Arguably one of the most famous plays in theatrical history and holding the record of longest play run in the world (UK, 1952 – Present), Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is undergoing an Australian tour later this year to mark the production’s 70th Anniversary. The production is due to commence at Theatre Royal Sydney from 8 October 2022 for a “limited season”, with a Brisbane season to follow at the Playhouse, QPAC starting 4 November 2022. This will be a bite-sized season, set to conclude on 20 November 2022.
Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia has confirmed that tickets for the Brisbane season have entered pre-sale earlier today via the QPAC Website and through QTIX (136 246), with general public on-sale to commence Friday 26 August 2022. Tickets are priced from $69.00 excluding transaction fees, with higher prices potentially indicating more desirable session times, or better vantage points of the stage.
Having always had The Mousetrap on my ‘Theatrical productions to watch in my lifetime’ list, I am psyched to see that I can tick this off my bucket list early, and I won’t need to travel to the United Kingdom to see it.
The Mousetrap had its world premiere on 6 October 1952 at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. After a brief tour, it opened in London’s West End on 25 November 1952 at the Ambassadors Theatre, where it ran until 23 March 1974. It immediately transferred to the larger St Martin’s Theatre next door, and continues to this day, with over 28,500 performances to date.
Agatha Christie originally wrote the story as a short radio play entitled Three Blind Mice, which was broadcast in 1947 as a birthday present for Queen Mary. She eventually adapted the work into a short story before again rewriting it for the stage as The Mousetrap. Ironically, Christie did not expect the play to run for more than a few months and stipulated that no film of The Mousetrap be made until at least six months after the West End Production closed. And here we are so many years into the future, without that film adaptation.
The Mousetrap follows the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor, who find themselves trapped inside due to a snow storm and the corpse of a local woman indicating a murder was afoot. It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. A police detective, arriving on skis, interrogates the suspects: the newlyweds running the house; a spinster with a curious background; an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef; a retired Army major; a strange little man who claims his car has overturned in a drift; and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone. When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate. This record-breaking murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish from the foremost mystery writer of all time.
The Australian Cast of The Mousetrap
| Character | Actor | Other Notable Productions |
|---|---|---|
| Mollie Ralston | Anna O’Byrne | My Fair Lady Love Never Dies |
| Giles Ralston | Alex Rathgeber | Anything Goes The Phantom of the Opera |
| Christopher Wren | Laurence Boxhall | As You Like It Jumpy |
| Mrs Boyle | Geraldine Turner | Present Laughter Don’s Party |
| Major Metcalf | Adam Murphy | Shakespeare in Love Aladdin |
| Miss Casewell | Charlotte Friels | Professional Stage Debut |
| Mr Paravicini | Gerry Connolly | Cyrano de Bergerac The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui |
| Detective Sergeant Trotter | Tom Conroy | Jasper Jones My Brilliant Career |
| Standby | Jack Bannister | Romeo and Juliet Lysa and The Freeborn Dames |
| Standby | Elisa Colla | My Fair Lady Wicked |
| Standby | Chris Parker | Daylight Savings The Club |
The Australian Production Team of The Mousetrap
| Individual | Role |
|---|---|
| Robyn Nevin | Director |
| Isabel Hudson | Costume Design and Associate Set Design |
| Trudy Dalgleish | Lighting Design |
| John Frost | Producer |
