Northlight delivers polished revival of Christie's 'Mousetrap'
Mystery aficionados may not rank Agatha Christie's “The Mousetrap” among her greatest works. As theatrical whodunits go, it's not especially challenging, especially to anyone familiar with the genre's conventions — conventions Christie helped establish and expertly employed.
That said, this droll, well-conceived, manor house mystery has staying power. It opened in London's West End in 1952 and never closed.
Northlight Theatre's entertaining revival is exactly the sort of polished production typical of this suburban stalwart. It's also the kind of savvy, assured production we expect from helmer Jonathan Berry, an artistic associate with Griffin and Steep theaters, in his Northlight directing debut.
There's nothing fake or campy about Berry's respectful yet amusing “Mousetrap.”
Authentic emotion and subtle humor animate the performances, and genuine tension underscores the relationships between the characters — a group of strangers stranded by a blizzard and stalked by a killer.
That tension is deliciously conveyed by Cora Vander Broek and Keith Neagle, who play newlyweds whose prickly suspicions suggest a couple who don't know each other as well as they think. In fact, the challenge of whether we ever really know other people — even those closest to us — is one of the play's themes.
Yet “The Mousetrap” is fundamentally a mystery tale. It unfolds at the remote Monkswell Manor (another fine design from Jack Magaw), a tweedy, lived-in, decidedly unglamorous estate located in the English Midlands.
After inheriting the estate from her aunt, newlywed Mollie Ralston (a convincing, compassionate Vander Broek) and husband Giles (Neagle) turned it into a guesthouse. In a case of bad timing, they open on the eve of a blizzard, hours after a woman is discovered murdered in her nearby apartment.
First to arrive is the flighty, disheveled, overly enthusiastic Christopher Wren, named for the renowned 17th century architect and played by the boyishly endearing Joey deBettencourt, who looks like he stepped out of Griffin Theatre's “Spring Awakening,” also directed by Berry.
On his heels comes the brusque, critical Mrs. Boyle (Laura T. Fisher). who arrives at the same time as Major Metcalf, a genial, retired soldier played by Patrick Clear. Next to arrive is the mannish Miss Casewell (the darkly sardonic Lindsey Pearlman), who shares with the group news of the aforementioned murder. The only foreigner among this group of Brits, Mr. Paravicini (Joe Dempsey in fine form as the play's comic relief), turns up after his car becomes stuck in a snowdrift. Last to arrive is Sergeant Trotter (Greg Matthew Anderson, every bit the stalwart hero), dispatched on skis by local police to uncover the murderer among the manor's residents.
Red herrings and revelations abound, of course. But revealing them would spoil the ending that audiences around the world have kept for 62 years. So if you go — and I recommend you do if you love mysteries — mum's the word.
“The Mousetrap”
★ ★ ★
<b>Location: </b>Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, (847) 673-6300 or <a href="http://northlight.org">northlight.org</a>
<b>Showtimes: </b>1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 14. No 7:30 p.m. show Nov. 26, 27 or Dec. 2. No 7 p.m. show Nov. 23 and Dec. 14
<b>Running time: </b>About two hours, 15 minutes with intermission
<b>Tickets:</b> $25-$78
<b>Parking: </b>Free parking in lot
<b>Rating:</b> For teens and older