West End's favorite whodunit The Mousetrap delivers a treat with latest lineup

With nearly 30,000 performances to its name since its opening in 1952 on West End, Agatha Christie's popular mystery is the longest-running play in the world. Naturally, the show has seen its fair share of cast changes, but it has managed to retain its charm as each lineup offers its spin on the classic.

A worthy successor

The Mousetrap is a classic whodunit with twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you wanting more every time. The original run of the show starred Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim as Detective Sergeant Trotter and Mollie Ralston, the owner of Monkswell Manor guesthouse in which the play is set. Since then, the show has opted to cast lesser-known actors.

The latest lineup stars Sam Stafford as Detective Sergeant Trotter with Lucy Doyle (The Play That Goes Wrong) and Daniel Cech-Lucas (Sherlock Holmes: The Final Curtain) as Mollie and Giles Ralston. The rest of the cast includes Lynton Appleton (Richard II) as Christopher Wren, the hotel's first guest, Jules Melvin (Witness for the Prosecution) as the critical Mrs. Boyle, Ben Onwukwe (The 47th) as the retired Major Metcalf, Elyssia Roe (Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet) as the aloof Miss Casewell, and Lorenzo Martelli (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Mr. Paravicini.

Director Philip Franks (The Duchess of Malfi, Taking Sides, Collaboration, Dear Lupin) takes over the reigns of the project alongside his work as an actor, with his newest project being Oliver! Franks is notable for his ability to work with casts both big and small, famous and relatively unknown, and he is frequently lauded for his respect for source materials and his ability to draw out the heart of a story, which makes him a perfect choice for this production.

Don't ask, don't tell

Christie was often critical of the twists of her novels being revealed to audiences in any form other than directly experiencing it themselves. As such, The Mousetrap has traditionally asked guests not to reveal the ending after they'd left the show, a wonderful show of respect to the author's work and legacy. While it would be easy to simply look up the ending now, there's something uniquely riveting about experiencing it in person without prior knowledge.

This is especially true of the stage production that has managed to keep a decades-old mystery alive even through cast changes and the looming threat of a pandemic that once derailed it - but only for a short while. The latest lineup, which debuted on May 27, has kept this record going with wonderfully engaging performances.

Catch The Mousetrap on West End, twists, turns, and all, at the St. Martin's Theatre.