"The Mousetrap"

Now, I like a good sleuth-style show. "The Mousetrap" is one I've stage managed in my past and I still enjoy it.

Button Theatre presented 'The Mousetrap" by Agatha Crhistie and I have to give props to Red Clay THeatre, where this was performed:

My God! What a gorgeous space and house!!! The seating was fantastic, the seats were comfortable, it wasn't too terribly hot or cold, the lighting was situated and hung perfectly, the lobby wasn't too small, nor too big - just lovely! The bathroom situation for the patrons is about the same as it is at 14th Street Playhouse: not enough stalls for the women. But hey, it is what it is.

My immediate props to Lighting Designer, Kelly Knowlton, for working well with Set Designer, Christopher Dills. Nicely done! The set was amazing and the attention to detail was superb. The lighting complimented the space very well, even helping with the darkness outside the windows to depict the winter and nighttime. My prayers to the crew for replacing the panel on the desk that came off in second act. SuperGlue, anyone?

Clint Horne, the Costume Designer, gets my praise on the dresses and suits. Very stylish, very classy, very fitting for every character. But Clint always does good work.

Caitlin Bruggeman played Mollie Ralston. Absolutely wonderful! Her performance was believable, was charming when it needed to be, and suspicious when the play called for it. She kept her British accent the entire show! Never faultered! Well done!

Mrs. Boyle, played very well by Parks Stamper, was a character the audience wished for dead and got their wish by the end of Act 1. Very well done by Ms. Stamper to be a character that played a very "negative Nancy" to the crew that resided in the Manor.

Major Metcalf, played by Bob Smith, was very believeable with the slight exception of the British accent that kept fading to a more American sound. But wow - well done on the costumes on him!

For Miss Casewell, played by Erin Leigh Bushko, the only problem was the cigarette: granted, most theaters do not permit live fire, but she kept puffing on it too often. In natural smoking, one doesn't puff on a cig that often. It was almost every other line. Best example would be any woman playing Sally in "Cabaret" - every actress that has played her has done a great job in mimicking the breaks in smoking a cig. Other than that, Miss Bushko did a great job being suspicious as well in this show.

Mr. Paracicini, played by Barry Hopkins, was a character I wanted dead at the get-go. A French accent for a man with an Italian last name? I wasn't buying it. Perhaps it's because I know the show, but come on - "non-discript" should not be immediately distinct. If he had combined a good bit of French and maybe two other dialects, that might have worked.

And Sgt. Trotter, played by John Stephen King, was right on point: kept his accent, kept his mannerisms and did a wonderful job of making everyone think everyone else was suspect. My props to Mr. King, not only for his eerie name, but to his performance.

In Act I.2, when Miss Casewell turned on the radio, there issued forth a really Asian or Indian sound from the radio cue. It was awful. I understand it was to chase Mrs. Boyle out of the room, but...ugh! Something more up-beat of the time would have been more appropriate. And leveling it out totally at some point would have been better, too.

All in all a good night at the theatre. I look forward to many more shows at the Red Clay's gorgeous theater!