By the way, it is a tradition that people who have seen “The Mousetrap” are asked not to reveal whodunit!
“The Mousetrap” is set in a country house called Monkswell Manor. After Mollie Ralston (Kate Fry) inherited the Manor from an elderly relative, she and her 
husband of one year, Giles (Allen Gilmore), have turned it into a guest house.
The Ralstons plan to greet their guests in the Hall, a rather formal room at the center of the Manor. Doors lead from the Hall to the drawing room, the library, the dining room, the kitchen and the front and back stairways.
Everything is prepared and they are nervously awaiting their first guests. Although it would seem unimportant at the time, the wireless (radio) is reporting on a murder in London. Unfortunately, it’s 
snowing like mad outside, so they are a little worried about their supply of food, coal and firewood.
The first guest to arrive turns out to be a rather flamboyant young man who says he was destined to become an architect since his parents called him Christopher Wren (Alex Goodrich). After snooping throughout the house, he said he’d fallen in love with the rose-print spread and canopy in the Rose Room, so Mollie switched his room assignment. Mollie and Christopher discover they are kindred spirits when he offers to cook dinner.
The next arrival, Mrs. Boyle (Carolyn Ann Hoerdermann) is inclined to be critical. She’s displeased because there wasn’t a car waiting at the station for her. She’s very displeased at having to share a taxi with Major Metcalf (Lyonel Reneau). Finally, she’s most displeased at having to walk up the drive when the taxi couldn’t navigate the snow. Mrs. Boyle continued to be disagreeable, complaining about the heat – or lack thereof – and absolutely everything else. Fed up, Giles politely offered to refund her money, actually inviting her to leave, but she declines.
The pipe-smoking Major Metcalf, a mild-mannered Army retiree, kindly carried all of Mrs. Boyle’s luggage up the snow-covered drive. He says his hobby is exploring old houses. So he’s always scoping out obscure parts of Monkswell.
Their final scheduled guest, Miss Casewell (Tina Muñoz Pandya), is an attractive young woman with a mysterious air. She delighted in tormenting the disagreeable Mrs. Boyle.
As everyone was settling in, the doorbell rang. A flamboyant yet slightly sinister foreign gentleman who calls himself Mr. Paravicini (David Cerda) has gotten his car stuck in a snowbank and needs a place to stay. Mollie gives him their last room.
Snowed in, the guests found various ways to amuse themselves. Mrs. Boyle annoyed everyone else with her complaining. Miss Casewell drove her out of the hall’s most comfortable chair by turning up the wireless and dancing. Mollie and Giles get nervous thinking maybe they’ve done something wrong in setting up the guest house, when the police call to say they’re sending someone to the Manor to ask questions.
Everyone doubts that the police could even get through, what with the snow, but then they’re all startled when someone raps on the window. Lo and behold, Detective Sergeant Trotter (Erik Hellman) has skied to the Manor. Soon after his arrival, they discover the telephone is out and they are truly stranded … and the game’s afoot!
By the way, this production might remind you of the game of “Clue”, with everyone wearing a different monochromatic color scheme – Mollie in red, Giles in gray, Major Metcalf in green, Miss Casewell in blue, Christopher Wren in orange, Mr. Paravicini in purplish-silver, Miss Boyle in mustard yellow and Sergeant Trotter in brown. .
“The Mousetrap” runs through February 16th at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis, Chicago. Parking is free in the garage next door to the Court – take a ticket to enter, but you won’t need it to exit, the gate stays up for 30 minutes after the performance.
Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 and 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $37.50-$84. FYI (773) 753-4472 or www.CourtTheatre.org.