Forget about the trip to London: Therry is bringing The Mousetrap to Adelaide.
The Australian premiere of The Mousetrap will occur at The Arts Theatre on Thursday, 1st September 2011. The director is Norman Caddick.
To complement this theatrical coup, the remainder of Therry’s 2011 repertoire offers a mix of drama, music, dance and comedy.
The program begins in March with Breaker Morant by Kenneth Ross, directed by Ian Rigney. Then follows the June musical – George and Ira Gershwin’s Crazy For You, a great show in the true tradition. David Sinclair directs, Mark DeLaine is musical director, and Linda Williams is choreographer. The 2011 program is completed with The Cemetery Club by Ivan Menchell, directed by Loriel Smart, a story about the enduring qualities of love and friendship.
In addition to all the usual benefits of a Therry subscription, 2011 members will receive preferential bookings to The Mousetrap.
Read on for details of all four productions.
Breaker Morant
Thursday, 17th to Saturday, 19th March at 8 pm
Wednesday, 23rd to Saturday, 26th March at 8 pm
Matinees, both Saturdays at 2 pm
Preview ($9) Wednesday, 16th March at 8 pm
(Preview tickets only through Therry – NOT available at BASS or Venuetix)
Harry 'Breaker' Morant (1864-1902) was a drover, balladeer and poet who was executed for war crimes. During the Second Boer War (1899-1902), Morant participated in the killing of several Boer prisoners and a German missionary. Together with six other soldiers, he faced a court martial, charged with murder; the three Australians (Morant, Handcock and Witton) were found guilty. Witton’s sentence was life imprisonment; Morant’s and Handcock’s death warrants were apparently signed by the British commander in South Africa, Lord Kitchener, although he subsequently denied having done so. Morant’s execution by firing squad in Pretoria Gaol generated controversy which continues to this day.
Harry Harbord Morant did “finish off in style”, according to the official account, refusing to wear the customary blindfold, looking the firing squad square in the eye and requesting, "Don't make a mess of it." Of such stuff are legends built, heroes made, and plays written.
This is a remarkable piece of Australian theatre.
Crazy for You
Thursday, 2nd to Saturday, 4th June at 8 pm
Wednesday, 8th to Saturday, 11th June at 8 pm
Matinees, both Saturdays at 2 pm
Preview ($9) Wednesday, 1st June at 8 pm
(Preview tickets only through Therry – NOT available at BASS or Venuetix)
Crazy for You is a musical with music and lyrics by Ira and George Gershwin and a book by Ken Ludwig,. Based on the songwriting team’s 1930 production Girl Crazy, with songs from several other shows, this is a rollicking Broadway show with delightful dance and magical music; vibrant, energetic, exuberant – an old-fashioned musical brought delightfully up-to-date.
Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony award for best musical (one of three awards it won from a total of nine nominatons); its sister production ran in London’s West End for three years. Songs include: Someone to Watch Over Me; Embraceable You; I Got Rhythm; They Can't Take That Away From Me; But Not for Me; and Nice Work If You Can Get It.
The Mousetrap
Thursday, 1st to Saturday, 3rd September June at 8 pm
Wednesday, 7th to Saturday, 10th September at 8 pm
Matinees, both Saturdays at 2 pm
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap had its West End première in 1952 and has been running continuously since. With more than 24,000 performances to date, it has become a London icon, known for its twist ending – which, at the end of every performance, the audience is asked not to reveal.
The setting is Monkswell Manor, newly converted as a guest house. Shortly after the first four guests arrive, the manor is cut off by a heavy snow storm. Discomforted by press and radio reports of a murder, the household is further disturbed by the arrival of another traveller, who claims that his car has run into a snowdrift. The following day, shortly after a phone call from the police, a detective arrives on skis to tell the group that there was evidence the murderer was heading for Monkswell Manor. Soon afterwards, the only phone line dies and another murder is committed. Through questioning by the detective, it soon transpires that the killer could be any one of the guests, or even their hosts.
The Cemetery Club 3rd-12th
Thursday, 3rd to Saturday, 5th November at 8 pm
Wednesday, 9th to Saturday, 12th November at 8 pm
Matinees, both Saturdays at 2 pm
Preview ($9) Wednesday, 2nd November at 8 pm
(Preview tickets only through Therry – NOT available at BASS or Venuetix)
This story concerns three widows: Doris, Lucille and Esther. They live in the same Jewish community in Pittsburgh, and meet once a week at a café before visiting their husbands' graves. While Doris remains fiercely devoted to her late husband, Lucille is eager to find another man. Esther is hesitant about seeking a new relationship – until she meets Ben, a former cop turned cab driver, who gradually eases his way into her life. Doris is appalled when she discovers that Esther is dating again, while Lucille is more than a bit jealous that Esther has snagged a good man before she can.
Therry membership entitles the subscriber to two tickets (double) or one ticket (single) to three of our four productions (March, September and November). It also allows the member to access unlimited specially priced tickets to the June musical (Crazy for You). Other benefits include a quarterly newsletter and concession prices to almost any show around town. With standard ticket prices for The Mousetrap at $25 per adult ($20 concession), a 2011 membership is even better value.
2011 double memberships are just $70; singles $40.
To the delight of everyone involved in the production, Therry won the Adelaide Critics Circle Award in the category of Amateur Group: Best Show for its June production of the murder mystery musical Curtains – an Australian premiere.
In addition, Sue Wylie (who played the role of Carmen Bernstein in Curtains) and Myfanwy May (Phoebe Firth in Therry’s March production of Haywire) were both nominated as Best Performer, together with Megan Humphries for Northern Light Theatre’s production of Spamalot.
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