When Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap originally premiered in 1952, Elizabeth II had just become Queen, wartime rationing was still in effect, the BBC was the only TV broadcaster, and Vera Lynn topped the charts with Auf Wiederseh’n, Sweetheart. Yet, remarkably, The Mousetrap – which officially holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest-running play – is as popular as ever, and is now embarking on a UK and Ireland tour to celebrate its landmark 75th anniversary.
The show, which officially enters its 75th year this November, fully earns its reputation as the greatest British murder mystery. This fiendishly plotted whodunit still keeps audiences guessing as they match their wits against the Queen of Crime. It also juxtaposes classic genre tropes – a remote guesthouse, a deadly snowstorm, a murderer on the loose – with astute observations of human nature and psychology which ring true with modern audiences, just as they did three-quarters of a century ago.
Nicholas Bailey, known to millions as Anthony Trueman in EastEnders, and also a prolific stage actor in shows such as King Lear, Dreamgirls and Atonement, is thrilled to be part of this special anniversary company. He says of The Mousetrap: “It’s got a special place in my heart.”
It’s not his first experience with Christie’s iconic play; he previously appeared in the London production in 2021, under very different circumstances. “I was in the cast when it was the very first show in the West End to come back after Covid,” he recalls. “We had two alternating casts – everyone was being really careful. But it definitely felt right that The Mousetrap, as the mother of the West End, should be the first back.”
Bailey was very aware of the extraordinary heritage of The Mousetrap – which recently celebrated its 30,000th West End performance – when he joined the show. “I knew that the original cast had the likes of Richard Attenborough, so I felt extremely honoured to take up that baton. I’ve now been in The Archers, EastEnders, and The Mousetrap – all great British institutions. Getting the call to come back for the 75th anniversary was an absolute dream.”
It’s a similar experience for his castmate, Susan Penhaligon, who rose to fame in TV shows like Bouquet of Barbed Wire and the Dame Judi Dench-led sitcom A Fine Romance, as well in stage shows such as The Importance of Being Earnest and The Real Thing. She too had her first experience of The Mousetrap in those surreal pandemic times.
“I was part of the UK tour got halted by Covid. We were all in costume waiting to begin, and at the last moment the theatre manager came round and said: ‘You can’t go on stage’.”
Penhaligon then joined the West End production for its post-Covid opening, which she remembers with great fondness. “After that terrible period of wondering if people would ever be able to sit together in a theatre again, that first night was unlike anything I’ve experienced. The audience went wild.”
So, she too is delighted to be back for this momentous tour, reprising the role of Mrs Boyle – one of the strangers trapped at guesthouse Monkswell Manor, trying to work out who among them is a killer.
“She’s a grumpy old bat, so she’s great fun to play,” says Penhaligon. “I love getting to be bad-tempered on stage. People forget it’s a witty show too.”
Bailey has the fascinating challenge of tackling another character this time round. He previously played the proprietor Giles Ralston but is now the retired army officer (and fellow stranded guest) Major Metcalf.
“He’s very different to who I am and the sorts of characters I tend to play,” says Bailey.
“It’s really interesting getting under his skin. I’ve just done Atonement in Chichester, and we did a huge amount of research about the Second World War. That’s been useful here too: the story is set just seven years after the end of the war, this catastrophic event which was still very fresh in the memory. The more we immerse ourselves in this world the better – it’s written so specifically and thoughtfully for that. I think that’s why the play has endured.”
Penhaligon agrees, noting: “The secret of its success is that it’s based on truth. The awful event that sparks the story – the boys who were abused by their foster parents – that’s based on a real-life case [of brothers Dennis and Terence O’Neill]. Agatha Christie read a report about it in the newspaper. It was a real scandal. So, she draws on life, and I think you can sense the underlying authenticity. She was very much ahead of her time in that regard.”
Christie was also a pioneer in her characterisation, observes Penhaligon: The Mousetrap features two people, Christopher Wren and Miss Casewell, who can be read as queer-coded. “She’s so sharp about our assumptions and prejudices as well. Like my character is automatically suspicious of ‘foreigners’. I think Christie is covertly saying: ‘Hang on a minute – we’re all people.’”
Along with those social observations is a brilliantly labyrinthine and atmospheric murder mystery. “It’s got twists and turns and then twists and turns within those twists and turns,” chuckles Bailey. “There are so many properly jaw-dropping surprises. It’s a real whodunit romp – it’s pacy and electric. You never forget the first time you see this play. I love talking to people afterwards and hearing them describe when the penny dropped.”
Penhaligon was happily surprised by the range and scope of audiences she encountered at The Mousetrap. “It gets huge audiences. I think it’s because it really is a show you can bring everyone to – you can bring your auntie, your granny, mum and dad, the kids, teenagers. Everyone loves the challenge of trying to work it out. They always say afterwards: ‘Oh, I was convinced it was so-and-so.’ It’s very much like the appeal of The Traitors.”
Bailey is thrilled to be taking the show around the country on this extensive tour, which is visiting 29 venues including Manchester, York, Cardiff, Edinburgh – and Bailey’s hometown of Birmingham. “I know lots of friends and family will be coming along there. But it’s a treat getting to go to all these beautiful theatres. I love the idea that someone out there in the dark is seeing this for the first time and joining the legacy of this show. We’re all part of history.”
Penhaligon notes the significance of the play visiting Torquay. “Of course, that’s very important for Agatha Christie – it’s where she grew up. So, it’s nice to reconnect with her roots. A friend of mine actually met her. He said he’d never forget her piercing eyes: they seemed to be looking right into him.”
Penhaligon grew up reading Christie’s novels – 4:50 from Paddington is a particular favourite – while Bailey adored the film adaptations featuring great actors like Albert Finney, who played Hercule Poirot. “People never tire of a really good murder mystery, do they? You can see her influence in so many books and dramas since. We just love them.”
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about The Mousetrap’s 75-year run is that its all-important ending has been kept under wraps.
“We always say: ‘Please keep the secret’ when you come to see it, but it’s really not an issue,” says Bailey. “People respect it. I think there’s a great sense of ‘I want other people to feel what I felt, I don’t want to ruin it’, and new audiences coming in want to go on that immersive journey. You can feel them leaning in, loving this shared experience. It really is event theatre.”
:: The Mousetrap opens on Monday 23 November and runs until Saturday 28 November. Tickets available now at The Mousetrap – Lighthouse or on 01202 280000.
