Review: The Mystery Of Irma Vep at Jack Studio Theatre until 4 January 2026
‘A perfect show for Christmas’ ★★★★
Of course streaks are there to be broken, but they are often sustained for a long period. Sugar Ray Robinson (91 fights, 91 wins). The Undertaker at Wrestlemania (21 straight wins) and, most importantly, my current run on Wordle (297 unbroken - aiming for the full year). And we also have the Jack Studio Theatre’s streak of wonderful Christmas shows - but what of this year?
Kate Bannister and Karl Swinyard have re-visited a show they produced some 12 or 13 years ago - Charles Ludlam’s 1984 satirical and farcical tale of werewolves and vampires . It’s a perfect show for Christmas as it melds multiple elements of traditional pantomime - high camp, wordplay, quick costume changes, cross dressing - with (Carry On) Hammer horror so we have jump scares, lashings of blood, and plenty of howling and thunderclaps. It’s also a ‘Whodunnit’ (or a ‘Whoisit’)?
A mildly deranged but oddly serious Egyptologist Lord Edgar Hill Crest (Joe Newton) is enchanted by his second wife Lady Enid (James Keningale) whilst still wanting to honour his first wife Lady Irma - literally, via the lit candle beneath her painting which hangs over the mantlepiece. Set deep in the isolated moors, Lady Irma’s passing was something of a mystery and, in a workmanlike scene-setting first half, the layering of the potential horror-driven story begins. Lady Enid begs Lord Edgar to blow out the candle and remove the painting to the disgust of the mis-trusting housekeeper (a bravura turn from Newton once again). There’s also a man-servant Nicodemus - played by Keningale in full ‘Matt Lucas mode’ - who of course has a wooden leg…….
The quick changing of costume and character must be an actor’s dream I would imagine and, under Kate Bannister’s typically sharp and pointed direction, both Newton and Keningale have a lot of fun, a lot of chemistry and keep things moving along at a pace. The second half opens in deepest Egypt and rattles through with a good deal more humour, mugging to the audience and bawdy / camp dialogue and interplay - I would have liked more of this in the slightly laboured first half. Things come to a head, everything is explained and the tie up is neat.
In reality, the play itself was maybe a touch underwhelming. You could also say that once you’d seen one actor talking out of a door whilst the other quickly changed to re-appear moments later you didn’t necessarily need to see it happen again and again - but that’s the strength and weakness of a two actor ‘quick change’ show. But, along with two strong performances and the ever-assured direction, what elevates Irma Vep (btw can you spot the anagram?) to a 4-star review is the usual fine work on staging, sound, lighting & costumes. London Pub Theatres Special Award winner Karl Swinyard (with assistant Lizzie Spinks) once again delivers a charming, period-notable set brilliant in its simplicity to allow the actors to deliver what they need to do. Any horror show needs the right lighting and the right sound so kudos to Laurel Marks and Julian Starr whose work makes the stage seem ‘bigger’ somehow. I also noted and enjoyed the costumes from Martin J Robinson - spot on.
So, the streak very much continues. Merry Christmas.
The Mystery Of Irma Vep : A Penny Dreadful
By Charles Ludlam
Jack Studio Theatre 9 December 2025 - 4 January 2026
Written by Charles Ludlam
Directed by Kate Bannister
Set Design: Karl Swinyard
Lighting Design: Laurel Marks
Sound Design: Julian Starr
Costume Design: Martin J Robinson
Fight Director: Gabriele Lombardo
Company Stage Manager: Jolie LeBell
Produced by Jack Studio Theatre
CAST
James Keningale and Joe Newton
Photography: Davor at The Ocular Creative
