The Mouse-Trap; Farce

A compact, razor-sharp farce by William Dean Howells that still delights with its nimble timing and quiet malice. Wit crackles in every scene. In a single act of polished comedy, Howells turns an ordinary domestic moment into a study of manners and misapprehension, the small theatrical detonations that create humorous domestic conflict without melodrama. Short, stage-ready and wickedly observant, The Mouse-Trap reads equally well as a period piece script for historically informed production...