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Table of Contents



Credits Page 3

Who is Vertigo Theatre 4

Theatre etiquette 5

Before the Play activities and preparation 6

After the Play activities and further study 10

Sponsor information 13

Teacher evaluation form 14


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THE MOUSETRAP
By Dame Agatha Christie


Cast
Adrienne Smook Mollie Ralston
Stafford Perry Giles Ralson
Christian Goutsis Christopher Wren
Valerie Planche Mrs. Boyle
Brian Smith Major Metcalf
Jamie Konchak Miss Casewell
Doug McKeag Mr. Paravicini
Tyrell Crews Sgt. Trotter

Creative Team
Simon Mallet t Director
Terry Middleton Set Design
Dave Smith Lighting Design
Mike Gesy Sound Design
Deitra Kayln Costume Design
Kelly Lunn Stage Manager
Heather Rycraft Assistant Stage Manager
Nichole Bergen Apprentice Stage Manager
Terri Gillis Production & Facility Manager
Becky Solly Technical Director
Venetian Interiors Set Construction
Jennifer Hedge Head Scenic Painter
Amanda Fox Head of Props
Carolyn Devins Wardrobe
Tyne Fox Production Assistant
Adam Schrader House Technician


Study Guide written by Abby Charchun, Educational Consultant.
Additional material by Laura Facciponti & Arthea JS Reed, PhD from A Teacher!s
Guide to the Signet Edition of Agatha Christies! THE MOUSETRAP and Other
Plays

For Vertigo Theatre
Suzanne Mott General Manager
Mark Bellamy Artistic Director
Nathan Pronyshyn Y Stage Producer


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Vertigo Theatre operates out of Vertigo Theatre Centre and is located in the heart
of downtown at the Calgary Tower.

Housing two performing spaces, The Playhouse and The Studio, Vertigo Theatre
produces a mystery series (Vertigo Mystery Theatre) and presents theatre-for-
young-audience productions from across the country (Y Stage).

Vertigo Mystery Theatre is a unique opportunity for students to come together
and engage in an entertaining theatrical experience that promotes problem
solving. Appropriate for Junior and Senior High School students, Vertigo Mystery
Theatre allows students to study the literature of authors such as Agatha Christie
and J.B. Priestly while engaging in a shared cultural experience.


Y Stage provides young audiences and adults alike an opportunity to investigate
and rediscover our world. Y Stage is ideal for educating young people on the vast
scope of theatre as we feature a wide variety of performance styles including
physical theatre, mask, dance and spoken word. With five productions and an
additional show aimed specifically at teens, Y Stage truly has something for
students of all ages.



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Theatre Etiquette

Unlike a movie, the actors are live on stage, and can hear the audience when
they talk or and text message. They can see the light from your phone as you
check your messages, or see you sleeping. These distracting activities can
greatly affect one of the most wonderful parts of live theatre: the communication
and connection between the actors and you. There is an energy that is passed
between the two, and good audiences can make help make it a great show
because the actors know that you are listening and engaged in the performance.

A few behavioral guidelines are as follows:
The performers, crew and administrative staff are all professionals working to
provide an exceptional theatre-going experience. Please encourage your
students to assist our efforts by abiding by school and theatre guidelines at all
times. Please know that we will expect your students to comply with our
standards when they are in our facility.

We encourage students to fully engage in the performance by reacting to the
events on stage in an appropriate manner. Definitely laugh when something is
funny, and definitely applaud at the end. One of the most exciting things about a
student matinee is its vibrant energy and spontaneity.

Tips for Theatre Trips
* Stay with your group at all times and pay attention to your teachers and
chaperones.
* Make yourself comfortable while keeping movement to a minimum.
* Please do not stand up, walk around or put your feet on the seat or stage in
front of you.
* Absolutely no chewing gum, eating or drinking in the building.
* No backpacks, cameras, or electronic devices are permitted in the theatre.
* Feel free to talk quietly before the show.
* The performance begins when the lights dim to a blackout and the music starts
to play.
* Laugh if you see something funny, but absolutely no talking or whispering
during the show.
* Show your appreciation by clapping at the end of the play. The actors love to
hear applause!
* Don!t leave your seats until after the lights have come back up.
* Wait for the ushers to escort your group out of the theatre.



