Drama’s 2015 Annual Student Produced One Act Festival sinks into blood and horror as the sun continues its descent into darkness. “Blood Relations” promises to emphasize both with an hour of horror and psychological tension. Produced by junior Thaddeus J. Tarshis and directed by senior Aditi Soin, the play, originally written by playwright Sharon Pollock, is the most nerve-wracking of the night. Resonant piano music and soft lights build the creepy atmosphere with the feeling of unnatural calm that contrasts with the knowledge that there will be blood.

“Blood Relations” tells the tale of the infamous Lizzie Borden murder case in which 32-year-old Lizzie Andrew Borden allegedly murdered her father and stepmother with an ax. She was, however, acquitted of the murder and lived her life hounded by those asking, “Did you really do it?”. The play starts in 1902, ten years after the crime and follows a mostly linear plot, with some jumps in time here and there, as an older Lizzie (junior Alexis Standridge) and her younger lesbian lover, who is referred to as the Actress (sophomore Christina M. Schuler), reenact the story as a play. The actual Lizzie plays the family’s maid, Bridget Sullivan, while the Actress plays a younger Lizzie. Bridget, played by the real Lizzie, sets the stage for each scene while the younger Lizzie, played by the Actress, acts them out. Bridget Lizzie is always in the background watch the others play out scenes from her past and occasionally whispers things into Actress Lizzie’s ear to give her directions. The plot itself skips between before the murder, during the court case, and the present day. The scenes are differentiated by lighting: reenactments have a light blue color, the court case scenes are stark white and the scenes with Dr. Patrick (sophomore Justin Singh) and reflective present day are an orange-red.

The play gives the full backstory and Lizzie’s possible motivations for the murder: her strained relations with Abigail Borden (junior Grace Geer), her cold stepmother; her aging father, Andrew Borden (Zach Sanchez), signing his property away to his brother-in-law instead of his own daughters; an unwanted marriage and much more. “Blood Relations” lacks subtlety regarding the murderer’s identity but the causes and intentions of the crime are anything but clear.

Both Lizzies seem neurotic to the extreme, their voices quivering with outrage and depression. They laugh with sarcasm and visibly daydream during their scenes. Standridge’s voice is heavy with the callous bitterness of years gone by while Schuler more openly outraged by the events transpiring around her. They both snap into a frenzy towards those closest to them and venomously accuse others of cowardice as they stumble closer and closer into the maws of madness.

The supporting cast helps to prop the two Lizzies up and highlight their neurosis. Sanchez serves perfectly as the father with good intentions but no understanding. His frustration while trying to maintain a nurturing yet commanding presence around his daughters is clearly visible. It is almost hard to say he is a bad father until he slaps Lizzie to shut her up.

While most of the story is told sitting at the table, the play is hardly boring. The tone is dark, the atmosphere tense and the actors volatile. For an hour long play, the experience is memorable, to say the least. For those looking for a emotionally charged, horrifically mad story to haunt their sleep, “Blood Relations” is definitely the play to watch.

Buy tickets to watch Blood Relations and the other student produced plays, Out Past the Rabbit Hole  and Devilish, this Sunday on May  17th from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $5 for one play, $8 for two, and $10 for all three.