Back in the 1960’s when the world made a complete turnabout, a young film maker named Jack Hill came up with the idea of making a low budget horror film about the Merrye's; a strange family involved in strange and bizarre situations. He called the film Spider Baby, and proof of its smashing success lies in the fact that almost no one has ever heard of it.

This musical deals with death, killings, sex, madness, greed but most of all love. It’s the story of Bruno, a caretaker who promised his dying master that he would stay in the home and always take care of the children left behind. Never mind that these kids are beyond insanity. They suffer from a rare malady that prevents them from judging the right or wrong of their actions – they simply do things out of impulse seldom knowing that what they do is wrong. Bruno tells them that no matter how bad a person is, there will always be someone who will love you. They believe it, and he lives it and when they commit their atrocities Bruno gladly and lovingly cleans up after them – which has often included disposing of bodies in the past.

The focal center is Virginia, a beautiful teenager with the mind of an eight year old. She likes to play “spider” which means that she wraps someone with rope or whatever is around, just as a spider wraps a bug in its web. Then she stings the “bug”, with a 12 inch kitchen knife. The results are not pretty.

One day a group of visitors shows up at the old house to determine the disposition of the property and pass it on to the rightful heir. Their lawyer has advised the grown brother and sister that their inheritance of the house could bring them wealth, but the children will have to be institutionalized. Virginia gets the urge to play “spider” and the rest is – well, you can imagine.

Acosta has written and developed the story staying close to the original script by Jack Hill. The songs advance the story and the actors do a terrific job in a tiny space with a wonderfully imaginative set. Mark Hugo has built a skewed house structure that echoes the silhouette of the house in the film “Psycho”. He uses plain, unpainted, bare wood as if to emphasize the raw events that will transpire and lighting designer Lisa Burns uses stark illumination contrasted with heavy shadows making the tabloid foreboding and sinister. One thing that comes across is that Acosta is an uber talented composer. While many of the songs are pure rock with over amplified guitar and drums which often drown out the lyrics, there are some soulful numbers (The Kiss) – some earsplitting hard core numbers (I Don’t Want to be Elizabeth) and a poignant guitar background that uses some Mexican style chords (It’s Not Nice to Hate). The sum of the parts is a unique show that has been said to be “an acquired taste”. If you are a fan of the genre that includes the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Little Shop of Horrors and similar films you will love this show.

The excellent cast includes Enrique Acosta as Bruno, Bianca Gisselle as Virginia and Dominique Cox as the older sister Elizabeth. Jose L. Hernandez plays Ralph, their equally disturbed brother. Tanya Wilkins and Jesse Seann Atkinson play Emily and Peter, the brother and sister who stand to inherit the old mansion. Katherine Goldman plays Ann, the secretary to Attorney Schlocker, played by David Clark and Ricardo Cota is a messenger who brings the news of the visit by the attorney, but is the first victim of Virginia’s Spider game. The messenger’s role rotates for each performance as the producers invite various persons to cover the one minute role. The show is directed by Helen Acosta.

Spider Baby The Musical is at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre through December 5, 2010.

Click here for ticket information.

Comments? Write to us at: Letters@ReviewPlays.Com