Theatrical Review: The Mouse Trap

THE MOUSE TRAP
Written by: Agatha Christie
Directed by: Sue Butler*
Theatrical Review by: Paul Adam Smeltz

The Shawnee Playhouse* in Shawnee on the Delaware, PA presented The Center Stage Players‘* production of “The Mouse Trap” by Agatha Christie. Besides being a classic whodunit written by the renowned “Queen of Crime,” “The Mouse Trap” is also noteworthy of holding the record for the longest initial run in the world as it opened at the Ambassadors Theatre in London, UK on in 1952 and is still running after more than 23,000. True to the authors beloved style, the play has all the elements an Agatha Christie novel is known to contain.

There is a murder with suspects galore and a detective who confronts them all at once as he seeks to reveal the culprit and discover whodunit. In the meantime, the audience (as do Ms. Christie’s readers) spend the entire play trying to solve the mystery presented before them. When the revelations finally come, some go away proclaiming “Aha, I know it was him/her” while others admit they were mistaken. Regardless of an audience member’s crime solving prowess, the play proved to be as delightful as Ms. Christie’s other works.

The Center Stage Players‘* production of Agatha Christie’s “The Mouse Trap” kept this delightful experience well intact. The acting and blocking was right on matching the flavor of the times of which it was written. This production managed to maintain the play’s original charm while instilling some of its own.

The cast consisted of Dan Eash* (who also serves on The Center Stage Players’* Board of Directors and also served as the production’s Co-Set Designer) who portrayed Giles Ralston who runs Monkswell Manor which is a boarding house where all the characters (aka Murder suspects) come to stay along with his wife Mollie Ralston who was portrayed by Jennifer Serowick. Their guests are Miss. Casewell as portrayed by Juliet Dunham, Christopher Wren as portrayed by Robin Kessler*, Major Metcalfe as portrayed by John Baptiste*, Detective Sergeant Trotter as portrayed by Patrick Turner* (who also serves on The Center Stage Players’* Board of Directors and also served as the production’s Co-Set Designer), Mrs. Boyle as portrayed by Pat Van Varick* (who also serves on The Center Stage Players’* Board of Directors), and the mysterious unexpected guest Mr. Paravicini as portrayed by Jack Butler* (who also served as the production’s Co-Set Designer).

The Shawnee Playhouse* presentation of The Center Stage Players’* production of “The Mouse Trap” by Agatha Christie was Directed by Sue Butler* who also designed the production’s set and serves as The Center Stage Players’* President. The Center Stage Players’* Vice President is Mary Erm*. The production was Stage Managed by Lillian Ramirez-Gonzalez* who also serves as The Center Stage Player’* Secretary. The Lighting Design was done by Arthur Ritter while The Light/Sound Technicians were Eric Dwyer* and Katherine Neville* who also serves as The Center Stage Players’* Treasurer. The Executive Director of The Shawnee Playhouse* is Midge McClosky* while the producers are Ginny and Charlie Kirkwood*. Group Sales of the productions are handled by Mary Horn* (who also served as a member of the Box Office Staff with Becky Haskell) while The Shawnee Playhouse publicity is handled by Amy Cramer*.

This presentation of The Center Stage Players’* production of “The Mouse Trap” by Agatha Christie will continue its run at The Shawnee Playhouse* in Shawnee on the Delaware, PA until October 25th and is recommended to those who like a good old fashion murder mystery and would like to spend an evening is trying to discover whodunit. The next Shawnee Playhouse* in Shawnee on the Delaware, PA presentations will be their production of “The Gin Game” October 30th - November 8th, “An O Henrey Christmas” November 20th - December 20th, The Shawnee Playhouse Children Theatre Production of “A Wu=innie the Pooh Christmas Carol” presented November 28th December 19th, and The Shawnee Playhouse 31st Annual Messiah Sing In Concert on Tuesday December 22nd.
Please contact The Shawnee Playhouse* at 570-421-5093 or Explore their Website at www.theshawneeplayhouse.com for more information and to reserve your ticket. Please feel free to Explore The Center Stage Players’* Website at www.centerstageplayers.org to learn more information about them.

Those who enjoy the Passionate Art Lover level of membership in The Forwardian Arts Society are offered a $2.00 discount off the admission fee of selected The Shawnee Playhouse* Productions.

Photograph provided by The Shawnee Playhouse and depicts Pat Van Varick, Dan Eash, Patrick Turner, Jennifer Serowick, Juliet Dunham, and Jack Butler in The Center Stage Players production of “The Mouse Trap.”

(*) denotes members of The Forwardian Arts Society in good standing and are considered Our Good Friends.