Reader Reviews
The Mousetrap (St Martin's Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | It is a great experience, but you must have your expectations right. First and foremost, you must be a fan of Christie's novels. The plot is simple but intriguing. The current (2013) costumes are great, as the are very 40s and give a flavour of the period. The characters are timeless, and it's their freshness that makes the play a classic. The accents are clear and posh, suitably coming from Christie's background, and this makes the play easy to follow for foreign audience. There is a lot of humour in the first act, something that I had not anticipated and that was very welcome. 2 1/2 hours were by very quickly and it was an excellent night. The theatre itself is period and very cosy. Seats very comfortable and very good view of the stage. DON'T read the Wikipedia article, as it reveals the murderer and slightly spoiled it for me. But the people around me literally gasped in surprise! - Viki | 18 Apr 13 |
| I have to agree with Roger Lovegrove (see below); the play is pretty damn terrible. Agatha Christie's characters are not very interesting and the acting, though good, was all rather 'period'. But The Mousetrap's got to be taken in the right spirit, and as this was my FIRST EVER PLAY I'm very fond of it. The ending is quite predictable if you've ever read a certain one of her books, which utilises the same plot twist - we all knew by the time the interval came who it was - but this doesn't really detract. I think Terri Paddock has completely missed the point; this is probably the only play which has been running non-stop since the time when it was set in. The Mousetrap is probably the only authentic period drama in the West End, if not England, and makes for a classy night of theatre. Admirable that it's been kept going so long (60 years this year...) - JR | 04 Jul 12 |
| Let's face it. The plot is terrible.Whodunit must be the worst-kept secret in the World. The seats can be slightly uncomfortable. I daresay the quality of the acting can vary wildly, as the actors change from one year to the next, although it was fine when we went. But all of that misses the point. We go to see The Mousetrap to take part in a game. For my partner to threaten to tell me whodunit; for me to threaten to divorce her if she did, only to have her point out that we're not actually married. For us all to promise, at the end, not to tell anyone. It's a giant conspiracy. The audotorium is an architectural gem. It also has the perfect sense of intimacy for a conspiracy. I can't imagine The Mousetrap being such a success anywhere else. Suspend your critical faculties. Go along with the intention of relaxing and enjoying yourself, and that is what will happen to you. - Roger Lovegrove | 03 Sep 11 |
| MOLLYS VOICE SHOULD BE LOUDER DIFFICULT TO HEAR IN THE UPPER CIRCLE BUT WE GOT THE DRIFT! - birthday girl | 30 Sep 10 |
| Well, it was OK. I think if this play was put on today as a new piece of writing it would be off in about a week!! It's obvious that in it's day this was a fairly enjoyable piece of theatre but to me it just felt so dated. The ending is so "happy"!!! It really annoyed me how everything is tied up so quickly when the characters seem to have been built up so much throughout for it to really come to nothing. - 89.240.89.162) | 13 Nov 06 |
| i know that mousetrap has been on for 51 years, but billy elliot the musical has only been on for a month and its the best show out. - 81.158.233.28) | 08 May 05 |
| Well it was OK. I can't really praise it more than that. Performance 21,970 or someting was I expect like the previous 21,000 odd in that the characters are built up in the first half and then nothing. The second half almost seems like a different play and you have to wonder at why nobody reveals the truth to the policeman. There are a couple of glaring plot holes, namely why does the policeman as good as allow the murder to happen and just what is the deal with the Italian accent? An enjoyable evening of theatre history, you'll see better but then again if you saw We Happy Few you'll see a lot worse. - 62.254.189.98) | 07 Mar 05 |
| Having seen the play over a year ago, this review does not refer to the current cast. Having qualified my opinion, I can now say that this is the worst play I have seen. While the production was awful (ham at its worst), the script was just as bad. Agatha Christie fans beware - this is probably her worst literary effort. Avoid at all costs. - 81.86.118.61) | 18 Jan 05 |
| Can i just say that i think someone needs to update this site as the new cast took over in February and you are still showing the old cast, keep up! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.253.64.18) | 04 Sep 04 |
| not even worthy of the one star! Stay at home ..... save your money......words fail me it's so awful - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.255.64.8) | 22 Aug 04 |
| wow it was fantastic and totally deserves to run and run the only thing is that people kept telling me who did it! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.154.173.105) | 22 Jul 04 |
