‘The Mousetrap’ opens this weekend at Theatre Palisades. Photo: Joy Daunis
This Weekend at Theatre Palisades
School is back in session and the long Labor Day weekend is upon us. That means its time to de-stress and enjoy some reasonably priced live entertainment.
“The Mousetrap,” presented by producers Nona Hale and Sherry Coon at Theatre Palisades, opens this weekend at the Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd.
Agatha Christie’s stage play had its world premiere at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham on October 6, 1952, and since then has continuously had productions performed world-wide.
In Christie’s autobiography, she had a conversation with Peter Saunders, who predicted that this play would have a 14-month run. “It won’t run that long. Eight months perhaps. Yes, I think eight months,” Christie replied.
Instead, this has become one of the author’s most beloved and enduring plays.
Set in England after World War II, a young couple Mollie and Giles Raston (Grace O’Neill and Carl Meyer-Curtis) have just opened a country hotel.
A snowstorm strands a group of strangers at their establishment that includes a spinster Mrs. Boyle (Peggy Flood), an architect Christopher Wren (Benjamin Orf), a retired military man Major Metcalf (Michael Bernstein), Miss Casewell (Antonia Czinger) and Mr. Paravicini (Mark Fields Davidson) who claims his car has overturned.
The conversation centers around the news of a murder that occurred in London. It soon becomes apparent that the murderer may be one of the people stranded. A policeman on skis, Detective Sergeant Trotter (Michael Coleman), arrives.
Directed by Marc Antonio Pritchett, the murderer’s identity is divulged near the end of the play, but by tradition, at the end of each performance, audiences will be asked not to reveal the identity of the killer.
The show runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., through October 8. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for seniors and students (which is cheaper than a local movie). Call: (310) 454-1970 or visit: theatrepalisades.org.