The Mousetrap

ROMAINE. You don’t understand—we love each other.

SIRWILFRID. The first time I met you I said you were a very remarkable woman—I see no reason to change my opinion. (Crosses and exits up C.)

WARDER. (Off upL.) It’s no good going in there, miss. It’s all over.

(There is a COMMOTION off up L. and then a GIRL comes running on up L. She is a very young strawberry blonde with a crude, obvious appeal. She rushes to LEONARD through the Q.C.’s bench and meets him down R.C.)

GIRL. Len, darling, you’re free. (She embraces him) Isn’t it wonderful? They’re trying to keep me out. Darling, it’s been awful. I’ve been nearly crazy.

ROMAINE. (With sudden violent harshness.) Leonard—who—is—this girl!

GIRL. (ToROMAINE, defiantly.) I’m Len’s girl. I know all about you. You’re not his wife. Never have been. (She crosses to R. of ROMAINE.) You’re years older than him, and you just got hold of him—and you’ve done your best to hang him. But that’s all over now. (She turns to LEONARD.) We’ll go abroad like you said on one of your cruises—to all those grand places. We’ll have a wonderful time.

ROMAINE. Is—this—true? Is she your girl, Leonard?

LEONARD. (Hesitates, then decides that the situation must be accepted.) Yes, she is.

(The GIRL crosses above LEONARD to R. of him.)

ROMAINE. After all I’ve done for you . . . What can she do for you that can compare with that?

LEONARD. (Flinging off all disguise of manner, and showing coarse brutality.) She’s fifteen years younger than you are. (He laughs.)

(ROMAINE flinches as though struck.)

(He crosses to R. of ROMAINE. Menacingly.) I’ve got the money. I’ve been acquitted, and I can’t be tried again, so don’t go shooting off your mouth, or you’ll just get yourself hanged as an accessory after the fact. (He turns to the GIRL and embraces her.)

ROMAINE. (Picks up the knife from the table. Throwing her head back in sudden dignity.) No, that will not happen. I shall not be tried as an accessory after the fact. I shall not be tried for perjury. I shall be tried for murder—(She stabs LEONARD in the back.) the murder of the only man I ever loved.

(LEONARD drops. The GIRL screams. Mayhew bends over LEONARD, feels his pulse and shakes his head.)

(She looks up at the JUDGE’S seat.) Guilty, my lord.

CURTAIN

Towards Zero

Presented by Peter Saunders at the James’s Theatre, London, on the 4th September, 1956, with the following cast of characters:

(In the order of their appearance)

 

THOMAS ROYDE

Cyril Raymond

 

 

KAY STRANGE

Mary Law

 

 

MARY ALDIN

Gillian Lind

 

 

MATTHEW TREVES

Frederick Leister

 

 

NEVILE STRANGE

George Baker

 

 

LADY TRESSILIAN

Janet Barrow

 

 

AUDREY STRANGE

Gwen Cherrell

 

 

TED LATIMER

Michael Scott

 

 

SUPERINTENDENT BATTLE, C.I.D.,

 

 

 

     Scotland Yard

William Kendall

 

 

INSPECTOR LEACH, local C.I.D.

Max Brimmell

 

 

P. C. BENSON

Michael Nightingale

 

Directed by MURRAY MACDONALD

Décor by MICHAEL WEIGHT

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

The action of the play passes in the drawing room at Gull’s Point, Lady Tressilian’s house at Saltcreek, Cornwall.

ACT I

SCENE1:   A morning in September.

SCENE2:   After dinner, four days later.

ACT II

SCENE1:   Early the following morning.

SCENE2:   Two hours later.

ACT III

SCENE1:   The next morning.

SCENE2:   The same evening.

TIME: The present

ACT ONE

Scene I