Review: Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap

You have probably already seen The Mousetrap.

If not in a stage setting in London, then on your TV screen or a Movie theater.

In a homage to this incredibly popular stage show, innumerable TV shows and movies have copied its formula verbatim. The shock twist at the end comes not so much as a surprise, but a confirmation of where it all began.

Most people in the audience were there for the thrill of the show. For being able to see the show that is the longest running show in the history of the world. With over 25000 performances (think about that number for second) no other show comes closer.

The story and the setting are so typically Agatha Christie that for a moment you yearn to truly believe that you are not time travelling, but you do actually live in an era when the only way to get news was via the “wireless” and that a telephone wire being “cut” makes sense. The fact that most people in the audience would have paid upwards of $75 for the privilege makes you realize you’re not the only one.

In case, you haven’t seen it, the story should sound familiar.

A newly married couple have bought a new house, and have decided to convert it into a guest house. They call it the Monkswell Manor and they await the arrival of their first few guests. The guests arrive one by one, each one more peculiar than the last. All this against the background of a horrific murder in London, a blinding snowstorm which has cut down communication with the outside world and you have a setting for a perfect late night novel. Except, it is playing out in front of you on stage with some terrific acting by an all Australian cast.

While watching the show, I couldn’t help but think how this compared against the original cast from when the show was first performed in London on 6th Oct, 1952. 60 years on and the show still works. It is perhaps a tribute to the original concept and the brilliance of the “surprise” ending that we still watch the show to eagerly await the identity of the killer even though we all know it.

This production is an effort to take Mousetrap to newer audiences who haven’t had the privilege of seeing it its original setting in London. The stage setting is perfect, the lighting and effects adequate and the acting remarkable considering the all Australian cast (who I suspect don’t naturally have posh British accents of 1950s). All the actors do their job meticulously and supplement each others efforts.

Catch the show while you can before it runs out on the 20th of Jan.

For more information:

Visit Mousetrap

In Brisbane: QPAC

CraftGossip got complimentary tickets to see the show.

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If you’ve been around here long, you know that I’m in a perpetual battle with my stash. I feel like I haven’t bought yarn in years unless I needed it for a specific project. I knit fairly a lot, and crochet some, too, but it feels like my stash never gets any smaller.

It’s not just the unused balls of yarn that are a problem. In fact, maybe a bigger issue is all the odd balls and leftover bits that seem to pile up without any effort. Even though I love scrappy projects (and knit a whole sweater dress with scraps earlier this year) it still feels like a never-ending quest to use up all the little bits.

So I’m always on the lookout for good patterns that are made to use of the extra bits of yarn. If they are super easy, too, that’s so much the better.

So it is with the Lalu Scarf by Sheena Stone. This any yarn, any gauge pattern is designed to use up whatever scraps you have on hand (assuming they’re mostly the same weight or can be held double to make the same weight).

It’s a tube scarf worked in the round, and she specifically notes that she works it outside in, so the back of the scarf is on the outside as you knit. The needle tips are on the part of the circle farthest away from you as you knit.

It also has an attached I-cord edging, which sounds really time consuming but does give the edges a nice, finished look.

The way the colors are changed as you knit you don’t really need a lot of each color. It would probably be good if you had at least enough of a color to complete one round, but you can change colors more often than every round if you need to because you’re using all your tiny bits.

Grab the free pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Sheena Stone.]

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