By Jennifer Mustoe
As an Agatha Christie fan, in my last trip to London, England, seeing the famous, delightful, and long-running (almost 30,000 performances in London’s West End!) The Mousetrap was a necessity. This murder mystery is not only filled with all the whodunnit questions, it is great fun. The actors bring new, fresh takes on roles that have been played by many famous, seasoned actors.
According to Christie’s website, here are some astounding facts:
As Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap enters its 68th year of a record-breaking run, we’ve compiled some curious trivia about the world’s longest running stage production.
- The Mousetrap began life as a radio play, which was written at the request of the BBC for Queen Mary.
- The Mousetrap is the longest running show of any kind in the world.
- The show has now been presented in 27 languages in more than 50 countries.
- Since it opened on 25th November 1952, over 460 actors and actresses have appeared in the play.
- Some cast members are in the Guinness Book of Records: David Raven as the ‘Most Durable Actor’ for 4575 performances as Major Metcalf and the late Nancy Seabrooke for a record breaking 15 years as an understudy.
- The original cast of the play included Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim.
- In An Autobiography Agatha Christie said that she initially thought The Mousetrap would only run for a maximum of eight months.
- Agatha Christie gave the rights to The Mousetrap to her grandson Mathew Prichard when he was nine years old.
- The late Deryck Guyler provided the pre-recorded voice of the newsreader in the first act and the same recording is still used today.
- When The Mousetrap opened, Mr. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister, much essential food was rationed, and television programmes ended at 10:30pm.
- The Mousetrap first entered the record books on April 12th 1958 when it became the longest running show of any kind in the history of British theatre.
- In 1959 the cast of The Mousetrap, armed with various props, gave a special performance at Wormwood Scrubs prison. During the performance, two prisoners escaped.
- Originally produced in Nottingham at the Theatre Royal, it toured England before embarking on a 32 year run at The New Ambassadors Theatre in London.
- In March 1974 the play moved from The Ambassadors Theatre to the St. Martin’s Theatre without missing a single show.
- In 2000, the set was replaced for the first time during the run at St Martin’s Theatre, still to the same design as the original. This task was completed over a weekend without the loss of a performance.
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the 50th anniversary performance on November 25th 2002.
- On November 18, 2012 for one performance only, The Mousetrap celebrated its 25,000th performance (60th anniversary) with a celebrity-filled cast including Hugh Bonneville, Nicholas Farrell, Iain Glen, Tamsin Greig, Miranda Hart, Harry Lloyd, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Dame Julie Walters. The Agatha Christie memorial statue was unveiled for this occasion.
- The 28,000 performance in the West End took place on 12th of October 2019.
- On an occasion such as cast changes or milestone anniversary performances, a cake is ceremoniously cut with a sword. The cake is in the shape of a ticker counter that keeps track of the amount of performances.
- Every performance of The Mousetrap sets a new world record for the number of performances and after each performance the audience is asked ‘to preserve the tradition of The Mousetrap by keeping the secret locked in their hearts.’
- The contract terms of the play state that no film version can be made until the West End show has been closed for at least six months, and since it is still running—no official film has been made.
- (And an interesting fact: this play was based on a true story.)
I share these facts because as I sat in the beautiful St. James Theatre, I could feel history within its walls. I was watching a popular, enjoyable play that tens of thousands had attended before. I felt a long-standing, magical production was being performed with vitality and on point physical comedy as if it’s the show’s opening night.
A very short summary is: the show takes place at a guest house, Monkswell Manor. It’s snowing, and a group of people are assembled, then trapped by the weather. A person is murdered, shot after the lights have been shut off, phone line cut, and we are then confronted with whodunnit. I am not saying any more than that. My lips are sealed.
This performance’s marvelous actors are as follows:
Eleanor McLoughlin as Mollie Ralston who is the wife of Giles Ralston, married only one year. Mollie has inherited a Victorian Manor, where The Mousetrap, with no scene changes, takes place. McLoughlin plays the twitter-pated bride who is hoping to also assume the role of lucrative guest house.
Greg Lockett as Giles Ralston, who co-hosts Monkwell Manor with wife Mollie. These two have some hilarious bits as they begin to navigate early married life.
George Naylor as Christopher Wren is a frenetic young man, and Naylor’s physical comedy and spot on timing is a beautiful thing to behold.
Pamela Hardman as Mrs. Boyle plays a foster care mother where three children were abused and one was killed. She denies all. She is the murdered victim. Hardman is great at being the character we love to hate.
Ravi Aluja as Major Metcalf is a retired British officer, with enough bluster and brusque to convince us he couldn’t possibly be the murderer. Aluja is so well-crafted, I admit, he was my favorite. He didn’t do stuffy, but proper and wise. Could he have been the murderer? Surely not. And yet?
Lizzie Frain as Miss Casewell: gruff, aloof, and mannish stays away visually even though she’s onstage and emotionally from the other guests at Monkswell Manor. I felt her distance as Frain is effective in giving the impression something is afoot. What is it?
Matthew White as Mr. Pavaracini is a foreign man, full of himself, and arrives at the Manor with no luggage. Well, that looks suspicious. White is witty with a depth to his character I found entrancing.
Daniel Solbe as Detective Sgt. Trotter is investigating the murderer. He is all business, and brings a feeling of hope that the mystery will be solved.
The Mousetrap could have all the possibility and probability of being a stale, boring rendition of a show that’s played so many times. But the actors, under the wonderful direction by Ian Talbot O.B.E., and Creative Director Denise Silvey bring snap, suspense, surprise and satisfaction to its audiences. I wondered how many people were seeing this show for the first time. Certainly not all of us already knew whodunnit? (Another mystery!)
Because The Mousetrap opened in 1952, the costumes, by Janet Hudson-Holt, Costumer Supervisor and Head of Wardrobe make everything look wonderfully vintage in a modern way. The set decoration has stood the test of time. Now directed by Master Carpenter Jorden Bird, we are convinced we’re seeing something fresh and new.
After the final curtain, the audience is warned to not reveal the ending of The Mousetrap so we won’t spoil it for others. While I doubt this caution has been strictly obeyed (you can find out whodunnit on the internet all over the place), this marvelous sentence thrilled me. I know and I won’t tell. Delicious!
St. Martin’s Theatre presents The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie.
St. Martin’s Theatre, West Street, London WC2H 9NZ. Directions to the theatre: Public transport: Tube: Leicester Square, National Rail: Charing Cross, Bus: Charing Cross Rd, serviced by the following buses: 14, 19, 22, 24, 29, 38, 40, 176
Dates: indefinitely–when it closes is a mystery!
Times: 19:30 (7:30) PM Monday-Saturday, 15:00 (3:00) PM Tuesday, Thursday Saturday, Dark Sunday
Tickets: £19.52-£39.50
The Mousetrap Facebook Page
Agatha Christie Facebook Page
The Mousetrap Promotion Reel
*Note: I consider The Mousetrap to be a family friendly show, though I wouldn’t recommend it for under tweens.
#IDunnit
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