Review: The Mousetrap, St Martin's Theatre - frothy, fun entertainment
23/10/2021
Are you allowed to call yourself a theatre fan if you haven't seen The Mousetrap, the West End's longest-running play? Possibly. But I've ticked that box now.
So what was it like? Well, it's a fun, frothy West End play that is in part carried by its status of being long-running and a West End institution.
It's an Agatha Christie, which means everyone acts in a way that puts them under suspicion.
And I don't know if you are like me, but thoughts about characters always cross my mind early on, which I then put to one side but inevitable prove true.
Of course, I never verbalise my suspicions in the interval, so can't prove that I was kinda on the right track. But I was, so there. Not that I guessed everything because I didn't.
There are some nice little twists, as you'd expect from Christie.
But don't worry, I'm not going to reveal 'whodunit' because a) I hate spoiling things for others and b) the cast asked you not to at the curtain call.
So all I'll say is, it's set in an old manor which has just opened as a guest house. You have the owners, five guests and a detective, and the snow is coming down thick outside.
And there is a murder. Of course.
The script is showing its age, and you have to mentally gloss over certain phrases that just wouldn't stand now. And if it were any more camp, then there would be scouts setting up tents in the corner of the stage.
There were times when it almost spilled over into farce.
But do you know what? That's fine. It is light entertainment and not something you really want to put under the magnifying glass.
It's two hours and 20 minutes of popcorn theatre, which I needed after a busy week at work.
I'm giving The Mousetrap three and a half stars. It's at the St Martin's Theatre until, well, I suppose, people stop going to see it - and last night, the theatre was pretty full.
Full details and tickets from the official website.
Have you seen The Mousetrap? What did you think?
PS it's great to be back at the theatre again after a hiatus due to work and illness.