“Three blind mice. Three blind mice. See how they run, see how they run. They all ran after the farmer’s wife. She cut off their tails with a carving knife. Did you ever see such a sight in your life, as three blind mice?”

Do you really know the people who you think you know? Or are they all strangers?

The Mystery Company presents The Mousetrap at the Lancaster Opera House.

Strangers are exactly what the characters in The Mousetrap are to one another, including a husband and wife who only knew each other three weeks before tying the knot, just celebrating their one-year anniversary.

Since 1952, The Mousetrap has been performed on stage making it the longest running modern play of its time.

Mollie and Giles Ralston, played by Katherine Ventresca and Ed Kowalczewski respectively, the new owners of Monkswell Manor, open their home to a few unusual and unique guests. When a murder occurs in London, approximately 30 minutes away, two are soon to follow as the nursery rhyme “Three Blind Mice” is the key to the number of deaths that will occur.

Everyone is a suspect and no one really knows if they can trust the person sitting next to them when a murder takes place in Monkswell Manor. With a winter storm closing off civilization to the Manor, no one can escape and the characters are trapped to search for who the killer is.

The guests include Christopher Wren, played by Keith Fronczak, a schemer who seems emotionally unstable, Mrs. Boyle, played by Suzie Marranca, an uppity woman with an unpronounced past who complains about everything, Major Metcalf, played by Robert Wagner, a genuine gentleman, Miss Casewell, played by Brooke Heatley, a young woman who won’t divulge any information, and Mr. Paravicini, played by Paul Nogaro, a guest not on the original list. Sergeant Trotter, played by David Mitchell, shows up on a pair of skis to investigate the murder. No one can be certain of who the other one seems to be and no one talks about their pasts or why they booked a room at Monkswell Manor.

Mrs. Barlow, played by Penny Striker, the maid at Monkswell Manor, provided great comic relief in the beginning of the play. I only wish that she would have appeared more often.

Fronczak portrayed Wren perfectly. Wren appeared schizophrenic and unstable. Essentially he was portrayed as a crazy person who didn’t want to be who he was born into this world as. At times he was creepy.

Although not in the play for both acts, Marranca portrayed her role great and sounded like an old bitty body.

Ventresca’s monologue in act two was gut wrenching, emotionally packed and sincere.

Wagner was stable and convinced the audience perfectly that he was not hiding anything, nor did anyone have any reason to suspect him of committing a crime.

Heatley was good in her role as being shifty eyed and not upfront about anything.

Nogaro played a slimy ladies man, but in real life he’s an honorable and dedicated priest in a parish in Grand Island. He acted phenomenally, as in real life he’s the complete opposite.

Mitchell was tremendous as the police officer. He successfully convinced the audience of his scenarios that could possibly be true and provided background to why certain things were occurring.

Kowalczewski was great as a doting husband who had his suspicions of even his wife, but managed to keep her out of harm’s way.

Each performer really gave a brilliant performance and made their character their own throughout the entire production.

The only thing lacking in the entire production were the various accents. They would waiver throughout the play. In Agatha Christie fashion the play was slow at times, but still exceptionally well-acted and the actors kept the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for the final verdict of whodunit?

Many of the actors in The Mousetrap appeared in the Mystery Company’s December performance of Miracle on 34th Street.

Upcoming performances of The Mousetrap include 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 28 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and students and $13 for children. The Lancaster Opera House is located at 21 Central Ave.

For more information, visit lancopera.org.

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