Turning tradition on its head, Studio Arena strayed from their usual fare, Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," in favor of Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap."
Set in an English guesthouse approximately 30 miles from London, "The Mousetrap" is based on a radio play Christie wrote for the late Queen Mary's 80th birthday in 1947. The significant snowfall of that year's winter was the obvious inspiration behind Christie's choice of setting for this quintessential murder mystery.
Mollie and Giles Ralston - played by Kaitlin O'Neal and Coleman Zeigen, respectively - prepare to open their newly inherited home to lodgers. The first to arrive is the flighty, flaming Christopher Wren (Michael Zlabinger, "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" and "MTV's Undressed").
Chris and Mollie hit it off immediately, encouraging Giles' jealousy. Why Giles would be suspicious of Chris is a bit mystifying, considering Chris' blunt, humorously expressed taste in partners.
Later arrivals include the cool Miss Casewell (Katie White, from Buffalo United Artists' "Servicemen"), the stodgy Mrs. Boyle (Jeanne Cairns), Major Metcalf (Ian Stuart), and the mysterious Mr. Paravicini, played by UB's own Richard Wesp. When the Ralston's radio reports the murder of a woman in London and describes the suspect in terms that could fit almost anyone, everyone is put on edge.
Suspicions are aggravated by the arrival of Detective Sergeant Trotter (Cameron Folmar), who reveals that the murderer is likely among those staying at Monkswell Manor (the Ralston's house) - as is the murderer's next victim.
It is refreshing to see a holiday performance that does not directly reference the holiday. Instead, "The Mousetrap" uses a clever incorporation of snow and chill - the theater itself was brisk enough to require long sleeves - to evoke the claustrophobic nature of being locked in a house on a cold winter day.
"The Mousetrap" is the longest-running play in the world, having been shown in London continuously since it opened in 1952. However, the story lacks clear character development - a feature demanding strong actors be cast in the roles to keep the characters from dropping into obscurity. This is accomplished with varying degrees of success in Studio Arena's current production.
Most notable is the performance of Michael Zlabinger, whose Wren is fidgety and overzealous but also warm and human. Zlabinger never descends into blatant caricature and displays a caring nature that instantly draws the sympathy of the audience. His hair is the only thing that seems out of place, with an attempt at a cowlick that looks more like David Boreanaz's hairspray-laden hair on a still afternoon.
Richard Wesp's Mr. Paravicini is also adept. Although the part is not a large one, Wesp toes the line between being comic relief and stealing scenes. With an impeccably overdone Italian accent, Paravicini's strange pleasure in the discomfort of his fellow travelers ensures the audience never quite knows what to make of him - but in a way that makes it clear this is intentional, not a fault in his acting.
Sadly, the characters played by White and O'Neal do not appear to leave much room for innovation. Neither Mollie nor Miss Casewell is particularly compelling, and by the end of the tale, O'Neal has managed to raise her voice to a screaming pitch more than once, not even counting when she discovers the body of one of her boarders.
The set, designed by G.W. Mercier, is stunning in detail. Between Mercier's wood-paneled decadence and the intense lighting scheme designed by Phil Monat, the audience is willingly sucked into the post-snowstorm trap set by this play.
In an inventive gesture aimed at those who find they have read their entire program by the time the curtain comes up (figuratively speaking), the Stage Left Lounge, located off the lobby, is available for pre-ordered intermission drinks. Their "Mousetrap Mocha" may be a hefty $5.50, but its blend of hot chocolate, coffee, Irish Cream liquor and Peppermint Schnapps, topped off with a blast of whipped cream and chocolate powder, is the perfect treat to tide over an audience waiting to find out "whodunit."
Studio Arena's holiday presentation of "The Mousetrap" runs from Dec. 1 - 28. Tickets start at $21, though rush tickets are available to students just before performances.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
