Edgar Allan Poe / Vahur Keller
THE MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGÊT
A murder mystery
performance is in Estonian
Mary Rogers worked in a small tobacco shop in New York. This “Beautiful Cigar Girl” was famous all over Manhattan and attracted many admirers. On the morning of July 25, 1841, Mary left home, and three days later her body was found floating in the Hudson River ...
Marie Rogêt worked in a small perfume shop in Paris. The saleswoman’s beauty became the talk of the town, and customers flocked to the store. On the morning of June 22, 1841, Marie left home, and three days later her body is found in Seine …
“The Mystery of Marie Rogêt”, by Edgar Allan Poe, is the second story in a series of short stories featuring detective Auguste Dupin. Charles Baudelaire called this story “a masterpiece” and “a wonder”. This is also the first crime story based on real life. A year and a half after the disappearance of the beautiful tobacco girl, Mary Rogers, Poe was trying to solve the mystery based on articles he found in the press. He changed the location from New York to Paris and Mary Rogers got a new name – Marie Rogêt. Although Poe’s analysis is fascinating, the great writer could not figure out who the culprit was. The case of Mary Rogers remains unsolved to this day.
180 years later, Vahur Keller has his own investigation going. Keller draws on documentary evidence, theories, and urban legends related to this mystery. In his own version, Keller is sending detective Auguste Dupin to re-examine the case based on newly discovered evidence. In this production, Poe along with his character Dupin “revive” the people involved in the case and dissect both facts and fantasies – in order to find the truth. Keller’s Dupin is going to finally solve the mysterious murder and even Edgar Allan Poe will not be able to avoid becoming one of the suspects.
EDGAR ALLAN POE – Riho Rosberg
AUGUSTE DUPIN – Meelis Kubo
MARY ROGERS – Liis Haab
authors Edgar Allan Poe / Vahur Keller
director and sound engineer Vahur Keller
set and costume design Britt Urbla Keller
choreographer Kristina Paškevicius
light / video engineer Rene Topolev
mask design Sandra Lange
make-up artist Evelin Sulg
graphic design Britt Urbla Keller
production management Jane Oksa
sales and marketing Annika Land–Reisser
costume production Riina Rosin
This production is supported by Eesti Kultuurkapital
Performance duration 2 hours 45 minutes with one intermission
Premiere February 28th, 2021