London- In the fervent cultural environment of the second half of the 20th century, for the first time Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap was staged in London: the play, written in 1952, has kept audiences guessing for about six decades. Now, in its 63th astonishing year, the world’s longest running production continues to attract people from every corner of the globe.
Within a well structured plot of shuddering suspance and clever humour, eight dense characters face each others on a naturalistic playgroud: in this exciting thriller – a truly entertaining classic – everyone is suspected to be the murder, everyone could have a reason to committ homicide.
At the moment, The Mousetrap is staged at St. Martin’s Theatre –
which has being hosting the play, with good fortune, for 49 years – and it is now smartly directed by Ian Talbot: the characters are very diverse, and the interaction among them creates sizzling, unexpetced developments. Not least, the whole play keeps, throughout its duration, well structured comic timing and lively rhythmes. That’s why it always grows organically, without any failure.
Denise Silvey, who acted in the role of Mrs Casewell, has kindly allowed us few minutes for an interview
Which was the first theatrical company which staged the play? Who was its first director?
The first director of the play was Roger Fuse, and Peter Saunders was its first producer. The company opened the play at the Ambassadors Theatre, that is right next here. Before that, they taught it for about six weeks to see how it worked. And then they went to the Ambassadors Theatre. Agatha Christie is reknowned for saying “I think we’d have a nice little run out of this play.” And here we are. [in photo Denise Silvey]
Where the play was staged before St. Martin’s theatre?
The play was staged at Ambassadors Theatre since the prèmiere of 1952 until 1974.
Why The Mousetrap has been for years a succesful play? What people like most, according to your opinion?
I think it’s a good story. It’s got humour and it’s got a great thrills. People can’t guess where the ending is, they can’t guess who is the murder. And I think Agatha Christie is just very very popular.
Since when this company has staged the play?
They started in March and they’ll go through December.
Is there a distance between the original characters of the play and the ones on the stage of St. Martin’s Theatre today?
No. We’ve gone right back to the original script. So the script they are using now is the same one used in 1952. There was a time over the years in the 80’s and 90’s when the script was modernized, but it doesn’t really work. It’s much better to bring it right back where we are now.
