[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE MOUSETRAP @ Great Lakes Theater

[Roy Berko]

*Classic MOUSETRAP, a mystery that is fun at Great Lakes Theatre; *



Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association and Cleveland Critics Circle)



During the pre-talk of the opening night production of THE MOUSETRAP,
William Fee, Great Lakes Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director, shared that
when the company was designing the 2011-2012 season, they wanted to add a
different dimension to their offerings.  The show selected had to take a
diverse approach to the usual offerings, but retain the theatre’s classic
tradition.



When someone suggested Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP, the play that
opened in 1952, and is still running in London, making it the longest
running theatrical production in the history of modern theatre, everyone
laughed.  It’s an old warhorse that everyone has seen.  Not quite.  When a
poll was taken of the laughers, all theatre experts, not one had ever seen
a professional production of the show. And, no one had seen a movie version
of the script.  Of course not.  The permission agreement states that no
movie will be made until the show ends its London run. Interest was peaked
and a decision was made to produce the show.  Easier said then done.



As Fee found when he tried to get only one professional production a year
is authorized.   But, since it is the 60th anniversary of the show, which
was originally written as a radio play in 1947, in honor of Queen Mary’s 80
th birthday, the producers are allowing 60 world-wide professional stagings.
GLT was fortunate to get one of the agreements.



Several other interesting tidbits surround the history of the show.  Christie’s
grandson was born on the day the play opened.  As a birth present the
author granted him full royalties to the script.  That means that all of
the pounds and dollars in income that have been made, have gone to the
future millionaire in swaddling clothes.   That’s one great present from
gram!



THE MOUSTRAP, which was originally entitled THREE BLIND MICE, was a bold
play for its time.  It was not only a fascinating who-done-it, with a great
twist at the end, but it is a well crafted piece in which clues are dropped
continually that lead to the revelation of the murderer.  It is a mystery
that probes what fear does to people and what happens when people are
crowded together.  It is also a play that, because it was not written to be
performed, but read on radio, has dialogue that is often hard to act.  It
has its own texture and word puzzles, and the action has to be created by
the director to make it visual rather than imagined.



At the start of the play, a woman is killed by someone whose identity is
shrouded by a hat, coat and scarf.  Who is this killer?



The scene shifts to Monkswell Manor, outside of London, where a group of
supposedly randomly assembled people gather.  Those present are the
proprietors of a newly opened English guest house, five visitors, and a
detective who arrives in order to protect the residents from the London
killer who, it is reported, has a connection to one or more of those at the
manor.  Hmmm!



A snow storm rages outside so no one can come or go.  The telephones stop
working.  One person is killed.  There is fear for the death of more.  The
audience spends its time trying to grasp the clues as to the identity of
the murder!



Who did it?  Since there is no butler, that option is erased. I know, but
I’m not telling.  You won’t either if you attend the GLT production.  At
the end of the show you will be sworn to secrecy, just as all audiences
have in the 60 year run of the script.  What happens if you tell the
untellable?  No one knows, but, are you willing to tempt the fates?

The GLT production, under the direction of Drew Barr, is generally good.  The
pacing is a little slow, the set is somewhat disconcerting with the
entrance areas confusing and a room filled with unexplained radios which
dominates the stage, is a distraction.  On the other hand, the acting is
excellent, the sound effects add to the mystery, and the incidental music
and lighting effects help build the tension.

David O’Byrne steals the show as the flighty, affected Christopher Wren.  He
is a total delight.  Laura Perrotta makes the uptight, complaining Mrs.
Boyle, a former judge, a figure to be reckoned with.  Fine performance here!
Sara Bruner, as the mannish Miss Casewell; Aled Davis, as the attentive
Major Metcalf; Jodi Dominick, as Mollie Ralston, the owner of the manor;
Tom Ford as Mr. Paravicini, he of fake Italian accent (hmm!); Dan Lawrence,
as intense Detective Sergeant Trotter; and Paul Hurley as Mollie’s
suspicious husband, are all excellent.

*Capsule judgement:  THE MOUSETRAP is a classic British murder mystery that
gets a good performance at Great Lakes Theatre and deserves to be seen.  It
is one of your only opportunities, unless you go to London, to experience
the creative genius of Agatha Christie’s script in a professional setting.*

-----------------------------

*Staged reading of HOUSE, DIVIDED*



Interplay Jewish Theatre presents a staged reading of HOUSE, DIVIDED, a new
drama by Larry Loebell on Sunday, March 25 at Dobama Theatre, 2340 Lee
Road, Cleveland Heights.  The play is a timely and challenging exploration
of faith, family and politics – and our collective failure to consider
other points of view. The playwright will conduct a discussion following
the performance.  Admission is free, donations will be accepted.  Reservations
are requested:  interplayjewishtheatre at gmail.com or 216-210-3150.



*Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001
through 2012, can be found at www.royberko.info. His reviews and commentary
can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and www.NeOHIOpal,
Broadwaynews.com and ArtsAmerica.org.*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20120311/1c52bfba/attachment-0003.htm>