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Before the Play

History of the play
THE MOUSETRAP was initially performed as a radio play in 1952 and was
broadcast by the BBC with the title Three Blind Mice. The forty-five minute play
proved so popular that Christie went back to work on the script, expanding it to a
full-length theatrical play. The play opened in London at The Ambassadors
Theatre on November 25, 1952. The play later transferred to St. Martin's Theatre
in London on March 23, 1974 and has been running there ever since.

THE MOUSETRAP has broken several records for its continuous theatrical run
since its opening, and millions of people have attending the show. Performances
of THE MOUSETRAP continue to benefit from tourists who seek out the play
both for its artistic merits and for the joy of being part of a theatrical tradition.

Christie signed over the royalties from the play to her grandson, Matthew
Pritchard, at its opening in 1952. Pritchard visited Calgary in 2003 to attend the
world premiere of the lost Agatha Christie play CHIMNEYS at Vertigo Mystery
Theatre.

Synopsis of the play
Mollie and Giles Ralston are opening their guesthouse, Monkswell Manor, for its
first guests. They are new to the business and struggle with the details and an
unusually heavy snowstorm. They hear on the radio that a Mrs. Maureen Lyon
has been murdered in London and the suspect is wearing a dark overcoat, light
scarf, and soft felt hat. Giles is wearing similar outerwear, as are many of the
guests. After all the guests have settled in, Mollie receives a phone call from the
police station. She is informed that Sergeant Trotter will be coming to the Manor
and everyone must fully cooperate with him.

The Sergeant arrives on skis, informing everyone that a notebook was found at
the London crime scene, listing the address at which the murder occurred and
also that of Monkswell Manor, implying that the guesthouse could be the site of a
second murder. Soon after his arrival, the phone lines go dead and all are
stranded at the guesthouse in the snowstorm.

Sergeant Trotter informs the group that the rhyme Three Blind Mice was written
below the addresses, and a picture of three little mice and a bar of music were
found on the dead woman!s body. Further, the murdered woman was the wife of
a farmer named Stanning. They resided on Longridge Farm, not far from
Monkswell Manor. The Stannings allegedly neglected and abused children who
were in their care. One child died; his two siblings survived. The Stannings were
sentenced to prison. Mr. Stanning died in prison, but Mrs. Stanning served her
time, was released, and later changed her name. She was the Maureen Lyon
who was murdered and found dead in London.



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Sergeant Trotter theorizes that the killer is one of the children, most probably
the boy since he later served in the army and was diagnosed a schizophrenic.
The Sergeant informs the group that any of them could be the next victim. He
interrogates them to see if they have any connection with the Stannings or the
abused children. All deny any connections, but Mollie later points out that Mrs.
Doyle was the magistrate responsible for sending the three children to Longridge
Farm. Later that night while the residents are settled throughout the manor, Mrs.
Doyle is found strangled.

For the remainder of the play, the residents of the Manor, including Mollie and
Giles, suspect each other. Accusatory clues draw attention to characters acting
suspiciously. Sergeant Trotter asks the residents to reconstruct Mrs. Boyle!s
murder, acting out the actions of each guest while switching roles so as to test
the accuracy of their memories. The Sergeant plays Mrs. Boyle. When everyone
is in position, he calls for Mollie to come into the parlor. It is then that Trotter
reveals that he is Georgie, the surviving boy who was abused by the Stannings.
Further, he claims that Mollie was his teacher and that he had sent her a note
asking for help, which she ignored. Mollie confesses that she was his teacher,
but was sick when the note was sent and did not receive it until after the children
had left the Stanning!s care. She has lived with the guilt ever since. Georgie
attempts to strangle Mollie, but is thwarted by Miss Casewell and Major Metcalf.
Miss Casewell confesses that she is Katherine, Georgie!s grown sister. She
calmly coaxes Georgie upstairs and gives him a sedative to calm him until
the police arrive. Major Metcalf reveals that he is an undercover policeman who
has played the role of a guest. He had suspected Trotter all along, but needed
proof. The play ends with Mollie and Giles exchanging anniversary presents as
the work of their guesthouse continues.

