Review: THE BODY SNATCHER at The Alley Theatre

Originally a short story written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1884, this haunting tale has been freshly adapted for the stage by actress-turned-playwright Katie Forgette. Under the direction of the Alley’s Associate Artistic Director Brandon Weinbrenner, the production retains its Victorian Gothic milieu, full of fog, flickering lamplight, and moral unease.

The story centers on Dr. Robert Noakes, who is desperate to save his daughter Elizabeth (or Lizzy), who suffers from a severe heart condition. Believing that an experimental transplant may be her only chance, Noakes turns to Fettes, a shady “resurrectionist” (or body snatcher) who supplies cadavers illicitly to the medical school for research. Meanwhile, Lizzy grows close to Dr. John Brook, a young physician and student of Noakes. As the story spirals toward its dark conclusion, moral lines blur, secrets emerge, and the play poses the chilling question: How far will a parent go for their child…and at what cost?

David Rainey anchors the production as Dr. Noakes, celebrating his 25th season as a member of the Alley’s Resident Acting Company. Rainey’s range is on full display as Noakes devolves from a dignified professor into a desperate doctor consumed by grief and obsession. By the final moments, we feel as frantic and breathless as he does.

Alyssa Marek brings warmth and vitality to Elizabeth, her energy and spirit radiating even as she spends much of the play confined to a wheelchair. Her portrayal is both earnest and endearing, and she immediately draws us in. Luis Quintero, as Dr. John Brook, shares wonderful chemistry with Marek, harkening back to his Gentleman Caller role in The Glass Menagerie. His performance is thoughtful and grounded, perfectly balancing tenderness and moral unease.

Carolyn Johnson plays Mrs. Keene, assistant to Noakes and nurse to Lizzy. Though a smaller role, Johnson is superb and captivates whenever she’s onstage. Sophia Marcelle gives a memorable turn as Alice Parker, a young girl whose fate becomes entwined with Noakes’ dark ambitions. In a part that could easily tip into hysteria, Marcelle delivers depth and range, charting Alice’s emotional descent with precision.

Brandon Hearnsberger (Fettes) continues to impress. His physicality and sharp specificity of the characters he plays makes him a standout in any production. At this point, it’s hard not to wonder when he’ll be inducted into the Alley’s Resident Company.

As always, the Alley’s Neuhaus Theatre enriches the experience with context, offering audience members fascinating insight into the real 19th-century “resurrection men” who inspired Stevenson’s story. Yu Shibagari’s scenic design is dynamic and richly detailed: a “textured” floor with layered oriental rugs evoke both opulence and decay, while cleverly arranged set pieces transform seamlessly between parlor, lab, and graveyard. Pablo Santiago’s lighting and Matt Starritt’s sound design enhance the gothic tension, creating a world that feels at once historical and nightmarishly alive. Asta Bennie Hostetter’s costumes elegantly capture the period, uniting characters through an understated green motif that hints at sickness, envy, and decay.

The first act occasionally lingers under the weight of exposition, but the second act quickens with urgency and emotional payoff. What begins as a slow-burning mystery builds into something chilling and surprisingly moving. Perfectly timed for the spooky season, THE BODY SNATCHER offers both entertainment and intrigue; a macabre meditation on science, sacrifice, and the fine line between devotion and madness.

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