Writer: Agatha Christie
Director: Hannah Chissick
Agatha Christie has been entertaining audiences across the world for more than 100 years. Her mysteries are twisting, unpredictable, filled with outlandish characters, and much beloved. The Mousetrap has existed in story form since 1947, premiered as a stage play in October 1952, and has been running on the West End since November 1952. This tour (starting in Birmingham) is celebrating the unbelievable length of this show by seeing it into its 75th year. Although one might expect there would be little audience for a show that has been performed well over 30,000 times, it’s clear that our appetite for Agatha Christie’s classic mysteries is still strong.
Set in an ornate manor house in Berkshire, around the end of World War II, the set is very striking. The stylised sitting room is a tour-friendly version of the West End set, with a large, snowy, paned window; crackling fire; faded cream and crimson upholstered furniture; and numerous entrances. Throughout the play, the set proves to be a great addition to the story: providing distractions, practical effects, and sneaky escapes for each of the suspicious characters. The set also boxes the action in to a smaller area, using only part of the huge Alexandra stage. This closeness helps to give us the warmth and claustrophobic feeling of an inescapable “whodunnit.”
The company dutifully plays out the story. Mr and Mrs Ralston, a newly married couple played by Jack Hardwick and Emily Laing, are just starting to run a guest house. It’s their first night with guests, and a huge snowstorm has made the streets nearly impassable. As each character arrives onstage, we hear a radio reporting a person wanted in connection to a recent murder, described as wearing a dark overcoat, light scarf, and soft felt hat. Each new person fits the bill, sowing the audience’s suspicion from the start. Every character also brings with them a unique and very strong personality, giving the audience clear first impressions with which to base their “whodunnit” musings later on in the play.
Christie’s writing is of her time, and the language fits into that world. However, it still feels understandable and within reach for a contemporary audience. There’s a certain clipped pace, a choppy energy that keeps the play ticking, moved along by the accents of the time, which is well performed by the company. Thomas Barrett’s Christopher Wren makes himself a very suspicious character, as does Clare Duffy’s Miss Casewell. Susan Penhaligon and Nicholas Bailey (Mrs Boyle and Major Metcalf) anchor the cast with their experience, while James Peake and Alfie Richards’ characters (Mr Paravicini and Detective Sergeant Trotter) heighten the mystery factor. Director Hannah Chissick seems to have done an excellent job at re-creating the London classic, and resident director Myles Brown should have a simple job of keeping this tight ship in order over a long tour.
The rest of the job is left to the audience: in Agatha Christie’s legacy, we are asked to leave everything to the actors onstage, and trusted to keep the secret of “whodunnit” locked away in our hearts, preserving the mystery for those who are yet to discover it.
Runs until 12 September 2026 and on tour
The Reviews Hub Star Rating
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8
