Bethany Yanchick, Max De Buys, and Jack Pawlak in The Mousetrap
You've probably heard of The Mousetrap. Astonishingly, the legendary, wildly popular whodunit – its stage version based on a short story by Agatha Christie (itself based on her 1947 radio play) – has never won, or even been nominated for, a Tony. That's because it's never played on Broadway. However, it's been running continuously in London's West End theatre district for roughly 72 years now (allowing for a necessary suspension during the pandemic), and although film rights were bought in the '50s, a movie adaptation can't be made until after the play closes.
No clue when that will be, but great news – you can see it this weekend! Augustana College's current rendition of Christie's classic script is directed by assistant professor of theatre arts Jennifer Popple, and it's an amusing, polished, and often captivating good time.
Set in 1952 (the year the play debuted), The Mousetrap's action centers on a just-opened, semi-rural guest house outside London. I was immediately drawn into the little world of this slightly run-down manor owned by Giles and Mollie Ralston. Both are on edge about the launch, and with no staff, the guest services and upkeep of the entire place is on their shoulders. They don't know that matters are about to get much worse.
After the guests arrive and a detective makes an unexpected appearance, we learn that a note with the manor's address was found at a murder scene. Compounding that dread is the burgeoning snowstorm. Given the closed roads, the only way out is on a pair of skis, which has gone missing. An isolated location, no one able to enter or leave, everyone a possible murderer or victim … . Well, that's so cliché, isn't it? It's basic. It's mid, right? Not so fast. Christie, the Queen of Mystery, essentially invented the subgenre of the closed-circle murder in 1920.
In The Mousetrap, the individuals' “eccentricities,” or, more plainly, differences from the average, make each one a suspect in the others' minds. Much snippiness is afoot. This one's young; that one has messy hair; one has an accent. Shocking! The taciturn, reserved guest is obviously suspicious. The outgoing, loquacious one is clearly guilty of something. Here's a condescending, churlish complainer, plainly up to no good. And – gasp! – that woman is wearing pants! Goodness gracious! Originally, audiences likely took it as read that at least some of these attributes were truly dodgy. Now, the characters' irritation and disdain for one another work as comedic fodder.
Popple's entire cast performs admirably, and I'd seen and enjoyed most of them in previous Augustana productions. On Thursday night, I also suspected every one of them to be the killer at one point or another. The acting is smooth and natural (except when their characters are meant to be rough and odd), and all the accents, including posh Londoner and languid Italian, are executed wonderfully, with at least partial credit going to dialect coach James Wheeler.
Bethany Yanchick, as Mollie, is the quintessential polite, if flustered, Englishwoman. (Yanchick will perform Sunday, and Vanessa Williams will take the role on Saturday.) Jack Pawlak, playing Giles, is also pleasant but harried, and more concerned with protecting his wife from lotharios than from murderers. Max De Buys portrays the garrulous Christopher Wren, who humorously wanders around making himself at home. Madeline Hutchinson is sour, but deliciously so, as Mrs. Boyle, the arrogant, picky loudmouth we love to hate.
Kallik Ewen plays the good-natured Major Metcalf, who refreshingly refrains from denigrating the others. Lydia Benesh, as the stand-offish Miss Casewell, nevertheless projects airs of fear and vulnerability. Callum Tait portrays Mr. Paravicini, delighted at every aspect of the accommodations and every little incident, even those that alarm the rest. Boasting plenty of acting experience, first-year student Tait is making his debut appearance in an Augustana show – I hope to see him onstage again soon.
Ryan Sondgeroth, meanwhile, plays Sergeant Trotter, who unnerves everyone with his accusations. Most of Act II consists of the detective drawing out “the big reveal” – Poirot-like, he walks us through the damning evidence suggesting that every one of them has a motive for murder. This device is an enduring specialty of Christie's which inspired other writers into the television era and beyond. And I'm sorry, Aggie – I love you, but Trotter's “J'accuse!” routine went on a bit too long for my 21st-century short-attention-span mind to handle.
Set designer Mike Turczynski, who also designed the lighting and sound, does his usual exquisite job of creating a pleasing, functional place to play. Rather than solid walls, we see the usually hidden framework behind them, and the property's age and slightly tatty condition are conveyed well by the roughly painted wood. Unfortunately, the set also over-amplified the sound of characters walking, a distraction augmented by some of the actors speaking too quickly and quietly for me to hear every word.
Then again, I did see Augustana's latest on opening night; tempo and volume will likely continue to improve during the run. And regardless, The Mousetrap is a solid, fun time at the theatre – an absorbing mystery, but one with a light touch, fascinating characters, and, of course, a surprise ending. I urge you to see it.
The Mousetrap runs at Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center (3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL) through November 16, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu/arts/ticket-office.
