No spoilers in this review
One of the greatest Whodunits of the 20th century, Agatha Christies Mousetrap returned to Bournemouth last night at the start of a 5 night run as part of a UK tour. If like me you have seen it before then I promise you this production really is worth an excuse to see it again, if you have not seen it before then you are in for a treat, this production is faultless.
An old country house, recently opened as a guest house is cut off by a severe winter snow storm. In the sitting room the radio plays with no one listening, a news report that no one hears, but a report that the police are on the hunt for a murderer.
With the storm worsening the guests all gather, meeting each other and realising that among them a murderer may lurk. To make matters worse they are now all trapped, cut off by the severity of the storm.
In her own inimitable style, Dame Agatha Christie has created an atmosphere of shuddering suspense and a brilliantly intricate plot where murder lurks around every corner.
This, like many a classic play, has a simple set which sets the scene perfectly, the costumes all fit in with the period set and the cast as you would expect in a high caliber production all play their parts full of enthusiasm.
Naturally I will not tell you who the murderer is but I will say that such is the intensity of the plot, the way in which her brilliant mind lures you in to thinking they are all in fact guilty….or maybe not, does leave you almost as confused in working it out as do the characters in the play.
The people sat behind me had clearly not seen it before and all three of them at the interval, whilst I was enjoying my ice cream, were discussing who they felt it was…….they all guessed and they all got it wrong, this play really is a masterpiece.
Mousetrap is playing all this week at the Bournemouth Pavilion from 5 – 10 August with a matinee performance on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30pm. For tickets and to see the full calendar of shows and plays in Bournemouth this season visit their website here or call the box office on 0300 500 0595
Reviewer: Brian Case @thebriancase @bhlivingdorset