Forget Knives Out, this original stage whodunit still has the power to surprise
Gaiety Theatre, Dublin until May 18
Strong presence: Hollie Sullivan in The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap is the world’s longest running play. It premiered in 1952 and this current tour is part of its 70th anniversary celebrations. It’s a murder mystery, much like writer Agatha Christie’s prodigious novel output. The dramatic power lies in an invitation to the audience to solve a puzzle. I have never seen it before; as it seemed to be running forever, it never felt like an urgent thing to do.
The play is set in a guest house in Berkshire. A murder has been committed in London, and there is information that there will soon be a related second murder in the guesthouse; a detective sergeant is sent to interrogate the five guests and the husband and wife proprietors. During a blackout, someone gets killed. It’s the middle of a snowstorm and nobody can come or go. So who did it?
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