Review: THE MOUSETRAP That Roars

Stray Dog Theatre is kicking it old school with their season opener, The Mousetrap. The world’s longest running play, it was originally penned by Agatha Christine as a radio drama before being staged literally everywhere since 1953.

With such a fabled history, staging The Mousetrap can often be a daring gambit. After all, its plot and characters have become deeply embedded in popular culture. Countless books, games, films, and television dramas have used its premise as a reference point that reviving it can be tricky business.

But not for Stray Dog Theatre. Director Gary Bell has given audiences a mystery with all the trimmings along with some sone fresh seasoning to keep it real. The murder, deception and intrigue remain; however, this production has subtly sprinkled in some moments of black comedy to keep things lively and give the play some fresh paint.

Set at the cozy Monkswell Manor during a dreadful snowstorm, The Mousetrap follows a popular Christie trope by bringing together a group of seemingly unrelated people and letting the drama unfurl from there.

The drama happens after the death of a local woman brings peril to the doorstep of the quiet villa’s guests, much to the chagrin of newlywed owners Mollie and Giles Rolston who have just opened. Things come to a head when Detective Sergeant Trotter arrives. Using skis to overcome the snow drifts, he informs the guests that a killer is in their midst.

It could be any of them, the fussbudget Mrs. Boyle, the kinetic Christopher Wren, the anxious Ms. Casewell, the creepy Mr. Paravicini whose arrival was seemingly by happenstance, or even the stiff upper-lipped Major Metcalf.  With so many potential suspects, each of whom is not who they claim to be, Detective Trotter has his work cut out for him.

His job becomes more difficult after a second murder happens, plunging the guests into fear and paranoia. From here the tension spirals frantically towards a surprising ending where the murderer is revealed after a mesmerizing series of plot twists.

Any good murder mystery needs a rich cast of characters. Luckily Stay Dog’s production is stacked with excellent performances that give these characters layers of intrigue and mystery.

While he is not on stage for the entirety of the production, Drew Mizell is excellent as the hard-boiled Detective Trotter. His charismatic performance gives the character a brash bravado that drives the angst in the second act.

Claire Coffey and Sean Seifert star as Mollie and Giles Ralston. Their portrayal of a newly married couple is realistic and poignant. Each actor is superb and the dynamics between them is enjoyable to watch.

Jayson Hell’s gloriously irritating Christopher Wren nearly steals the show. Alternating from buffoon to shrewd potential suspect, he gives the show its most complex and compelling character.

Embodying the role of Mrs. Doyle is Julie Healey. Saying her performance is unpleasant in every way is a compliment because the elder jurist she portrays is the drama’s most tempestuous character. Onstage Healey is impossible to ignore with her strong performance.

Rounding out the cast are the brilliantly over-the top Matt Anderson as Mr. Paravicini, and David Wassilak as the cerebral and calculating Major Metcalf. Shannon Campbell gives Miss Casewell a healthy dose of anguish, which perfectly creates the production’s most mysterious character.

A tantalizing whodunnit from start to finish, The Mousetrap roars with duplicity, scheming, and secrecy. We never completely know who these characters are, but we do know they each have an agenda that renders them as suspects. This juicy fact is amplified by the cast, who feed off these stratagems to intensify the drama.

Well-acted, suspenseful, and filled with vibrant costumes, The Mousetrap once again proves that it’s hard to beat a classic.

The Mousetrap plays at Tower Grove Abbey through February 17th. For tickets and information visit: Click Here

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