The Mousetrap premiered at The Theatre Royal in Nottingham on October 6, 1952, opening to rave reviews thanks to a big twist ending which breaks all the normal “whodunnit” rules.
It soon transferred to London’s West End and, in 1974, it took up residence at St Martin’s Theatre, where an intimate atmosphere is said to add to the claustrophobic feel of the play. All those who see it are sworn to secrecy over its surprise ending.
It was originally written as a short radio drama called Three Blind Mice, broadcast on May 30, 1947, to celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Mary. Agatha Christie expected the renamed play to run for less than a year and the film rights were sold with a clause that no movie should be released until six months after it came off stage. But it became a huge hit and ran uninterrupted until coronavirus forced a 20-month halt in 2020.
