Front Row Reviewers

Oct 27, 2016 | Theater Reviews, Utah County

Highland’s The Mousetrap is Mysterious Fun for Halloween

Front Row Reviewers

Front Row Reviewers

mousetrap

I recently had the opportunity of seeing a murder mystery by Agatha Christie—perfect for the Halloween season! The performance of Mousetrap took place at Highland Community Center in Highland, Utah. I wondered what I was going to encounter when I entered a room that was unlike theaters that I am used to. With a small corner stage and chairs that had to be set up, I was dubious. But I was pleasantly proven that my worries were unnecessary.

Mousetrap takes place at a guesthouse in England in the 1950s. The Ralstons (Nicole Allen and Jake Allen), a newly married couple, have just opened the guesthouse, their first guests arrive, and as luck would have it they are all snowed in. Unluckily, they learn that a murder has taken place in London, and the killer is one of them. Clues roll forth as the audience and the characters try to figure out “whodunit” before one of them becomes the next victim.

The entire cast did a wonderful job in portraying their characters, my personal favorites being Christopher Wren (Tanner Spear) and Mrs. Boyle (Kathy Castleton.)  Some faltering with British accents and a few botched lines—understandable with opening night jitters—did not detract from each character’s personality coming through. Their comedic timing was excellent—I was surprised to find myself laughing as much as I did in a play about murder, but it was a good, even balance. This play requires much from the actors beyond their dialogue, as much of the clues were found in their facial expressions and body language. They did not disappoint. I found myself constantly looking from character to character, trying to see what each actor was doing to see if I could piece together the mystery. I could tell that director Gabriel Spencer helped his actors create believable characters. It’s easy to over-act in a mystery like this.

With this tiny venue, I was especially impressed with the set the cast and crew created. It transformed the room and looked as I would expect a cozy room in a hotel in the 1950s. There were a couple of glitches with the sound and a set piece, but that was easily forgotten as the cast made use of a window as well as their various props. The costuming was ideal for the time period, and fit the characters’ personalities. And the lighting was well done, showing different times in the day and playing its own role, which worked quite well.

The doctor also works to recognize the current issues with an erection, ejaculation & try content generic levitra cheap sexual wish. Nervousness among them is a typical event of a best price tadalafil body’s response to an apparent or envisioned threat. You deserve to have the absolute best treatment possible so that you can viagra online prescription deeprootsmag.org get back to living life the way he wants. However, ordering and paying online is absolutely safe and secure, it is absolutely legal and is regulated by the progesterone cheap cialis from canada and estrogen hormones.
Even with a couple of hiccups, I greatly enjoyed this production. The cast worked very well together. The atmosphere with the stage and close audience made me feel a part of the production—a nice touch when I was also trying to solve the mystery. I highly recommend the play to anyone looking for a good mystery, a chance to laugh, and some Halloween-themed entertainment.

It runs October 27-29 7:30 pm, with a special 10:00 performance on Halloween with the murderer revealed at midnight.

Highland Community Center 5378 w. 10400 n. Highland 84003

$8.00-$10.00

Front Row Reviewers

Front Row Reviewers

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AlphaOmega Captcha Classica  –  Enter Security Code