Theatre / the mousetrap
Review: The Mousetrap, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘A British institution’
The world’s longest running show is touring for its 70th anniversary. And as any pensioner will tell you, 1952 is an increasingly long time ago.
At the risk of wasting words, The Mousetrap is a typical ‘strangers in a country house’ Christie murder-mystery, set at a time when the war is a very close memory, the heating runs on coke, and rationing is still in place.
Like dark panto for grown-ups, The Mousetrap is a British institution, as well as a masterclass in marketing. Like every panto, it’s got set pieces (the gathering of the cast, the set-up of the victim, red herrings, comical personality tics and a dramatic revelation), a comforting blanket of warm comedy around a disturbing story, and the famous mini-epilogue where the audience is asked to keep the whodunnit secret.
is needed now More than ever
John Altman as Mr. Paravicini – photo: Matt Crockett
As with panto, you have to accept both this form and mild comedic tone, and not expect Hamlet or Line of Duty. One of them dunnit, and it isn’t H.
It won’t take much reading between the lines to guess that I had to force myself into the groove (for instructions, open paragraph above). Old-stylee post-war theatre can be very ‘mannered’ and The Mousetrap does that well.
Todd Carty as Major Metcalf – photo: Matt Crockett
The problem is that by today’s expectations, the speeches can go on and we know the formulas well (but so did our grandparents). In addition, it’s based on a genuinely disturbing real-life child abuse case. This all means that the co-directors and cast must deploy pace, comedy and drama at all the right points for the audience of today, or the thing will drag. Thankfully, they do!
The cast itself is also a British institution with two original Eastenders cast members: John Altman (Nick Cotton) as the stereotype Italian Mr Paravincini and Todd Carty (Eastenders’ Mark Fowler, and Grange Hill’s Tucker Jenkins) as Major Metcalf.
Gwyneth Strong as Mrs Boyle – photo: Matt Crockett
Gwyneth Strong (Only Fools and Horses’ Cassandra) plays Mrs Boyle. Guest house hosts, The Ralstons, are warmly played by Joelle Dyson and Laurence Pears, but the stand-out star of the night was Jack Elliot stepping in as understudy in the part of Christopher Wren. It helps that the character is great fun, but Elliot lifted the show with every line and at every step, playing what could have been a two-dimensional part with glee, compassion and a rounded heart. Bravo.
Congrats to the whole production team for superb set, costume, lighting and sound.
Should you go? Yes, to witness, and be part of, a 20th century British theatrical tradition. It’s fun. But because you clearly care about the future of theatre and those who work in it, spend some time and cash on independent work, in small spaces, by people you haven’t heard of this winter. Because even Agatha Christie was unknown once.
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The Mousetrap is at Theatre Royal Bath on November 21-26 at 7.30pm, with additional 2.30pm matinee shows on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets are available at www.theatreroyal.org.uk.
Main photo: Matt Crockett
Read more: Review: Cluedo, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘Classic, fun, silly and carefree’
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