Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap | QPAC

“You feel like someone you know quite well might be a stranger. That’s what happens in a nightmare.*”

A classic whodunnit tale, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap was a captivating mystery with a new twist at every turn. I found myself second guessing every character, and even my own memory at times, as I attempted to piece together their movements and backstories. The Mousetrap is definitely the kind of play I could see myself viewing again just to try and pinpoint every minute clue.

Image + cover image: Brian Geach

The play centres around a murder that has taken place in London on the same day that Monkswell Manor—Mollie and Giles Ralston’s newly acquired inn—is open for their first guests. A radio announcement states that the police are searching for someone who was seen near the crime scene wearing a “darkish overcoat, lightish scarf, and soft felt hat”**.  The audience is then slowly introduced to eight characters who enter wearing that exact description. Following each introduction, the mysterious, chaotic, and, at times, hilarious play takes us on a wild ride where even “someone you know quite well might be a stranger”*.

For a script written in the 1950s, I was pleasantly surprised by the strong female leading the show. Played by clearly talented actress, Anna O’Byrne, Mollie Ralston was a witty and electrifying character. O’Byrne’s energy filled the stage and was captivating to the very end. The entire cast was incredibly well-suited. I particularly enjoyed Laurence Boxhall’s performance of Christopher Wren, a delightfully peculiar character that was often times the comic relief.

The costumes and set design placed us perfectly in the 1950s. The snowfall outside the window was a nice touch and it almost felt cooler in the theatre every time the window was opened. I was fascinated by the way that the set design managed to make the stage and world of the play feel expansive, drawing in the audience and making us feel like we too were guests of the manor.

The plays reveal was slightly cheesy, which is somewhat expected from a play of this nature. Following the reveal, the audience was asked to keep the secret of the show before the cast sung a beautifully harmonic rendition of ‘Three Blind Mice’. I haven’t been able to get the tune out of my head since and every time I hum it I reflect on the clues of the play, considering what I must have missed.

So, while I can’t say much else without ruining the magic of the show, I can say with certainty that I recommend The Mousetrap. This production would be the perfect night out for any lovers of crime fiction, or even the many out there, such as myself, addicted to true crime.

*Quote: The Mousetrap
**Quote: The Mousetrap