Actresses Shine in Epic Theatre's 'The Moors'

"The Moors," from playwright Jen Silverman, is a gothic drama about a highly dysfunctional family.

Under the sharp direction of Vince Petronio ("The Christians"), the ensemble cast succeeds in bringing a very unique group of characters to life.

Epic Theatre Company has given their actresses plenty of opportunities to shine in their recent productions such as "Suddenly Last Summer" and "Agnes of God," and this time is no exception.

Stephanie Traversa ("The Little Foxes") turns in a chilling performance as Agatha, a cold-hearted, manipulative woman who hires a governess to watch over the baby in the house.

The governess is the seemingly innocent Emilie (Alexis Ingram), who arrives from London to become part of a house of horrors situated in the remote countryside.

Huldey (Kerry Giorgi), Agatha's vulnerable and lonely younger sister, befriends Emilie and shares entries from her diary.

Emilie learns about the rivalry between Agatha and Huldey as well as Agatha's true intentions for her. It turns out Emily was receiving letters she believed were written by Agatha's brother but were actually authored by Agatha herself. And things get even more bizarre when Emilie learns about the brother's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, a subplot involves the sisters' talking dog (Rico Lanni), who befriends a "moor-hen" (Katie Westgate) and develops a deeply philosophical relationship. It's not nearly as intriguing as the conflict between Agatha and Huldey but Lanni and Westgate infuse their line readings with wit and humor.

Giorgi, a veteran of several Epic shows, finds the right balance of madness and humor lurking below Huldey's surface.

Ingram is also excellent as the governess who seems to have been a complete failure in her past assignments and wants a chance at redemption. She's no Mary Poppins for sure.

Lanni and Westgate have palpable chemistry in their scenes and are mesmerizing as creatures looking for fulfillment in life.

The real standout is Vanessa Paige ("Lizzie Borden, Lizzie Borden") as Mallory, a devious maid who works for Agatha and seems to have a sinister agenda. Paige brings a twisted humor to the proceedings and is always fun to watch as a woman deriving sadistic pleasure from others' misery.

This is the type of show where a character breaks into song after committing a particularly brutal murder.

There's a lot of humor in Silverman's script, as well as some sharp observations into human nature. For example, Mallory points out that people who don't apologize for their crimes are more likely to be remembered than the ones who are repentant.

The set design by Petronio, Kathleen Povar, and the cast, is effective in creating a foreboding atmosphere for the murder and scheming. Old photographs linger in the background, hinting at dark family secrets.

Kevin Thibault's beautiful lighting and Jen Stavrakas' period costumes also work extremely well in establishing a surreal tone.

"The Moors" packs in plenty of revelations and shocks during its 76-minute run time.

If you have a taste for the macabre, this production will please and seduce you.

"The Moors" runs through March 21. Epic Theatre Company. Theatre 82. 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston, RI. For tickets, visit https://www.artists-exchange.org/events.