The Mystery of Marie Rogêt

Edgar Allan Poe / Vahur Keller

A ghostly murder mystery

Beautiful shop assistant Mary Rogers works in a small New York tobacco shop. Her charm is famous throughout Manhattan, drawing crowds of men to the shop to admire her. On the morning of 25 July 1841, beautiful Mary leaves home, and three days later her body is found in the Hudson…

Beautiful shop assistant Marie Rogêt’ works in a small Paris perfumery. The charms of the enchanting grisette are famous throughout the city, drawing crowds of customers to the shop. On the morning of 22 June 1841, beautiful Marie leaves home, and three days later her body is found in the Seine…

“The Mystery of Marie Rogêt” is Edgar Allan Poe’s second story in the series of tales featuring detective Auguste Dupin. Charles Baudelaire called it a “masterpiece” and a “miracle”. It is the first literary murder mystery based on a true story. A year and a half after the events, Poe tried to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the beautiful tobacco-shop girl Mary Rogers, using articles published in the press. He moved the setting of the story, which took place in New York, to Paris and renamed Mary Rogers Marie Rogêt. Although Poe’s analysis in the tale is fascinating, the great writer did not manage to identify the culprit, and the Mary Rogers case remains unsolved to this day.

180 years later, Vahur Keller gathered the recollections, evidence, theories and legends connected with this mysterious story and, in light of the facts he uncovered, sent detective Auguste Dupin to investigate the case again. In the production, the writer Poe and his creation Dupin bring the people connected with the case to life and examine facts and fantasies side by side—all in the search for the truth. When Auguste Dupin takes on a murder mystery, even his author, Edgar Allan Poe, is not beyond suspicion.

No story is old until it is finished.

EDGAR ALLAN POE: Riho Rosberg
AUGUSTE DUPIN: Meelis Kubo
MARY ROGERS: Liis Haab

Authors: Edgar Allan Poe / Vahur Keller
Director and sound designer: Vahur Keller
Set designer: Britt Urbla Keller
Choreographer: Kristina Paškevicius
Lighting and video designer: Rene Topolev
Mask designer: Sandra Lange
Make-up artist: Triin Tulp

Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including an interval

The production uses stage fog, which is harmless to health.

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