Reviewed by Dan Grimes

Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap embarked on a triumphant 70^th Anniversary tour two years ago and this week it takes a welcome sojourn at The Lowry’s Lyric theatre.

The Mousetrap really needs no introduction. The play has long since passed the point where it has become a brand in its own right, having played continuously on London’s West End for almost 72 years (COVID notwithstanding). In fact, the production now has its own catchy tagline. “Have YOUdunnit?” probes the poster on the way into the auditorium, reminding me that participation in the audience is as much about being part of a collective experience as it is about enjoying a well-crafted murder mystery.  

Now, having seen the play (for the first time I might add, and without any idea at the outset of WHOdunnit) I feel as though I have been initiated into a secret society which precludes me from giving away too much of the plot. However, I think it’s safe to state that the action centres on events that take place at Monkswell Manor Guest House, a newly opened hospitality venture run by relative newlyweds Mollie and Giles Ralston (Hollie Sullivan and Barnaby Jago) and involving their intake of idiosyncratic lodgers. As news spreads of a murder in London, this group of strangers find themselves snowed in at the remote countryside location. When a fresh-faced police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that one of them, is in fact, the one WHATdunnit.  

This touring production, with well-paced direction from Ian Talbot and Denise Salvey, does a very solid job of bolstering the Mousetrap brand. The staging is at the same time sumptuous and robust. The set elegantly recreates the interior of an English country manor house, complete with gothic oak panelling and stone architraves. The actors work the set hard throughout with doors slammed, staircases tramped, curtains yanked, and windows clambered through. However, testament to the skill of the designers and the construction engineers, there was not even a hint of a wobble. The costumes were in-keeping with the period and each outfit was precisely chosen to enhance the characterisations. Well-cut tailoring and hard-wearing fabrics, these clothes evoked a time before fashion became disposable. The props and furniture items were equally evocative of the time and similarly high quality, with every component coming together to create an overall sense of opulent dependability.

The lighting design was simple but effective. With all the action contained within the same box set, the use of wall lighting and lamps helped punctuate the passing of time and the way the ambient lighting gradually faded as the dark winter night drew in, created the right atmosphere to frame the suspense. I especially enjoyed the care taken over the critically timed blackout at the end of Act 1 with the remaining auditorium lighting also being temporarily dimmed to enhance the depth of the blackout and add to the disorientation.  Unfortunately, sound on this occasion was less reliable, with more than one occasion when miscued microphones pulled you out of the action. I was also a little disappointed with the realism of the snow used on stage. Seeing each newly arrived character lightly dusted with snow from the imminent blizzard was initially pleasing. Unfortunately, the fact that the snow lingered a little too long on clothes when characters were stood in front of the roaring fire, and that some of the dustings appeared more like dollops was ultimately more jarring than was likely intended.  

Performances from all eight actors admirably matched the solidity of their surroundings, with each actor delivering their own well-crafted characterisation. Stand-out performances came from Shaun McCourt as the eccentrically camp Christopher Wren, Amy Spinks as the enigmatic Miss Casewell and TV stalwarts Gwyneth Strong and Todd Carty as the acerbic Mrs Boyle and bumbling Major Metcalf respectively. However, the real star of our show was Hollie Sullivan who was pulled off the understudy bench to play Mollie Ralston. Hollie looked and sounded every inch the 1950s inheritress but also managed to find a depth of emotional connection to the role that caused her to shine that little bit brighter.

Overall, this was an extremely competent production with excellent staging and well delivered performances. That being said, I was left feeling much more enrolled than entertained. I can now say that I have ‘dunnit’ and I will dutifully keep its secret locked in my heart as bid, but overall it was an experience more akin to visiting Madame Tussauds than watching an edge-of-the-seat thriller penned by the Queen of Crime. Whilst I appreciated the craftsmanship and I’m glad to have ticked it off the bucket list, it all felt a bit lacklustre in the end. Very much like the solid oak table mentioned in the script, the play is undoubtedly a genuine antique but it may now be starting to show some signs of woodworm.  

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (70^th Anniversary Tour) runs at The Lowry, Salford, from Monday 8^th to Saturday 13^th April 2024. Tickets are available here.