La Ratonera (The Mousetrap) at Teatre Apolo, Barcelona Review
Written by Laura for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
It’s almost impossible not to have heard about The Mousetrap, which premiered in London in 1952 and is still going strong as the longest-running play in theatre history. Based on Three Blind Mice by Agatha Christie, this whodunit has captured the hearts and minds of theatre goers and mystery lovers alike. As someone who happens to be both, it felt like the perfect match.
Mollie and Giles Ralston are the owners of Monkswell Manor, a guest house that has just opened its doors to the public and has started welcoming guests, such as Christopher Wren, Mrs. Boyle, Major Metcalf, and Miss Casewell. Shortly after, Mr. Paravincini appears, having just had a car accident. Finally, the suspense begins when Detective Sergeant Trotter appears, determined to stop a murderer hiding amongst the guests.
This new version that has just landed in Barcelona is directed by actor and director Ignasi Vidal, who wanted to modernize and streamline the show to reach modern audiences better. The show is set in the present day, the snowstorm (or perhaps a sneaky device) having shut down phone service and the internet. Overall, I do not really see how setting it in the present day makes it more accessible to the public; if anything, I think what’s more alienating for Spanish audiences are the names of the characters and the fact that it’s set in Britain. I believe the structure and mystery of the play is strong enough to keep audiences interested, no matter the setting.
The set, designed by Zvonimir Ostoic, has essentially the same floor plan as the UK version of The Mousetrap. A living room, with some stairs leading to the first floor, and two doors that go to the library and kitchen. A big window shows the snowstorm outside, where perhaps the snow cannons are a bit too close to the windows for a realistic snowstorm effect as you can clearly see the puffs going off. Even though the set plan is quite similar, I found that this modernization took away a bit of the more realistic and claustrophobic feel the UK set has with all the wood and lower ceilings. There is a modern fireplace going and I really loved the detail of the flickering flames illuminating the whole room when the lights were off.
Overall, the cast was very solid and had great interactions with each other. Jordi Ballester was particularly interesting and captivating as Trotter, catching everyone’s attention. Diego Braguinsky as Paravincini absolutely stole the show and made everyone laugh the hardest; he was very mysterious but absolutely hilarious at the same time. Bruno Tamarit as Mr. Wren was also a hit with the audience.
La Ratonera is a fun, very interesting mystery with an amazing cast, with the added twist of a modern setting. However, if I had to choose, I would personally stick with the original London version, with its richer, more distinctive Christie feel.
You can catch La Ratonera at Teatre Apolo until May 3rd.
★★★
