Murder mystery ‘Mousetrap’ keeps audiences guessing until the end

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

COTTONWOOD SHORES — The thrill of a mystery is trying to figure out “whodunnit” before the heroic sleuth. But when Agatha Christie is the brains behind the story, you might walk out of the theater saying, “I never saw that coming.”

“The Mousetrap,” which opens April 23 at the Hill Country Community Theatre, will do just that to the audience.

“It’s a classic mystery, but it has a wonderful twist at the end that just leaves you … well, it’s just incredible,” said Mike Rademaekers, the theater’s executive director. “Agatha Christie is one of the most published novelists in history, and it’s because, I think, she could tell a great mystery that really got you thinking.”

Along with being a tremendous novelist, Christie also earned quite a reputation as a playwright. One of her best plays is “The Mousetrap.” The story centers around a group of strangers who find themselves trapped in a boarding house during a snowstorm.

And since this is a murder mystery, somebody’s life gets abruptly cut short at the hands of one of the other occupants.

It’s up to intrepid detective Sgt. Trotter, played by Glen Bird, to ford through all the suspects and uncover their secrets to determine the culprit.

“Agatha Christie has you guessing the whole time,” Rademaekers said. “It could be anybody.”

“The Mousetrap” has been leaving audiences guessing since 1952, when it first opened at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham, England. The play has ran for more than 60 continuous years. That adds up to more than 25,000 performances at London’s West End.

That doesn’t include the thousands of other performances around the world.

“The fact it’s ran so long shows just how much people enjoy it,” Rademaekers said.

“The Mousetrap” runs April 23-May 3 with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:15 p.m. Sundays. All the shows are at the Hill Country Community Theatre, 4003 FM 2147 in Cottonwood Shores.

Tickets for the production are $20 for adults and $10 for children and students with valid identification. Reservations may be made starting April 13 for theater members and April 16 for the general public by calling the box office at (830) 798-8944 or visiting www.thehcct.org.

“Oddly enough, though it’s been an extremely popular play, it’s never been made into a movie,” Rademaekers said. “So, you can’t say, ‘Oh, I’ve seen the movie.’ The only way you can see ‘The Mousetrap’ is on the stage. And the next production is on our stage here at HCCT.”

daniel@thepicayune.com

CAST INCLUDES: Glen Bird as Detective Sergeant Trotter, Wendy Ferrell as Miss Casewell, Holden Fox as Christopher Wren, Laura Gisi as Mollie Ralston, Joe Harrod as Mr. Paravicini, Randy L. Hilmer as Major Metcalf, Patrick Lescarbeau as Giles Ralston, and Sally Stemac as Major Malone. Bird will serve as stage manager.