Theatre

Review: The Mousetrap at the St. Martin’s Theatre

As the show enters its 65th year on the West End stage, now’s the perfect time to see Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit The Mousetrap.

It’s near-impossible to write a review for The Mousetrap for several reasons. Firstly the show debuted in 1952, meaning that over the years reviews for the show haven’t exactly been hard to come by – it’s likely you already know the basic plot, the setting and the characters, so to spell them out for you again, 65 years later, seems slightly redundant.

Added to this is the fact that much of the success of The Mousetrap’s longevity comes from the tradition of audience members promising to keep the secret of whodunit alive. Even today, at the end of the show, cast members ask the audience to not tell anyone who the killer is – it’s a practice that’s been a part of the show for decades, and ensures that the majority of audiences who see the show for the first time are doing it spoiler-free.

Even in today’s spoiler-laden modernity, there’s something wonderful about watching anything – television, movies and, especially, live theatre – when you’ve no idea on where it’s going or what’s going to happen next.

The Mousetrap

As such, as with any classic murder mystery (and who’s more classic that Christie?), it’d be a misnomer to even hint at similar spoilers here.

So how do we convince you to see The Mousetrap – because see it you truly must – without giving anything away about the story, the mystery, or the twists and turns of Christie’s clever plotting?

In short, take away this: having run for 65 years, The Mousetrap is the longest-running show of any kind in the world. That fact alone should be enough to make even the most seasoned theatregoer clambering to get a ticket and make themselves a part of this landmark show.

Further to this though is the new cast, who are clearly also loving being a part of The Mousetrap. This cast will catapult the show through its historic year, and there are some barnstorming performances here.

The script and set are suitably retro, but that’s part of the show’s extraordinary heritage, and not a criticism. So while it doesn’t exactly feel like you’re watching cutting-edge theatre, there’s a familiar sensibility to proceedings that feels comfortable – a bit like watching a period drama, or that feeling you have when you slip on a pair of comfy jogging bottoms. Or, you know, that classic episode of Poirot on a Sunday night.

The Mousetrap

On top of all this, the setting of the play – the depths of winter, a snow drift trapping our suspects together in the title’s “mousetrap” – means this time of year couldn’t be more perfect to see this iconic show.

We can’t think of anything greater than stepping out of cold, dark winter nights in the West End into St. Martin’s Theatre and being transported to Monkswell Manor to see the mysteries of The Mousetrap unfold.

The Mousetrap is now playing at St. Martin’s Theatre, London. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.co.uk.