Cast delivers twists, intrigue in Christie’s classic whodunnit
Whodunnit a hit . . . Dunedin actress Terry MacTavish, who plays Mrs Boyle in Agatha Christie’s the Dunedin Repertory Society’s season of the show sell out before opening night.
THE Mousetrap, easily the bestknown of Agatha Christie’s plays, has run almost continuously in London since its first performance in 1952. For the second time (the first was in 2011), the Dunedin Repertory Society has been granted its famously hardtoget performing rights.
The play has standard Christie components: an isolated guest house, a snowstorm, a bunch of strangers (not one of whom is exactly what they seem), a dead phone line and a murder.
This one has a link to historical events with which almost everyone seems to be concealing some sort of connection.
Someone must have done it, and after many, many plot convolutions, insinuations, suspicions and false leads, we find out who it was.
The surprisingly unguessable ending is a secret faithfully kept by audiences over the past seven decades.
The Dunedin Repertory Society’s production has been ably directed by Dylan Shield.
All performances are highly capable: Kimberley Buchan as the guest house’s eager but inexperienced hostess; Alfie Richardson as her ungracious husband; Zac Henry suitably foppish as an
The Mousetrap Playhouse Theatre Thursday, May 19 insecure, dandyish architect; Terry MacTavish as an imperious judge; Brent Caldwell as a hearty British major; Rosie Collier as an independent young woman; Andrew Wicken as an expressive Italian; and Chris Cook as a skiing detective.
The set, depicting the interior of Monkswell Manor, is adequate, if not particularly inspired.
Costumes are true to the period, right down to the tweed coats and seamed nylons.
A nice touch was the provision, in the interval, of a wellknown toasted cheesy treat.
About 50 people enjoyed the socially distanced opening on Thursday evening, taking advantage of an alltoorare (thanks to Covid) opportunity for a night at the theatre and joining the millions who have already seen The Mousetrap.
The season, ending on May 28, is already sold out.