Gallery 7 Theatre presents its final production of the season, Agatha Christie’s most popular play, The Mousetrap, starting Friday, May 18.
Intrigue surrounds six strangers stranded at an English boarding house during a snowstorm when one among them is murdered.
The suspects include the newly married couple running the guest house, a spinster with an obscure background, an architect more suited to be a chef, a retired army major, and an unexpected arrival whose car has overturned in the snow.
The job of solving the murder falls to a policeman, whose investigation rattles nerves and shakes many a skeleton in the closet.
Directing The Mousetrap is Kate Muchmore Woo, who last directed Enchanted April for the theatre and is the department chair of theatre at Trinity Western University in Langley.
“This play is a lot of fun. Will the mouse be caught? Who is chasing the mouse? WHO is the mouse?” says Muchmore Woo.
“So many mysteries, and so many opportunities for characters to chase each other, trying to trap others in their lies and expose their secrets, maybe even carrying out a murder. The chase is indeed thrilling.”
Ken Hildebrandt, the theatre’s executive/artistic director, said it was only natural to have Gallery 7 finish its “Mysteries of Life” season with an Agatha Christie production.
“I think audiences of all ages are in for a real fun night trying to solve the case before the characters do,” he said.
Hildebrandt also performs in the show following a seven-and-a-half-year hiatus from acting.
The Mousetrap holds the title of the longest running show in history. It opened in London in 1953, celebrated its 25,000th performance in 2012, and continues to be performed at the St. Martin’s Theatre today.
The play also holds the distinction of being the longest running play in Canada, opening at the Toronto Truck Theatre in 1977 and running until early 2004. After 26 years, the play had received over 9,000 performances.
Gallery 7 Theatre’s production will feature performers from across the Fraser Valley.
Playing Mollie and Giles, the guest house novice proprietors, will be Claudia Fraser and Adriel Brandt.
Christopher Wren, a hyperactive young man, will be played by James Xavier Lam, while Mrs. Boyle, the crotchety retired judge, will be performed by Tamara Charman.
Andrew Abrahams will take on the role of Major Metcalf, while the astute young detective, Trotter, will be played by Thomas Smith. The role of Mr. Paravicini will be played by Hildebrandt.
The Mousetrap runs May 18 and 19 and 23-26 at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on May 19 and 26 at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, 32315 South Fraser Way.
Visit gallery7theatre.com for tickets and more information or call House of James at 604-852-3701.