OH, I LIKE A MURDER. The Mousetrap revisited by a murder mystery fan.

I saw this show when I was little, however I completely forgot how impressive this perennial thriller is. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was and was enthralled for the entire performance. 

Agatha Christies legendary whodunnit is one show in the West End that you must see at least once in your life. It is playing at St Martin’s theatre, Covent Garden and has been since 1974 with this member of the audience one of more than 10 million who have sat there trying to guess the killer.  

The curtain rises with news on a radio that there has been a murder in London. A group of seven strangers find themselves in a remote countryside guesthouse, snowed in. A police sergeant arrives, and the guests discover to their horror that a killer is in their midst!

The set of the Mousetrap is a beautifully reconstructed Old Manor, it’s a bit quaint but does the job. Previously, The Mousetrap has helped establish actors such as Richard Attenborough (who was in the original 1952 cast), as well as Hugh Bonneville, so it has played its part helping young talent break through. Most of the actors in the production are at the early stages of their theatre careers which is great to see.

 The standout performances in the show were Lynton Appleton who plays Christopher Wren and Sam Stafford who plays Detective Sgt. Trotter. I didn’t expect Christopher Wren having some comedic lines; however, it breaks up the plot and relieves some tension which was a nice surprise. This play is a typical Christie, which means characters with secrets, and nothing is what it seems.

In fact, its traditional format has old world charm that is a breath of fresh air to some new over complicated dramas that you see.

The lighting was effective, but not spectacular and the same goes with the costumes which looked like they hadn’t been changed since 1974!

This is old school production is still one of the best murder mysteries in the West End and you can see its influence today in shows such as Kathy and Stella solve a murder, which has a contemporary feel but is ultimately a whodunnit that tips its hat to its predecessor (catch my review of this new play in the review section).

Sometimes, like the nursery rhyme “three blind mice” that is used to references the first murder old favourites are the best. The Mousetrap is a perfect example of this.

If you haven’t seen it yet. GO!

And don’t forget, I will echo the cast and the end of the show, keep the murderers identity a secret so that future audience can enjoy.

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