Biography of the playwright
Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time. She has sold over two billion
books worldwide and has been translated into over 45 languages. In a writing
career that spanned more than half a century, Agatha Christie wrote eighty
novels and short story collections. She also wrote over a dozen plays, including
The Mousetrap, which is now the longest running play in theatrical history.

Christie's first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was the first to feature her
eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. One of the most famous fictional
creations of all time, Poirot's 'little grey cells' triumphed over some of the most
devious criminal minds ever created in crime fiction. Christie!s last published
novel, Sleeping Murder, featured her other world-famous sleuth, the shrewdly
inquisitive Miss Jane Marple of St. Mary Mead. Miss Marple appears in twelve
novels, and twenty short stories; the first novel to feature her was The Murder at
the Vicarage in 1930. The Poirot and Marple novels have been widely
dramatized in feature films and television movies. Murder on the Orient Express
(1974), Witness for the Prosecution (1957), And Then There Were None (1945),
and Death on the Nile (1978) are a few of the successful films based on her
works.


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Agatha Christie has become synonymous throughout the world with England.
Her quintessential English characters offer a charming view of a bygone era
when people sat down to tea in the afternoon, tended roses in their gardens and
where village life provided all the scandal one could ever want to hear!

The richness of the settings in Christie!s novels add to the great enjoyment when
reading her novels and she drew on real places when writing her stories. Many
are set in Devon where she grew up; Burgh Island, just off the coast is said to be
the setting for And Then There Were None and Evil Under the Sun. Her beloved
Greenway was to provide the basis for Dead Man!s Folly, Ordeal by Innocence
and Five Little Pigs.

Agatha Christie also wrote six romantic novels under the pseudonym Mary
Westmacott. She also wrote non-fiction; one book Come Tell Me How You Live,
describes her archeological travels with her husband Max and the other two are
collections of poems, stories and verses, some with a religious theme. She also
wrote her autobiography, which she completed in 1976. Although synonymous
with crime fiction, the breadth of themes in her novels is quite extraordinary and
she deserves her place as one of the best-loved writers of all time.

(from www.agathachristie.com)

Preshow Discussion topics and activities
Themes: Group Dynamic
Instinct
Circle of Expectations
Trust
Suspicion

Experiencing the Witness Perspective
Set up a witness game by preplanning for a stranger to enter the classroom that
dresses and acts out of the ordinary. Perhaps the stranger could be lost and
asking for directions, confronting you with a private issue or trying to take
something out of the classroom. Have the stranger dress in easily identifiable
colors and accessories, carrying a number of props. Then after the stranger has
left, ask the students specific questions about what the stranger was wearing,
saying, carrying, doing, and the direction he/she was headed. Students learn how
descriptions vary from one person to the next. Which students are able to provide
the most accurate description? How? Why?

Using Mysteries to Encourage High Levels of Thinking
Using Benjamin!s Bloom!s cognitive taxonomy as a guideline, below are some
ways to move students to higher levels of thinking during the reading of any of
Agatha Christie!s plays.

KnowledgeHave students arrange the characters and events in the mystery in
order.


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ComprehensionHave students classify events, describe characters, and
explain precisely what has occurred.

ApplicationStudents can apply existing knowledge to the mystery by
illustrating, dramatizing, and writing their interpretations.

AnalysisHave students analyze, categorize, and differentiate characters and
events.

SynthesisStudents can collect and organize facts to form hypotheses. They
can attempt to solve the mystery, using evidence presented during the play.

EvaluationHave students appraise, argue, assess, and evaluate their opinions
in the process of solving the mystery.



