THE MOUSETRAP AT THE CHURCHILL THEATRE, BROMLEY

Ever since Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap first asked audiences ‘whodunnit’ back in 1952, it has been a hit. This new touring production at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre is a real treat, allowing those who – whether for the first time or for the twenty-first time – want to experience a murder mystery like no other a little close to home.

The set is a familiar one (especially if you have seen the London production as it is, as far as I could tell, identical), as is the setting: an old country house, a mish-mash of strange and highly suspicious people thrown together by chance (or are they?), and the doughty policeman who has to try to stop a murder from being committed. Spoiler (the only one, don’t worry): he does not succeed.

credit: Johan Persson

Which is good news for the audience since the murder, why it is committed, and who does it, is what this play is all about. Watching my fellow audience members, their faces rapt with concentration, occasional whispers suggesting one character or another, knowing looks or shoulder shrugs depending on whether the person being whispered to knew the answer or not, was also part of the fun, and if you do go to see the show (which I recommend) don’t forget to look around you and see what other people might be thinking. It’s highly entertaining. When the murderer is revealed there was an audible gasp from the audience which must have pleased the players no end.

As is the play itself. Sticking to the original with poise and precision, each character is a perfect study in human nature. Added together they could be any one of us, and individually we can all recognise certain traits, whether we like the idea or not.

credit: Johan Persson

The ensemble was a highly accomplished one, with each actor putting forth a stellar performance. Special credit has to go, in my opinion, to Lewis Chandler who plays Christopher Wren. The chance from jovial, silly, childlike boy to scared, lost, serious man was heartbreaking, and understandable.

The Mousetrap plays at The Churchill Theatre in Bromley until 16th March, and tickets can be purchased here: https://churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-mousetrap-bromley-2019.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: REBECCA at The Charing Cross Theatre, London

Image
  Tickets: Gifted Date: 18th September 2023 Seat: G3 Rating: 3 Stars From the first chilling note to the final fiery scene, Rebecca is an all-out melodrama, complete with sinister plots, a soaring score, and characters that wouldn’t look out of place in a panto – but that’s all part of its charm. It’s an over-the-top, entirely gorgeous piece of outlandish theatre, and I absolutely loved it. Although, that’s not to say there aren’t a few issues.  One of the biggest problems with Rebecca is that something seems to have been a little lost in translation. The story still makes sense (although perhaps knowing the Daphne du Maurier novel or the 1940 Hitchcock adaptation with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine does help with that), but some of the lyrics just seem too on the nose, or just not clever enough to be memorable. Perhaps the original German gives a different feeling, but in English, there are a few moments that get lost and aren’t as strong as they might be.  Plus, this musical is
Read more

Review: BRONCO BILLY at The Charing Cross Theatre, London

Image
Photo credit: The Other Richard Date: 31st January 2024 Seat: M6 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  Adapting older movies into musicals seems to be a trend these days, some with better results than others, and Bronco Billy , with a book by Dennis Hackin and music and lyrics by Chip Rosenbloom and John Torres (with additional lyrics by Michele Brourman), is one of the better ones – if anything, it’s improved the film and made it a lot more enjoyable for everyone, which is something every audience member is sure to appreciate.  The main word that can be used to describe Bronco Billy is fun. It’s wild and wacky and loud and bright, and there are some wonderful characters and some lovely songs, but really when you leave, it’s the fun you’ve had that stays with you, and that’s no bad thing – if you’re feeling a bit down because January lasted for sixty billion months and you need a quick pick-me-up, Bronco Billy might just do the trick.  The story is about a travelling circus of mi
Read more

Review: SLEEPING BEAUTY at The Hawth, Crawley

Image
Date: 9th December 2023  Seat: L3 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 5 Stars  You can’t get much more classic than Sleeping Beauty when it comes to the annual panto, and at The Hawth in Crawley this year, it’s this story that takes centre stage – but don’t worry if you think you’ve seen it all before; there are some fantastic surprises in store, including some rather impressive prehistoric pets, fire performers, and plenty of musical theatre references throughout.  Why musical theatre? Because two of the panto’s stars are West End performers with some notable credits to their names – that’s Carrie Hope Fletcher (who plays Carrie-Bosse) from such shows as Les Miserables and Heathers , and Scott Paige (The Good Spirit Moonbeam), who’s starred in The Great British Bake Off Musical and The Addams Family . Add to that some wholesomeness from Andy Day, a CBeebies presenter every child (and parent) in the audience is sure to know, and you’ve got the ingredients for a fantastic show.  Fletcher
Read more