By Mary Harney Hilarious antics ensue within a home in 1960s Britain when young partners in crime Hal McLeavey and Dennis, an undertaker’s assistant, stash the loot they stole from a bank in a coffin whilst preparing for the funeral of Hal’s mother, whose corpse gets removed to make room for the loot. Matters are complicated by the corrupt Truscott, “disguised” as a metropolitan waterboard officer; the shifty nurse Fay, who was supposedly caring for the late Mrs. McLeavy; a grieving, righteous Mr. McLeavey; and his wife’s corpse showing up everywhere. Hal and Dennis want to run off to the Continent with the money, Truscott upends the house to find it, and Fay quickly reveals herself to be a fortune hunter as well. This revival of playwright Joe Orton’s Loot by the Edge of the Universe Theater in Arlington combines witty performances and an intricate design to craft a show worthy of Orton’s script and his farcical but dead-serious interrogation of British society and its hypocrisies.  Sabrina Lynne Sawyer (Fay), Max Jackson (Hal), Jesse Terrill (McLeavy), and Max Johnson (Dennis) in ‘Loot.’ Photo by Chris Ferenzi/Courtesy of Edge of the Universe Theater. Set designer Kylph Stanford and prop designer Heidi Castle-Smith transport us to a middle-class house in the 1960s. The green flower-patterned walls are covered with framed works of religious imagery and two crosses, revealing a religiously devout household in the midst of grief. The coffin is centered in the room, surrounded by wreaths, and a black coat is laid on an armchair.  The costumes are deftly designed by Lauren K. Lambie to reflect each character and help in telling the story. Mr. McLeavey’s green vest corresponds to the house’s color scheme, expressing his belief in morals. Mrs. McLeavy’s black dress and the shawl worn by Fay as she pressures Mr. McLeavy to become her next husband — the others all met untimely deaths — hint at a central motive of most of the characters: unbridled greed. In the middle of the play, Mr. McLeavy and Dennis suddenly reemerge in battered clothing, after a fiery and fatal car accident on the way to the funeral. That leads to still more chaos. Every actor plays their character with a canny absurdity that realizes the script’s satire and humor, balancing the facade of British social values with their hidden rot. Each witty zinger is said with superb comedic timing. Max Jackson portrays Hal’s greed for money and disregard for any moral values by plunging into casual depravity. Playing his cheerfully disreputable mate, Max Johnson with his gum chewing conveys Dennis’ dopey craftiness. Sabrina Lynne Sawyer, playing Nurse Fay, skillfully expresses her snooty malice with her clasped hands, stiff posture, and cross in hand.David Bryan Jackson (Max Jackson’s real-life father) comedically plays off of his fellow cast members and conveys Truscott’s blatant corruption and arrogance with the confidence in his manner and his nonchalant way of holding a pipe as he delivers one outrageous line after another. When an increasingly desperate Mr. McLeavy appeals for help from the law, Truscott blithely responds, “I don’t know where you pick up these slogans, sir. Maybe on billboards.” Toward the end, he sees promise in Hal’s treachery, telling him, “We’ve got vacancies on the force for a lad of your caliber.”Jesse Terrill hilariously plays an oblivious and righteous McLeavy, who quickly learns that his wife’s death is just the beginning of his troubles. John Stange delivers humor to a scene as Meadows, a clueless police officer.  Sabrina Lynne Sawyer (Fay), Jesse Terrill (McLeavy), Max Johnson (Dennis), John Stange (Meadows), David Bryan Jackson (Truscott), and Max Jackson (Hal) in ‘Loot.’ Photo by Chris Ferenzi/Courtesy of Edge of the Universe Theater. The great direction by Stephen Jarrett translates the comedic tone and themes of Orton’s story to the audience. The execution — from the manner in which actors delivered their lines to the actions characters took — successfully combined various elements, whether it’s Hal desperately hiding his mother’s clothes or a hole opening in the coffin, threatening to reveal the stolen loot.  Mr. McLeavy wholeheartedly believes in the laws and institutions meant to serve the public and hold society together, but the ground beneath him is torn asunder by the criminals under his own roof and an inspector who amiably breaks the law instead of upholding it. Various aspects come together to deliver a spectacular rendition of Joe Orton’s script, from the opening to what in 1965 might have seemed like a shocking ending.  Running Time: 110 minutes, including an intermission. Loot plays through June 28, 2026, presented by Edge of the Universe Theater, performing at Gunston Arts Center Theatre Two, 2700 S. Lang St, Arlington, VA. Purchase tickets ($25 for general admission) online. Written by Joe Orton, Directed by Stephan Jarrett, Set Design by Kylph Stanford, Costume Design by Lauren K. Lambie, Lighting Design by David Smith, Sound Design by David Bryan Jackson, Original Music by David Bryan Jackson and Max Jackson, Props Design by Heidi Castle-Smith, Assistant Props Designer: Elias Hall, Production Stage Management by David Elias, Assistant Production Stage Manager: Melanie Kurtz, Casting by Adrienne Nelson, Production Management by David Smith, Associate Production Manager: Shannon Lewis, Fight Direction by Lorraine Ressegger-Slone, Head Carpenter: Matthew Marsland, Carpenters: Joshua Lucas and Spencer Munshi, Master Electrician: Jay Valdesere, Electrician: Jackie Miller, Scenic Painters: Hannah Marron and Kelsie Schlitching, Production Generalist: Miranda Austin Lautz-Tharp Featuring Sabrina Lynnes Sawyer as Fay, Jesse Terrill as McLeavy, Max Jackson as Hal, Max Johnson as Dennis, David Bryan Jackson as Truscott, and John Stange as Meadows ...read more read less