I am considering directing THE MOUSETRAP at the high school level. As is typical in small districts, we lack an adequate number of males. Has anyone seen or directed this play with cast adjustments, and what were they?
I doubt and I am afraid to say Hope you wouldn't be allowed to, I think it is wrong that It is in a Book, I think it is Wrong That there is a Touring Production, People should not just be able to put on the Play as if it were released for AM-Dram Groups, It would be wrong so good luck being a Director just as long as you don't Direct The Mousetrap.
I am considering directing THE MOUSETRAP at the high school level. As is typical in small districts, we lack an adequate number of males. Has anyone seen or directed this play with cast adjustments, and what were they?
You raise an interesting point Michael. With only eight characters in the play, it's difficult to see which one(s) you would want to change; Mollie and Giles go together, Mrs Boyle, that's female, Miss Casewell is female, Trotter is needed for the family link, Christopher Wren is there for a reason, would it work with a female - script might have to be changed, Metcalf is the male police officer, that only leaves Mr Paravicini as a possible change. I am sure you have a female cast member that could play a male part. Good luck with your performance.
Instead of making the owners husband and wife they could be old Pen-pals or old Chums, one of them coming to help the other run the Hotel or Metcalf could be a Female Private Enquiry Agent like Miss Cooke and Miss Barrow in Nemesis.
I have seen a version on youtube, which didn't play in the 1950s, but in our time. In this version every character but Giles and Christopher was female, even the Major and the murderer. So I think some changes should be possible.
If you want to change the gender of some of the characters, but keep the play in the 1950s, the Major is the one character, who definitely has to be male (especially, because of who he really is) as should Giles and Trotter (because he introduced himself as Sergeant). I think the best character for a Gender Switch would actually be Paravicini. Maybe Christopher, but that would make Giles jealousy far less believable, as he has no reason to believe, that Molly is a Lesbian. And Christopher couldn't have run from the army.
But can't some of the male characters be played by female cast members?
That is what I meant with saying both Owners could be Pen-pals or old school Friends, both Female and I think Metcalf is one of the Male Characters who could be female but then Mrs Boyle could be Mr Boyle, I think Paravacini is the only Character who MUST be male.
In regards to Strawberry13fun's question of different endings, there is a play "Shear Madness" that I have seen a few times in Boston that is a fun interactive murder mystery play. At the end, the audience members vote on who they think the murderer is and who ever gets the most votes, that is how they play out the final scene. So when you go, you never know who the murderer will be! It's a lot of fun ( the audience members get to question the suspects at one point!) and I highly recommend it to any mystery lovers. Oh, also my daughter who is in High School will be in a spoof version of "And Then There Were None" called "Murder By Ten" next month. I believe she will be the voice of the mysterious U. N. Owen.
I think That is a Great Idea, I also think that Crime Writers should perhaps write lots of endings, I read this Simon Brett Book once, every so often you had to choose what to do, E.G. Talk To A, Talk To B or Have Tea with C, That could end with different solutions which would be fun.
Griselda, do you live in the UK? The Mousetrap isn't published in the UK to protect the long-running show, but if you go to Amazon.com, Ebay, or another online seller, you can find a reasonably priced copy of either The Mousetrap and Other Plays, a US edition containing eight Christie plays, or the Samuel French acting edtion of The Mousetrap. International shipping may cost a bit more.
I think that given the dialogue and stage directions, it's a good read, but it helps to "cast" the play in your mind as you read it.
GKCfan: thank you for the very useful advice. I think I will try to see the play first, but if it doesn't seem that I will get round to it, I will try to buy the collection of The Mousetrap and Other Plays. I can see why they would want to keep the plot as a surprise - it's a wise idea. I don't know the plot of The Mousetrap so it would be really enjoyable to see the play. I do live in the UK, so it should not be so difficult.
I am afraid you are wrong GKCfan, I bought the entire set of Books and Plays and one Horrified to see one book has the Play, I have seen the Play in ons=don in October 1986 but have never read the Play in this form as I dissagree with it being issued.
Tommy, could you please give me some more information? I know for a fact that in the United States, "The Mousetrap" is the title play in an anthology and published separately in an acting edition. I had read in many places that it is not published in the United Kingdom, but are you saying that is not true? I know that the novella version "Three Blind Mice" is currently not published in the UK, but is the play released in book form?
Is it titled "The Mousetrap and Other Plays?" The American edition contains "Mousetrap" and seven other plays: "And Then There Were None," "The Hollow," "Appointment with Death," "Verdict," "Go Back for Murder," "Witness for the Prosecution," and "Towards Zero." Could you please tell me the publisher? If this is a UK publisher, then I've been misinformed, and thanks for correcting me!
Hi @GKCfan and @Griselda The Mousetrap was first published as a paperback by Samuel French Ltd as French's Acting Edition No. 153 in 1954 and is still in print. It was first published in hardback in The Mousetrap and Other Plays by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1993 (ISBN 0-39-607631-9) and in the UK by Harper Collins in 1993 (ISBN 0-00-224344-X).The copy of The Mousetrap and Other Plays that I have is a paperback from the UK by Harper Collins published in 2011 (ISBN 978-0-00-743342-1). Griselda, I think it would be best to see the play in London before you read the book version but if you cant you will still enjoy the book.
Thank you, Frank. You're right, I really must see the play. It will be such a treat to enjoy a mystery not knowing the solution. I so enjoy re-reading AC books to really get to know Poirot, and to enjoy the social history detail, but it isn't the same as having to puzzle out who did it.
Comments
Instead of making the owners husband and wife they could be old Pen-pals or old Chums, one of them coming to help the other run the Hotel or Metcalf could be a Female Private Enquiry Agent like Miss Cooke and Miss Barrow in Nemesis.
Michael I have done some research and I suggest you have a look at this website: http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/898/mousetrap-the also: http://www.samuelfrench.com/faq
If you want to change the gender of some of the characters, but keep the play in the 1950s, the Major is the one character, who definitely has to be male (especially, because of who he really is) as should Giles and Trotter (because he introduced himself as Sergeant). I think the best character for a Gender Switch would actually be Paravicini. Maybe Christopher, but that would make Giles jealousy far less believable, as he has no reason to believe, that Molly is a Lesbian. And Christopher couldn't have run from the army.
But can't some of the male characters be played by female cast members?