Last weekend the Barnstormers staged a production of Agatha Christie's mystery The Mousetrap in Arellano Theater. Overall, it was a very enjoyable show. Although there were certain aspects of the show that were disappointing, the cast and crew have a great deal to be proud of. Director Sofija Korac and the technical crew did an excellent job of utilizing Arellano to its greatest potential. The set was impressive, and immediately made Arellano feel like a real theater, rather than the run-down quasi-auditorium that it usually appears to be.
Lighting and sound recordings were used creatively and effectively to build tension and move the plot along. In particular, a murder sequence at the end of the first act was staged very well. It left many in the audience both curious and creeped out -- a great combination for this type of play.
As a whole, the cast was enjoyable to watch, and it was clear that they had been well-directed. Lines were nicely timed and usually delivered with appropriate energy. The play was easy to follow, without seeming like it was being presented in an overly simplified manner. There appeared to be good chemistry among the cast members, evident both in two-person and group scenes.
In particular, sophomore Mike Wills (playing Sgt. Trotter) seemed to have good stage chemistry with sophomores Esther Bell and Ersin Akinci (playing Miss Casewell and Paravincini, respectively). The cast also did an admirable job of playing the funnier parts of the script for laughs without compromising the overall credibility or seriousness of the production. Akinci and junior Rob Kasten (playing Christopher Wren) are especially deserving of praise for being funny without reducing their characters to caricatures.
Out of the cast of eight, three actors stand out for having delivered particularly memorable and impressive performances. Rob Kasten, Ersin Akinci and Esther Bell brought their characters to life in ways that were compelling and energetic, but without seeming overwrought.
Kasten played an enigmatic young architect-in-training. His easy charisma, strong stage presence and precise timing made his character both intriguing and believable. Kasten also displayed his range very well. He had credibility throughout his performance, whether he was showing off a high-pitched giggle or angrily menacing another character.
Akinci played an older foreign man with a bizarrely morbid sense of humor. He immediately proved to be a scene-stealer. His accent and movements were entertaining without being too silly. Akinci effortlessly blended the comedic with the chilling. He was lively and animated, dark and sinister, and gripping throughout.
While Kasten and Akinci excelled at portraying eccentrics, Bell achieved an arguably more difficult feat. She conveyed great emotion from within the confines of an outwardly ordinary woman. Bell had a subtle charisma and determination that made her character, if not the first to be noticed, certainly one of the most interesting. Though her voice did not project quite as well as would have been ideal, her eyes and face were very expressive, simultaneously conveying fragility and resolve.
While Bell, Akinci and Kasten delivered the most remarkable performances, they were certainly not the only talented actors in The Mousetrap. Most of the rest of the ensemble was more than capable, if not quite as memorable. Sophomore Holly Caracappa's performance as Mrs. Boyle was entertainingly obnoxious.
Caracappa successfully walked a fine line: she was irritating, but not so irritating as to make the audience dislike her. Junior Aparna Desai was very good as Molly Ralston. She seemed a bit stiff at a few points during the first act, but otherwise she had strong stage presence and delivered a solid performance. Senior Chris Hamel (playing Giles Ralston) also turned in a strong performance, and showed potential for an even better one. At several points in the show, Hamel seemed too restrained. In contrast, during his more energetic moments he was very entertaining and played his character very believably. It is unclear if this misstep was the fault of the actor or of the director, but either way it would have been an improvement had Hamel been less inhibited during the entire show.
Mike Wills did a superb job of portraying Sergeant Trotter as an authoritative yet sympathetic character. Although Wills' performance at the very end of the play -- at which point he regressed to a crazed, childlike state -- verged on cartoonish, for the most part Wills did a good job of commanding the stage and punctuating the plot, particularly during the second act.
Unfortunately, there was a weak link in the cast. Freshman Alex Neville (playing Major Metcalf) was wooden, uncharismatic and had weak stage presence. While Neville's performance was disappointing, it was overshadowed by the strength of his castmates.
While The Mousetrap did suffer a few blemishes, they did not detract from the overall success of the production. The talented cast and crew treated audiences to an enjoyable night of theater, and they should take pride in the fruits of their obviously hard work.
