Mauritius a Tense Edge of Your Seat Production From Stage North of Minneapolis

The best way I can think of to describe Mauritius is to say if the Coen Brothers wrote a pla, this is likely what it would be. A great script by Theresa Rebeck that ratchets up the suspense scene after scene. Filled with characters of questionable morals, the audience is kept off balance as you are never sure who can be trusted or what they are capable of. Not a comedy by any means despite an opening that feels like it could go that way, it does contain a dark vein of black comedy running through it. In fact, this script is so good and it’s relatively simple to stage that I’m amazed I hadn’t heard of it before and that it isn’t performed more frequently. Peter Moore, who directs as well as performs in Mauritius, has staged the show in the round with minimal set. For those familiar with Ten Thousand Things productions, it very much has that feel. Moore uses the space very effectively and the minimal set and proximity of the audience to the performance space allows us to really focus in on the performances which are outstanding. I attended a matinee performance on opening weekend which was at best 1/4 full. It reminded me of one of the reasons I write this blog, to try and shine a light on shows that the average theatergoer hasn’t even heard of. This is one of those shows that should be playing to sold out houses, you couldn’t ask for a more rewarding and entertaining thriller to attend.

The play opens when Jackie, a young woman whose mother has just died, enters a stamp collecting store to ask the owner Phil to look over a stamp collection given to her by her mother who thought it might be worth something. This innocent inquiry puts her into contact with Dennis who hangs out in the store as a lookout for a wealthy but dangerous collector named Sterling. It turns out she has a couple of stamps that are quite valuable and she needs the money. But the ownership of the stamps is disputed by her half-sister Mary, who despite not having been around for decades wants to claim ownership as they came from her Grandfather on her father’s side which is of no relation to Jackie. The tension arises and builds as we watch to see if the stamps are genuine, how much they are worth, whether Jackie will be able to sell them, if she’ll get fair value, or if she will even survive to the end of the play.

Sarah Dickson leads the superb cast as Jackie bringing an intelligence to the role that believably cracks into damaged desperation at times. It’s raw and genuine and generates an empathy for the character that leads to real concern for her characters well being. Peter Moore, is chilling as Sterling, who in one scene takes off his suit jacket revealing a shoulder holster. He never pulls the gun out or even mentions it in the scene but, the audiences awareness of its existence ratchets up the feeling that things could go horribly wrong at any moment. Corey DiNardo as Dennis is charming as any conman and one is never sure where he stands and how far he is willing to go. Bill Schoppert is Phil the stamp expert, whose dry and sarcastic responses to Jackie’s initial inquiries makes the first five minutes of the play worth the price of the ticket. Mary, who could easily have been named “Karen” is played with the perfect air of entitlement by Bonni Allen. This whole cast is just perfect and brings this brilliant play into sharp focus, and is one not to be missed!

Mauritius runs through November 17th at 480 arts in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mauritius-tickets-1007942421917