Agatha Christie’s legendary murder mystery, The Mousetrap, has arrived in New Brighton, and what an incredible show it is!
Last night, I had the absolute pleasure of watching The Mousetrap at our local theatre, the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, and I can honestly say I was completely captivated from start to finish. Now I’m normally more of a musical girlie than a play goer but this was another level. It was full of suspense, unexpected twists and turns and it genuinely had me guessing and changing my mind about ‘whodunnit’ all the way through.
What makes this show even more remarkable is its incredible history. Written by the queen of crime herself, Agatha Christie, The Mousetrap first opened in 1952 and is now touring the UK and Ireland for its 75th anniversary, making the killer the best kept secret in theatre!
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Without giving too much away The Mouse Trap is set in Monkswell Manor, a secluded country guesthouse which has just opened for the first time. The snow is falling and it doesn’t take long for the hosts, Mr and Mrs Ralston, and their 5 guests to get snowed in.
News of a murder in London soon reaches the guesthouse, and when a police detective arrives, it becomes apparent that everyone could be hiding something.
As secrets begin to emerge, suspicions grow and the tension builds, you find yourself questioning absolutely everyone.
Just when I thought I had worked out who the murderer was, something would happen to make me change my mind completely!
A Fantastic Cast Bringing the Mystery to Life
This anniversary production, directed by Hannah Chissick, features a brilliant cast including:
- Emily Laing as Mollie Ralston
- Jack Hardwick as Giles Ralston
- Thomas Barrett as Christopher Wren
- Clare Duffy as Miss Casewell
- James Peake as Mr Paravicini
- Alfie Richards as Detective Sergeant Trotter
- Nicholas Bailey, known for EastEnders, as Major Metcalf
- Susan Penhaligon, known for A Fine Romance, as Mrs Boyle
The performances were fantastic, with each character bringing their own personality, secrets and suspicions to the stage. There is a wonderful balance of tension, drama and perfectly timed humour that keeps the audience entertained throughout.
I particularly loved Susan Penhaligon as Mrs Boyle, I couldn’t help but smile every time she spoke, she mastered the character perfectly and her chemistry with the very talented Thomas Barrett playing Christopher Wren made comedy gold.
Overall Review
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of The Mousetrap and would give it an impressive 5 stars. It is one of those plays where you become so involved in the story that you are constantly watching for clues, analysing conversations and trying to work out who is telling the truth.
I had my suspicions, I changed my mind several times, and I was still guessing as the story reached its conclusion!
There is a very good reason this play has been entertaining audiences for more than seven decades. It is clever, captivating and brilliantly entertaining.
If you love a good murder mystery, enjoy a night at the theatre or simply fancy seeing something a little different, I really cannot recommend The Mousetrap enough.
Who is the killer in The Mousetrap?
Ha nice try! There is one very important tradition associated with The Mousetrap and that’s that the audiences are asked to keep the identity of the murderer a secret, so you’ll get no information out of me!
Catch It at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton
The Mousetrap is showing at the Floral Pavilion from Monday 19 October until Saturday 24 October 2026.