The Mousetrap is the epitome of murder mystery, created by Dame Agatha Christie who herself is the undisputed queen of the genre.
Opening in the West End in 1952 - and predicted to last just a few months - The Mousetrap is is the longest running theatrical production in the world and, is very much like a fine wine; it matures and ages beautifully.
Best known for its twist ending, which the audience are traditionally asked not to reveal after leaving the theatre, the plot recounts two new guest-house owners expecting a contingent of visitors. Each has their own personality flaws and, with a snow drift setting in, finds themselves stuck at Monkswell Manor.
After receiving a phone call from the local police station, a sergeant arrives and breaks the news that the guests may be at risk from a murderer who's on the loose. After one guest succumbs to the killer, the hunt is on to find out whodunnit.
Over the years, I've seen The Mousetrap a number of times, and revelled in it's simplicity - something I've long felt was its strongest suit. No costume changes, no bits of set flying in - just a simple, well performed story that continued to pack a punch. This tour, however, has stripped the piece back to its roots and rebuilt it from the ground up.
With the addition of dialogue, the reworking of scenes and the addition of subtle lighting cues, the creative team have managed to find contemporary additions which don't in any way detract from the charm of the piece - yet give it a feeling of freshness. Many times throughout the piece - and particularly in act 2 - the production was moving along as expected, before taking a slight detour to reach the same destination.
We find out more about Mollie and Giles and possibly see less of the other characters - but at no point did it feel like the story suffered. In fact it was refreshing to see a professional cast do something different with an icon of British theatre.
Emily Laing and Jack Hardwick are excellent as Mollie and Giles, particularly in those extended scenes, breathing new life into the roles - and in particular, Laing's performance of Mollie's supportive monologue for Christopher Wren were compelling.
Talking of which, Thomas Barrett plays an measured characterisation of Wren, bringing his eccentricity out without falling into the trap of making him 'silly' as some other incarnations have been. Nicholas Bailey gave a strong performance as Major Metcalfe alongside James Peake's witty and sarcastic take on Mr Paravicini which brought a welcome comedic twist to the show.
There's a lot to be said for spending an evening in the company of a strong murder mystery and a cast who can carry it off. The actors on stage were immersive and immensely talented - a tour that you definitely need to catch whilst you can.
The Mousetrap runs at the Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 12th September. For more information, or to get your tickets, head to atgtickets.com/birmingham.