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After the Play

Post-show Discussion topics and activities

The Nightmare: Being Suspicious of Everyone
In Act Two, Mollie is distraught by all the suspicious clues that are making her
question even her own husband!s integrity. She describes her feelings in the
following passage, That!s what happens in a nightmare. You!re somewhere in
the middle of friends and then you suddenly look at their faces and they!re not
your friends any longerthey!re different people just pretending. Perhaps you
can!t trust anybodyperhaps everybody!s a stranger.

Draw a diagram of how the nightmare developed in THE MOUSETRAP. Is the
audience affected by the nightmare as the characters are? How does Christie
plant doubt and suspicion in the minds of the characters, through actions rather
than words, so that those seeing him or her are suspicious?

The Longest Continuously Running Play in History
THE MOUSETRAP has been running continuously in London!s Ambassadors
Theatre since 1952.
Ask if any of the students have seen the play.
What has kept this play popular for so long?
What elements draw audiences year after year?
What would make you want to see the play?
Does reading it make the prospect of seeing it more or less appealing? Why?

Research reviews about the play and determine what contributes to its long-
running success. Note that in London, the actors change every few years. How
would changing the actors help keep the play alive and entertaining?

Disguises and Double Identities
Several of the characters have double identities, worn like actors! masks. Have
students discuss each character!s double identity and how he or she wears the
mask throughout the play, occasionally dropping it to reveal her or his true
identity in words in actions. Some characters to consider are Trotter, Mollie,
Paravicini, Miss Cantwell, and Major Metcalf.
Students can compose letters or stories that reveal the characters true identities.
For example, Mollie could pen a letter of apology to Georgie. Or, they can create
two masks for each character, each revealing another element of her or his
identity.

Nursery Rhyme as Plot
Read the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice and discuss how it provides the
structure for the play!s plot.
Have students locate other common nursery rhymes, folk tales or famous stories
used to provide the structure of popular movies or TV dramas. Examples include
Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. Bring to class a book on children!s


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literature and read about how nursery rhymes are constructed. Discuss why
they provide a good plot structure for other types of literature, particularly drama.

Selecting a Title
THE MOUSETRAP is based on the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice. Although
Christie!s original radio play shared the title of the rhyme, it was changed when
Peter Saunders, Christie!s longtime director and friend, remembered another
moderately successful play of the same title. Is the name THE MOUSETRAP
appropriate for the play? Why? What else might it have been titled?

Play Critique
Guidelines for writing a play review:
The review should be relatively short with opinions delivered in a clear, concise
manner.

The factual material must be correct. Check all facts pertaining to the writer and
the literature.

The review should be firm and assertive, not wishy-washy. A reviewer must
have a strong opinion.

The reviewer is entitled to whatever opinion he or she has of the work be it
positive or negative, but the opinion must be substantiated with details and
examples.

The reviewer should establish a voice, tone, and personal style that make the
review interesting.

Writing a Review Checklist
Does the review state the author!s name and work(s)?

Does the review include the name of the theatre company and names of relevant
actors/directors etc.?

Does the review give a clear and powerful statement of the writer!s opinion of the
work?

Is the review geared towards a particular audience?

Does the review summarize the important points of the work?

Is quoted and/or paraphrased material included to support the points and
reactions toward the work?

Does the review include, if appropriate, comparisons and connections with other
similar works?



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Is factual information included? Have facts been checked carefully for
accuracy?

Does the review!s style establish and communicate the reviewer!s voice?

If necessary, does the review incorporate a rating system with a key that explains
the ranking?

Does the review leave the reader with a sense of whether he/she will want to see
the production?

Has the review been carefully proofread? Have all errors in spelling, grammar,
and mechanics been corrected?

Student Reflection Sheet
What!s the best line in your review? Why?

What!s one thing you would like to do to improve the piece, if only you knew how
to do it?

In writing this review, what did you discover about your opinion that you didn!t
realize before?

After reading your review, what question(s) might a reader still have?

What do you think is the one thing a reader is most apt to take away from your
review?

How would you rate yourself as a reviewer? In other words, is this your genre,
or do you prefer other kinds of writing? Why?


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Sponsor information



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Evaluation Form

Your Feedback is very important to us! Our series are growing rapidly and the
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