Reviewed by Katy Nettleton
A high energy, thrilling show that will have you guessing to the end!
If you are coming up to 40 you will have grown up with Agatha Christie on TV and books; my mum was an avid reader of the books and then TV showings so I was keen to find out if the long running West End show could live up to the hype and get my imagination going as have the books. I was not disappointed! If you have never read an Agatha Christie book or watched a screen version but enjoy a “Who did it” show, then this is for you!
Set in 1952, a young couple Mollie (played expertly by Harriett Hare) and Giles (played by Nick Biadon) have set upon a new adventure of running a guest house at Monkswell Manor, but their first guests are not who they seem. A murder in London has led the police, Sgt Trotter (played by Geoff Arnold) to the manor in a country to identify the murderer and keep the other guests safe. The guests are all unique, have their little quirks which really brings the performance alive. Christopher Wren (played by Lewis Chandler) brought a laugh a minute, with his mannerisms, singing but also the way in which he got the audience related to him. Major Metcalf (played by John Griffiths) was a strong character who loved living in his past, as was Mrs Boyle (played by Susan Penhaligon) who was full of character and portrayed a stern side which made her even more endearing.
A special mention to Harriett Hare (playing Mollie Ralston) as her accent was faultless throughout the show and David Alcock (playing the allusive Mr Paravicini) who managed to balance comedy and drama expertly, which gave the show another dimension.
The set was amazing, you truly felt the cold from the Great Hall and wanted to stand by the welcoming fire and this was only heightened through the expert acting of all the cast. The way in which the set was designed really drew you into the scene and made you feel like you were part of the show! The lighting added to the atmosphere and made the audience sit up and look around, to see what was going to happen next. This could only be achieved by a strong cast, who complemented and supported one another immensely; you could feel the warmth of their relationships as well as the complexities surrounding them and their history.
This is a traditional version of Death in Paradise, with all the audience trying to guess “who done it”, right up until the end. This is partially due to an amazing marketing strategy of the production company by keeping the murderer secret for so many years and also the audience wanting to keep that mystery alive for other theatre goers.
Overall, I would give this show 5 out of 5 and recommend anyone who likes a murder mystery to go and watch, and finally find out who the murderer is!
Congratulations to the whole team, it was brilliant!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £13 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
The Mousetrap is at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham from 11-16 November 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/birmingham or call the box office on 0844 871 3011.
The Alexandra Theatre, Suffolk Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4DS
