Review: The Mousetrap at The Lowry ‘stands the test of time’

There’s murder in the air in Salford as Agatha Christie’s classic whodunnit The Mousetrap calls at The Lowry on its 70th anniversary tour. The longest running play in the history of theatre delivers a classic murder mystery where everyone is a suspect.

The plot centres around young couple Mollie (Hollie Sullivan) and Gyles Ralston (Barnaby Jago) as they open up their home, Monkswell Manor for the first time during a blizzard.

They welcome four guests into their home: the flamboyantly eccentric Christopher Wren (Shaun McCourt), the elitist and ever complaining Mrs. Boyle (Gwyneth Strong), the gentlemanly military man Major Metcalf (Todd Carty) and the enigmatic and strong-willed Miss Casswell (Amy Spinks).

The radio announces that a murder has taken place not far from the Manor and after the arrival of mysterious late comer Mr. Paravicini (Steven Elliot) and investigative detective Sgt Trotter (Michael Ayiotis), it is revealed that the police suspect that one member of the house is the murderer and that they will strike again. Everyone is a suspect.

With a run time of 2 hours 30 minutes, the first act is a slow burn as the audience is introduced to each character. The secrets each character is hiding gradually come to light and everyone becomes more suspicious as the story progresses.

Rising tension

The second act picks up the pace with tension rising as the characters come to terms with the fact they are trapped inside a house with a murderer. The eponymous mousetrap is laid to try and catch the killer, leading to the play’s shocking conclusion.

Each member of the cast shines in their respective roles and it is a joy to watch them bring their characters to life and play off each other superbly, showing a strength of both the acting and the written narrative that combines for a thoroughly entertaining performance.

Humorous moments

Even though the play is a serious drama, there are plenty of humorous moments that fit the story without breaking the tense atmosphere.

The set design (Rich Blacksell and Lauren Barclay) is excellent and really captures the feel of a manor house in postwar Britain. Equally impressive are the era appropriate costumes (Jess Siddall) and cinematic sound design (Finn MacNeil) that transport the audience back in time and create the aura of a murder mystery on stage.

Directed by Ian Talbot and Denise Silvey, The Mousetrap stands the test of time with twists and turns that both define and deconstruct the whodunit genre, with the audience kept guessing both the killer’s and the victim’s identities until the end.

It’s a timeless classic that will delight both fans of Agatha Christie and newcomers to her work.

The Mousetrap is currently showing at The Lowry until Saturday 13th of April. Buy tickets here.