The Mousetrap at The Belgrade

The Belgrade in Coventry welcomed the longest lasting whodunnit on its UK tour.

As news spreads of a murder in London, seven strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst! One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts.

The characters are introduced one at a time, starting with hosts Molly and Giles Ralston, played by Joelle Dyson and Laurence Pears.

On this occasion Judith Rae, rather than Gwyneth Strong, plays bossy militant Mrs Boyle and Nicholas Maude stepped in for Todd Carty as Major Metcalf. Essie Barrow as Miss Casewell is equally stern in her well tailored trousers.

Elliot Clay is infectious as cardigan wearing Christopher Wren, lounging on all manner of furniture, his effeminate nature and buoyant singing riling uptight Giles. Three Blind Mice becomes a haunting refrain in this scenario.
Of course there’s Keiran Brown as our mystery guest, arousing suspicion with his exaggerated accent and mischievous cryptic words.
Everyone works hard to invite suspicion creating sufficient misdirection until the big reveal

The decades haven’t seen a need for modernisation of the source material but what could simply stay as surface level characters instead takes a small dip into exploring trauma that may not have been considered a few years ago.

Taking place in a singular room of the Edwardian manor, the set is lovely with wood panelled walls and a roaring fireplace. It’s just a shame the action is set so far back in the stage; the front third goes completely unused.

The iconic Agatha Christie murder mystery has managed a remarkable feat. Not only is it the longest running play having been playing for 70 years, it’s managed to keep the reveal largely under wraps all that time.The clues are there for any eagle eyed sleuths in the audience, but it’s equally fun to watch the plot unfurl in front of your eyes and exclaim, “ah, of course that’s the murderer!”.

For a murder mystery, the show isn’t short on laughs. The allure is in the intrigue, rather than any horror, and certainly fulfills Christie’s self-described desire to entertain.
The Mousetrap is performing at The Belgrade, Coventry until 18th February 2023 when it continues with the UK tour. Purchase tickets here https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/the-mousetrap/
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