REVIEW: THE MOUSETRAP

SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE

When Agatha Christie’s intriguing stage play The Mousetrap was first produced in 1952, the great British crime novelist thought it might last for eight months.

After 64 years running continuously in London, delivering more than 26,000 performances, this wonderful theatrical institution is now touring the country.

Based on Christie’s 30-minute radio drama Three Blind Mice, the seemingly immortal Mousetrap has generated its own fame – the longer it runs, the more people want an explanation for its endless success – so they flock to see it.

In this iconic enjoyable play, there’s no Hercule Poirot, no Miss Marple, but there is an unusual detective... and a classic Christie mystery.

Set in an English country house hotel, the newly married young proprietors welcome six disparate guests.

It’s winter, it’s snowing heavily, and – as in Christie’s brilliant Murder On The Orient Express – settling snowdrifts isolate the travellers.

Naturally, the house telephone stops working – outside wires have been cut – and someone is murdered.

Among eight magnificent actors, Oliver Gully is outstanding as the yellow-trousered excitable Christopher Wren.

Asked once about The Mousetrap’s enduring popularity, Agatha Christie suggested: “It’s not really frightening. It’s not really horrible. It’s not really a farce, but it has a little bit of all those things...”

As always with productions of The Mousetrap, at the play’s end the audience is asked to keep the revelation a secret... So the murderer is... arrgghh...!

Runs until Saturday, matinees Thursday and Saturday.

Brendan McCusker