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Miss Casewell (Kathy Corrigan)
Christopher Wren, a young man who introduces himself as an architect, is one of the guests staying at Monkswell Manor. Because of his peculiar enthusiasm and often off-putting sense of humor, many of the other guests view Christopher as having bad manners. After Mrs. Boyle is murdered, Giles is quick to accuse Christopher of being the “homicidal maniac.” Mollie is the only person who listens to Christopher with compassion, gentleness, and understanding. To her, he confides that “Christopher Wren” is a fake name and that he lied about being an architect. He’s deeply unhappy because his mother died at a young age, he was bullied at school, and he deserted from the army because he despised his time there. Furthermore, he wishes he didn’t have to grow up and feels as though he’s trying to run away from his past. Although Christopher desires to escape Monkswell Manor to avoid being condemned for crimes he hasn’t committed, he is eventually proven to be innocent.
Christopher Wren Quotes in The Mousetrap
The The Mousetrap quotes below are all either spoken by Christopher Wren or refer to Christopher Wren. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 1, Scene 1 Quotes
But I do so like knowing all about people. I mean, I think people are so madly interesting […] They’re all interesting, because you never really know what anyone is like—or what they are really thinking.
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I adore nursery rhymes, don’t you? Always so tragic and macabre. That’s why children like them.
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Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes
CHRISTOPHER: Snow’s rather lovely, isn’t it? So peaceful—and pure…It makes one forget things.
CASEWELL: It doesn’t make me forget […] Ice on a bedroom jug, chilblains, raw and bleeding—one thin, ragged blanket—a child shivering with cold and fear.
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Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes
Listen, Christopher, you can’t go on—running away from things—all your life. […] You’ve got to grow up some time, Chris.
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Considering that I never saw you until yesterday, we seem to know each other rather well […] I suppose there’s a sort of—sympathy between us.
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GILES: You’ve only got to look at him to see he’s barmy.
MOLLIE: He isn’t. He’s just unhappy. I tell you, Giles, he isn’t dangerous.
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GILES: Mollie, what’s come over you? You’re different all of a sudden. I feel as though I don’t know you any more.
MOLLIE: Perhaps you never did know me. We’ve been married how long—a year? But you don’t really know anything about me. What I’d done or thought or felt or suffered before you knew me.
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Christopher Wren Character Timeline in The Mousetrap
The timeline below shows where the character Christopher Wren appears in The Mousetrap. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
The doorbell rings, and Mollie lets in their first guest, a young man named Christopher Wren, who says he’s an architect. He explores the manor with startling enthusiasm, blithely identifying...
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While Mollie takes Christopher up to his room, the doorbell rings impatiently several times. Giles admits their second guest,...
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Christopher emerges from the staircase singing a nursery rhyme. Delightedly, he comments on how “tragic and...
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...fireplace to warm up and begins talking about the evening news, including the recent murder. Christopher exclaims that he likes murder, and Miss Casewell describes the case to him, speculating that...
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Alone in the entrance hall, Christopher wanders around, singing another nursery rhyme and laughing to himself. As Mollie and Giles come...
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Giles calls Christopher an idiot and a “twerp,” but Mollie thinks he’s kind and considerate. Yet no matter...
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Act 1, Scene 2
...cooking. Mrs. Boyle claims she won’t be staying at the guesthouse for much longer. Laughing, Christopher—who has suddenly appeared from the stairs—agrees that she won’t. He slips into the library, and...
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...to be rid of the older woman, Miss Casewell takes Mrs. Boyle’s vacated seat as Christopher enters the hall. Christopher reflects on how beautiful and peaceful the snow is, saying, “It...
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In the drawing room, Christopher loudly sings another nursery rhyme. When Mrs. Boyle reproaches his manners, Mollie defends him by...
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...to let him in and stow away his skis. Curiosity about the sergeant’s arrival brings Christopher back to the hall.
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...the telephone, but it’s dead. He blames the heavy snow for the broken phone line. Christopher points out that they’re all completely cut off, and he laughs at this, though no...
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...next victim. Most of the guests object to this idea, calling it ridiculous, except for Christopher, who thinks it’s “wonderful.” Sergeant Trotter adds that the words “Three Blind Mice” were written...
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Christopher is thrilled by the police investigation and whistles the tune of “Three Blind Mice.” Mrs....
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Act 2, Scene 1
...downstairs once Mollie began screaming, and Giles says that he was busy “thinking about something.” Christopher was in his bedroom, supposedly brushing his hair, although his hair is still disheveled. Mr....
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Angry, Giles argues that only one person is suspect: Christopher Wren, who matches the description of the eldest Corrigan child as a “mentally abnormal young...
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Mollie asks to speak with Sergeant Trotter alone. She doesn’t believe Christopher is the murderer, so she urges Trotter to consider other suspects, such as any of...
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Sergeant Trotter leaves, and Christopher returns to the hall, asking Mollie if there’s any place in the house where he...
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...her own past, years before she met Giles. Nowadays, she tries to forget about it. Christopher suggests that, like him, she’s running away from the past rather than facing it. Mollie...
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...traveled to London yesterday, but she can’t refuse the evidence Trotter showed her (the newspaper). Christopher understands the implications of this evidence: what if Giles killed Maureen Stanning last evening? Fear...
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Giles enters the hall, interrupting Mollie and Christopher’s intimate conversation. Convinced that Christopher is the murderer, Giles warns him to stay away from...
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Giles accuses Mollie of going to London in secret to meet Christopher. Mollie sternly denies this, but he reveals her bus ticket, which he found earlier hidden...
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Christopher walks into the room and asks Miss Casewell what’s wrong. She dismisses his question, saying...
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