Confession first. I really like a whodunnit but have somehow never seen the longest running play in history within the genre, but having seen quite a few, with Agatha Christie being more than a couple of them, I went into this fully expecting to guess the ending. I did not guess the ending. Not even close. It happened to me in real time as it unfolded and it proves Agatha Christie’s still got it after all these decades, and yes, I’m aware I’m about 70 years late to that realisation when it comes to The Mousetrap!
The cast were really great across the board. Nobody phoning it in, nobody overplaying it for laughs when the tension needed to hold. Proper stand out performances came from Christopher Wren, played by Thomas Barrett, and Mollie Ralston, the young wife who runs the house, played by Emily Laing, but everyone did a great job of keeping an audience on edge for two hours with a play set in one room with mainly great dialogue and nothing else. The chemistry between the ensemble meant you bought into every bit of the suspicion and the shifting alliances as the story unfolds.
Set design deserves a shoutout too. It looked stunning from the moment you entered the theatre, and this one location made good use of every prop and shadow to do a great job of housing the story and its twists and turns.
Pacing was spot on as well, which I wasn’t expecting from something written in 1952. It never dragged, never rushed the reveals, just built and built so that you’re sat there mentally accusing every character in turn and getting it wrong every time. It’s a good sign when the interval comes up and you weren’t ready to stop watching.
Story wise, it’s your usual ‘the murderer is among us!’ plot but done very well. I obviously can’t say a word about how it ends. Part of the whole appeal of this one is that literally everyone in the audience leaves sworn to secrecy, which feels like being let into a very long running, very cosy conspiracy.
The Mousetrap is currently touring the UK as part of the build up to its 75th anniversary, having opened all the way back in 1952 and crossed its 30,000th performance last year. I’d imagine part of that longevity is the fact that seeing it once definitely doesn’t mean you won’t want to see it again.
A must see for fans of whodunnits and Agatha Christie, so if you’re anywhere near Cheltenham while it’s on at the Everyman, go. Just don’t ask me what happens, because I will absolutely not tell you.
The Mousetrap is at Everyman Theatre Cheltenham until 26th September
