Arts:Blog

Theatre Review: The Mousetrap (***)

Michael Cox reviews the current tour of a theatrical institution.

The greatest mystery behind The Mousetrap is: how has it managed to endure for so long? It isn’t Agatha Christie at her best, none of the characters are particularly compelling and the plot device (wretched childhood + isolated home = murder) are clichés even at the best of times. And the ending…? Well, to even hint at where it all goes is not only cheating in the worst way but breaking with a tradition that is over 60 years old.

So perhaps that’s what it all comes down to: tradition. Watching The Mousetrap is an excuse to revel in a glow of the past. The characters are ripped from their time; there is nothing meta or even critical about them or their society. And even though murder is afoot, it is mostly a light affair with a surprising amount of cheeky humour peppered throughout.

As this is a mystery, making any comment about performance skills, strengths and weaknesses, could potentially give any of the twists away. If you’ve encountered any of Christie’s work, you should be able to recognise most of the character types in the play. The company are made up of people giving spirited performances, many of whom have served the play at some point in its London incarnation, and they know exactly how they need to act in such a tale. Is this person guilty? Is that one hiding something? Are those people trying to be coy?

The production values of this current tour are great across the board. The direction and design are honest for the story that unfolds—never sinister but mysterious enough for ambiance—and the plot rolls along at a fast enough pace that never oversteps.

Which makes The Mousetrap a comfortable evening out. It isn’t challenging or even a pinnacle of the genre, but it does everything right. Perhaps seeing the tour isn’t the same as attending the charming time-capsule still playing the West End, but it does make you realise why it has had such a long-lasting appeal.

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap is at the Kings in Edinburgh before continuing its UK tour.