Adelaide Reviews

Spoiler Alert!  I am NOT going to tell you who dunnit!.

You will have to go and see it to be enrolled in the world-wide partnership of The Mousetrap secret keepers! 

You could be forgiven for thinking that a play that has been running for 70 years non-stop (apart from a short Covid break) could be a bit tired by now. But if ever there was proof that this is not the case, this brand new Australian production injects vitality, humour and all-round brilliance into this well-weathered and remarkable play, beautifully acted in a large and fabulous set on the stage of the splendid Her Majesty’s Theatre. 

The Mousetrap is famous for being the world’s longest running theatre production ever, but it could be equally famous for being a remarkably conceived, thoroughly well written and totally enjoyable night at the theatre. This production is a consummate example of the great partnership of writer (Agatha C), director (Robyn Nevin), costumes and set design (Isabel Hudson), lighting (Trudy Dalgleish) and backstage crew with a superb cast, all working together to make a most rewarding audience experience.

Every member of the cast is equally comfortable in and suited to their role. They are all seasoned and experienced professionals, each wearing their character as a tight-fitting  glove, and each deserving accolades. Anna O’Byrne and Alex Rathgeber are well matched as the recently married Molly and Giles Ralston; Geraldine Turner is an excellently horribly pompous Mrs Boyle; Laurence Boxhall is flamboyantly weird as the “very peculiar young man”, Christopher Wren; Adam Murphy is straight and upright as Major Metcalf; Charlotte Friels shows self-assured detachment as Miss Casewell;  Gerry Connolly provides tantalising humour as Mr Paravicini, and Tom Conroy is a calm and commanding Detective Trotter.

Together they knit the masterful weaving and unravelling of motive, emotion, opportunity, lies and half-truths, suspicion, mistrust, self-doubt, anxiety and past relationships of the trademark Agatha C style, into a stunning and unexpected denoument to a rapt audience which is then sworn to secrecy. We won’t tell – you will have to go and see it. You won’t be disappointed!

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