Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Mysterious London: Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap




Agatha Christie, London, The Mousetrap, that is what's in store today on Mystery Playground. Kerry Hammond is at it again. She took us on a Jack the Ripper Tour and to the many London locations mentioned in Agatha Christie books. Today she will tell us about another Agatha Christie highlight: The Mousetrap.

Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap began its run in London in 1952, making this year its 64th. In my opinion, it is a must see for any mystery fan visiting London. One of my favorite things about The St. Martin’s Theatre is that it is dedicated to The Mousetrap, complete with a neon sign out front that announces how long the play has run.


The play’s action takes place in a couple of days, a couple of snowy and cold days, at Monkswell Manor. It begins with the murder of a woman named Maureen Lyon (although this murder is only heard, not seen). When the curtain parts, you see the Great Hall of Monkswell and meet the young couple who have just converted it into a guest house. One by one the invited guests arrive, and even some uninvited ones. And then one by one the guests begin to die. One of them, of course, is the killer.


Prior to visiting London, I read an article in The Telegraph entitled 10 things you didn’t know about The Mousetrap. I have to admit, I was pretty clueless about the play and found the article very interesting. Specifically, that Agatha Christie originally thought the play would run for about 8 months.

The play was well done and the actors were wonderful. At the end of each performance, the actors ask the audience to please not reveal the final plot twist. Even though millions of people have attended a performance, it would be unfair to spoil the ending for anyone who hasn’t seen it.


Visit some of the highlights of Kerry’s trip to Ireland, such as James Joyce’s Dublin and the Blarney Castle Murder Hole.


Follow Kerry on Twitter @kerryhammond88.

1 comment:

  1. I so love traveling through Kerry. Another great article.

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