“Three blind mice… Three blind mice..” the children’s song turns chilling in the longest running play in history, The Mousetrap. The play opens in a new boardinghouse operated by the naive and flustered Mollie [Malka Abrahams] and Giles Ralston [Simon Montague] who prepare for their first guests as a blizzard is coming in. In the background, the radio announces a nondescript murderer is on the loose and his description is wearing a dark hat and coat.
Even if you have seen the play already and know the plot, you’ll want to catch this production because of Leah Stoller’s incredibe casting. Despite the lack of scenery and props in the dress rehearsal, I find it impossible to resist being sucked in to the Holmesian world of detective delight and hanging off the edge of my seat to see what is going to happen next.
The setting of the play is just outside of London in the 1950s (when the play was first shown) and is delightfully quaint today. It’s antiquated feel lends to the authenticity and drama in an age where there is no DNA testing and cell phones to keep you connected and accounted for.
The guests begin arriving: Mrs Boyle [Jeanette Edry], a grumpy, posh old lady who would happily be anywhere else – except for some reason she doesn’t want to actually leave. Christopher Wren [Yoni Berman], a hyperactive young man with a passion for nursery rhymes and one of the creepiest people you’ll ever see. (I actually asked Yoni after the performance if he is that creepy in real life – He told me he’s studying
law.) Retired Major Metcalf [Marvin Meital], who seems to be thoroughly enjoying his stay and refuses rise to Mrs Boyle’s complaints about the establishment. Miss Casewell [Rivka Hirsch], a trend-setting, jet-setting woman who seems strangely familiar with the local area. And lastly, Mr Paravicini [Sam Minskoff] who arrives last minute because his Rolls-Royce got stuck in a snowdrift. His accent is atrociously fake and he has no luggage to speak of.
Once they all arrive and are properly snowed in with no hope of escape, Sgt. Trotter [Mark Johnson] arrives on skis to deliver a shocking warning: that the killer is most likely already at the boardinghouse and one of the guests is in danger – but who?
From that moment, the game is afoot and I found myself along with the rest of the audience trying to decipher the clues along with the Sgt. before it’s too late. The evidence is out there, but is so cleverly obfuscated with red herrings that even if you are sure who the killer is, you can’t help but have a sliver of doubt until the end.
The murder will take place at the Theatre at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel so come to The Mousetrap and put your powers of deduction to work solving the crime!
The play will show:
Wednesday, March 30 at 6 pm
Thursday, March 31 at 8 pm
Tuesday, April 5 at 6 pm
Wednesday, April 6 at 8 pm
Thursday, April 7 at 8 pm
Tickets may be ordered from Bimot (02-623-7000) or
http://www.bimot.co.il, and for group sales, from JEST (02-642-0908)
Why don’t you list prices?
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