THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP is a parody of all things Gothic melodrama- loud sound effects, thunderstorms, cobwebs, and all that goes with it. It is also a great spoof of several classic movies,including Alfred Hitchcock’s REBECCA.
Made in 1940 and winner of Best Picture that year, REBECCA is actually a movie adaptation of a novel. It tells the story of a second wife brought to become the new mistress of the manor- a manor where it seems the first wife is still present. Delightfully spooky, it’s a great tale for a cool fall day (like the ones we’re currently experiencing in Oklahoma!).
IRMA VEP plays with many of these themes- the second mistress of the mansion and a dark secret past. If you loved Rebecca, you’ll love THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP!
There are quite a few smaller references to many kinds of work, like Edgar Allan Poe poems, Shakespeare’s MACBETH and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. You’ll also notice the striking similarities to many older, Victorian “Gothic horror” movies, like the costumes and set design. It’s guaranteed to be, as said by the New York Times, a “frighteningly funny!” evening.