The Mousetrap to Tour Australia

When the 60^th (Diamond) Anniversary Australian Tour of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap officially opens in Sydney, on July 4 the season will be well on the way to selling out.

Producer, Louise Withers said, “With 90 percent of tickets for the Sydney season sold before opening we’re delighted with the way in which Sydney theatregoers have embraced this new Australian production in celebration of the show’s Diamond Anniversary. It’s a further delight for the Australian Producers of the show to have Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen, Producer of The Mousetrap on the West End since 1994 in Sydney to attend the premiere.”

The cast features Robert Alexander (Bell Shakespeare, Dance Academy, Muriel’s Wedding), Travis Cotton (MTC’s Hamlet, Black Swan’s Away), Linda Cropper (Offspring, Melba, Little Fish, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), Nicholas Hope (AFI recipient; Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Bad Boy Bubby), Jacinta John (All Saints, McLeod’s Daughters), Gus Murray (Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, McLeod’s Daughters), Justin Smith (Bastard Boys, Rent, Billy Elliot the Musical), Christy Sullivan (MTC’s Next to Normal, Packed to the Rafters), Ramona Von Pusch and Robert J. Edwards.

Gary Young will direct.

This all-Australian production is one of 60 professional productions that have been licensed worldwide in celebration of The Mousetrap’s (60^th) Diamond Anniversary, which will include productions in every continent with productions scheduled for countries from Russia and China to Turkey, Holland and Venezuela.

The professional production follows the phenomenal sell-out success of amateur productions of the play across Australia since the amateur rights became available for the first time  in September 2011.

Christie’s classic ‘whodunit” opened on London’s West End in November 1952 and has since played over 24,000 performances. The Mousetrap is the longest running show of any kind in the world and continues to delight audiences to this day at London’s St. Martin’s Theatre.

Originally written by Agatha Christie as a radio play titled Three Blind Mice and broadcast in 1947, Christie then adapted the radio play for a short story of the same name before again rewriting for the stage as The Mousetrap.

The Mousetraphas never been adapted for film. Christie did not expect the play to run for more than a few months and stipulated that no film of The Mousetrap be made until six months after the West End Production closed. As the show celebrates its 60^th anniversary and continues its historic London run a film adaptation looks unlikely.

Producer Louise Withers said, "On behalf of my producing partners it's a privilege to be presenting the first ever professional tour of The Mousetrap in Australia as the show celebrates its Diamond Anniversary. The Mousetrap is a theatrical phenomenon and we're thrilled to be mounting this all-Australian production as part of the global celebrations as the show plays into its 60th year on London's West End."

The Australian Diamond Anniversary Australian Tour of The Mousetrap will open at The Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay on June 30 and will go on to play at Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre from August 14 and Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from August 30.

At Monkswell Manor, the news on the radio reports that a murder that has recently taken place in London. Mollie and Giles Ralston, the young owners of the once-regal estate recently converted into a guesthouse, hardly notice the news. They are far too busy preparing for the arrival of their first guests and concerned that the heavy snowfalls may prevent the guests reaching their destination. As the guests arrive safely and the Manor becomes snowed in, a policeman arrives on skis suspecting that one of the seven occupants may be the killer. After a second murder occurs in the Manor, Sergeant Trotter is convinced.  Suspects include the young married couple, a spinster with a curious background, an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef, a retired army major, and an unexpected visitor who claims his car has run into a snowdrift. During his interrogation, Sergeant Trotter uncovers the many mysterious secrets of everyone present, as he tries to solve the murder in true Christie style.

The Mousetrap will be produced in Australia by Michael Coppel, Louise Withers, Linda Bewick in association with Adrian Barnes by arrangement with Mousetrap Productions Ltd London.

Sydney – The Sydney Theatre – June 30 – July 29

The Canberra Theatre Centre, The Canberra Playhouse - August 1 - 9.

Perth – His Majesty’s Theatre – August 14 – 26

Melbourne – The Comedy Theatre – August 30 – October 7.

The Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre - October 9 – 28

Images: Agatha Christie & Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim in the original 1952 production.