Brief Encounter with … Graham Seed

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap arrives next week in Birmingham, celebrating it’s 60th anniversary with a UK tour, I talk to Graham Seed, who plays Major Metcalfe, in the show.

For those not familiar with The Mousetrap, can you give us a brief synopsis of the play?  
A  group of guests find themselves snowed up at a countryside hotel – completely isolated from the outside world. There is a murder and, well, I wouldn’t want to spoil
the rest for you!  There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, and the play leaves you guessing right up until the end!
 
Tell us a little bit about your character.  
I play Major Metcalfe – a respectable man who is staying at the hotel and finds himself embroiled in the events that unfold. Though perhaps he is not all that he seems…
 
How have you found the audiences reaction to the play?  
The response has been fantastic for every single performance. People are loving it wherever we go, and it’s so wonderful to be playing to full houses up and down the country.
The audiences seem to know and appreciate exactly what they are getting – a fantastically entertaining, superbly crafted ‘who done it’ murder mystery from the
‘Queen of Crime’ herself.
 
Out of all of Agatha Christie’s plays, what do you think it is about The Mousetrap that has made it a success for so long?  
The plot is incredibly gripping – you never quite know who to trust or what’s going to happen next!  The characters are all so entertaining and there is definitely an
added thrill in seeing a play that has been running for a record breaking 60 years in London’s West End. Overall it makes for a great trip to the theatre and it’s very
 exciting to be bringing such a famous, iconic production on tour for the first time.
 
Having been a part of The Archers for such a long time, you must be familiar with Birmingham?
I’m thrilled to be returning to Birmingham for the first time since my character Nigel Pargetter’s demise in The Archers. I recorded the show in the city for over 27
years and got to know Birmingham very well in that time. It’s a wonderful place and I can’t wait to bring the show to the Alexandra Theatre!