Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap' is renowned for being such a classic, and fans of the whodunnit can catch it at the Liverpool Empire this week.
Known for being the world's longest running play at 70 years old, The Mousetrap originally opened in London's West End in 1952 and ran continuously until 16 March 2020. After a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show is back, and running from Monday November 7 until Saturday November 12.
The play focuses on a group of seven strangers that find themselves snowed in a remote countryside guesthouse. After the news spreads of a murder in London, a police sergeant arrives to inform them that there's a killer in their midst.
If you, like me, absolutely love a whodunnit, this play kept me guessing from the moment the curtains opened. The small yet effective cast and minimal stage was a reminder of just how old this play is, but it certainly didn't hinder the power of Agatha Christie's clever writing style.
Key characters include Mollie Raltson (Joelle Dyson), Giles Ralston (Laurence Pears), Christopher Wren (Elliot Clay) and Mrs Boyle (Gwyneth Strong). The Mousetrap also stars Eastenders actor Todd Carty (Major Metcalf), Essie Barrow, who plays Miss Casewell, John Altman, who plays Mr Paravici and Joseph Reed, who plays Detective Sgt. Trotter.
Each role was played superbly, with all of the actors somehow managing to act mysteriously in different ways to keep the audience guessing. Whether it was a subtle shift in their seat, or a glance when asked a specific question by Sgt. Trotter, the Liverpool Empire was kept on its toes from the off.
Although the set was simplistic, tensions still remained high throughout the performance. Not all of the show was completely serious though, with a few tongue-in-cheek lines scattered within the script for a laugh.
In classic whodunnit fashion, Agatha Christie's clever writing style made every character seem like the murderer for one reason or another. There were subtle hints throughout the play that forced me to change my mind several times.
As soon as I thought I'd hit the nail on the head, something else would happen and I'd question whodunnit once again. It was the clever script, combined with the fabulous acting, that really made this performance a special one.
I particularly enjoyed Todd Carty's portrayal of Major Metcalf, that included classic dialog from the 1950's in a really charming way. Todd Carty managed to turn himself into a posh speaking Major with minimal effort which I found very impressive.
Of course, this play isn't for everyone , and if you're expecting an extravagant over the top set you won't get it with The Mousetrap. Instead, you get a play that's very much 'of it's time' - but that's the beauty of it, in my opinion.
It's simple yet engaging and very cleverly crafted to make you think. In true whodunnit fashion, the audience are asked not to reveal the murderer at the end of the play, so I won't be giving anything away this time.
You can purchase tickets to see The Mousetrap at the Liverpool Empire here. The show will run until Saturday November 12.
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