyond my expectations. We have had our first performance and it was exceptionally well received" Play By Bill Snell.

Bill Snell

Made In Dagenham Costumes

Dear Margaret Just messaging to say thank you. All the costumes arrived and are absolutely perfect. I'm so impressed with the quality of the costumes and professionalism of Thespis hire. Again many thanks to you and for my mug .... What a lovely surprise, it will get lo...

Queens College Taunton

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Hi Margaret,

Our show was a great success and very well received by the audience. The costumes looked amazing. We had a lot of very positive feedback from the public.

Thank you so much for your help in getting things to us on the Saturday before the

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DMTC

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Hi Margaret, Thank you so much for providing such awesome costumes. The costumes look stunning, Very impressed. I will definitely be using you for other projects in the future. Thank you again. Cheryl

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Hi Margaret,
"We went to Stoke on Trent last night to see your costumes at "The Addams Family and were extremely impressed!"

Bryan Craven LIDOS

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Hi Margaret Thank you very much for the fabulous costumes you supplied for our production of the Addams family. Everyone was very pleased with their costume, especially with all the accessories and shoes that were supplied with them. We have never ha

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Carol Wibberley

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Sue Gallagher M.B.E

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Hi Margaret, We`ve had the costume call tonight with our wardrobe team and the cast and I must say the costumes look fantastic!
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Director

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Hi Margaret, While I’m writing, I need to say that the Gatsby costumes are outstanding! Quite sensational, honestly! Well send you some pictures in due course.

Thank you so much!

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First, thank you to the company and the delivery driver for the endless hard work in our society's costumes. We had a lot of fun at our costume call this evening and it is starting to come together really nice.

Also th

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Jess

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Hi Margaret & Neil,

Just wanted to say, I've directed many shows, but your costumes are without a doubt the best I've had. The cast are booming with them. Thank you.<

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The NODA Best Production Shield
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Hi Margaret, Thanks for your totally organised approach to all of this you could teach many a previous costumier a lesson in how to do it Happy weekend. Keith

Keith S

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Thank you so much for the costumes they are absolutely fabulous and I so appreciate all your hard work. We are delighted with them.

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Alresford Having seen some excellent youth company productions I was uncertain how a school would fare with such a demanding musical. I needn’t have worried as the 110-strong cast were an absolute credit to Director Marilitsa A

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