| Over from the US on vacation and thought I had to see this (it's older than my mom!) Not that excited... the actors looked half asleep and the stange guy in the jumper just didn't convince. I didn't realise that the play was set in the seventies, or that the policeman was meant to be from the US! Bit of a mess AND my seat was damp. Give me Phantom any day! x - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.155.236.102) | 13 May 04 |
| Oh brother! I saw this show for the first time in november last year on vacation from the states. A couple of the actors really stood out and made me laugh, and cry. I just had to see it again when I was back in London with my sister. Wow! What's happened. The cast are all different and the acting is so clunky now. The anticipation and excitement of finding out 'who dunnit?' has just about fizzled to a raised eyebrow (worse... it elicited no more than a drowsy nod from some older members of the audience!). Having said that, Moustrap is still a must see for Christie fans. And Angela Lansbury would make a swell Mrs Boyle! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.131.29.36) | 12 May 04 |
| To put it briefly, Mousetrap is a ‘who-dun-it’, murder-mystery play. The fact that the play has been running continually in London for 52 years and that it is written by Agatha Christie filled me with assurance, however, St. Martin’s theatre – obviously very impressive when it was originally built, in the present day, is old and rundown. This is my conclusion of the play itself - that although once it was sparkling, new and impressive, as it has been left unchanged, as a consequence the performance is stagnant and out-of-date. Although the acting was of a good standard, do not go to see Mousetrap expecting miracles to stage – it is an average play in an average theatre. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (130.88.61.78) | 05 May 04 |
| Boy! This is one hell of a night! I was kept guessing right till the end. Everything is just right - from the powerful policeman (masterfully played by Chris Chilton) to the dubious dandy (played with convincing conviction by the ever-young Matthew Carter). This is theatre at it's best. FIVE STARS!! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 17 Oct 03 |
| Absolutely charming. But it could do with 20 minutes cutting from Act 2! Way too long! And the theatre is a real period piece in itself. You HAVE to go and see it though! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.60.124.52) | 15 Aug 03 |
| As the longest running play in the world, that alone is enough to make me interested enough to buy a ticket. And I was not disappointed. The Mousetrap is a classic Agatha Christie whodunnit, with false trails galore. The actors are superb and it was wonderful to see one of the original cast of Dixon of Dock Green and another from The Brothers starring in it.As for who did it, well we all promised not to tell. So why not buy a ticket now to find out for yourself, you won't be disappointed - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.232.176.34) | 06 Aug 03 |
| This play im afraid to say has definetly had it. It is so old and creaky I thought the production was going to collapse. I am sure Christe's was great in its day but now it is mediocre and boring. Surely it is time for the west end to close this irrelevent play and make way for another more entertaining play? I suggest a transfer of the donmars brilliant accidental death of an anarchist revival. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.225.204.148) | 03 Apr 03 |
| I saw the show again last November. I know the cast changes every year but one of them was the same as when I saw it in 1994! The show is much better in the stalls (1994) than up in the balcony (2001). The surprises were all still intact or me but my theatre companion was in agony thoroughout. If you are looking for special effect do go. If you want to see a good mystery The Mousetrap is highly recommended over the horrible Woman in Black. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 19 Apr 02 |
| great - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 15 Mar 02 |
| For a Yank like me, seeing this play was a dream come true. Thoroughly English, this classic Christie who-dun-it will be sure to please. The ending was a real surprise! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 28 Dec 01 |
| Typical Agatha Christie with a surprise ending (Mum's the word). As a whodunit fan, I was filled with suspense and the time flew by. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 27 Jul 01 |
| I saw the performace in 1978... I guess the cast have moved on! I remember liking it a lot, though I'm not a big Christie's fan. "So, now that we're partners in crime: don't tell your friends who did it...." (it wasn't any butler I can tell you) - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 25 Jun 01 |
| It's dreadful but like a little time capsule so a bit of a laugh all the same. Worth seeing to say you've been. I guess there's no killing it off ever though so no need to rush. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 06 Apr 01 |
| BEST PLAY I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME, KEEPS YOU IN SUSPENSE UP UNTIL THE VERY END. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 29 Mar 01 |
