The Mousetrap

The 70th Anniversary Australian tour of The Mousetrap has touched down in Perth this week, with this “West End” production faithful to the production that has been playing in London’s West End since 25th November 1952.

The lavish, beautifully decorated set follows the layout of the West End production, but has unique, well-chosen furnishings, and costume designer and associate set designer Isabel Hudson, have created costumes that are wonderful indications of character as well as being true to era. The show is dramatically lit from a design by Trudy Dalgleish, with Frank Harlow’s technical design helping to create atmosphere.

Beautiful central performances from Anna O’Byrne and Alex Rathgeber as Mollie and Giles Ralston, owners of the newly opened Monkswell Guesthouse - lovely rapport and nicely layered conversations. Geraldine Turner brings great colour to the generally likeable Mrs Boyle, with Adam Murphy is very convincing as the upright and authoritative Major Metcalf.

Tom Conroy is excellent as Detective Sergeant Trotter, while Charlotte Friels has wonderful presence as the enigmatic Miss Casewell. Laurence Boxhall owns the role of Christopher Wren in a very likeable and admirably complex performance.

Veteran performer and probable box-office draw Gerry Connolly, who plays Mr Paravicini, was unable to perform on opening weekend in Perth, due to illness. Instead, we were treated to the performance of Associate Director Chris Parker, who slotted into the cast with an accomplished performance that you would never have picked as one that was little rehearsed.

As someone who has recently watched the London performance, it is difficult not to make comparisons - and this incarnation compares very favourably. Robyn Nevin’s different directorial hand is evident, and some of the characterisations in the Australian production are much stronger. Opening night in Perth found the audience laughing more than the London crowd, and despite Perth’s reputation for being a quiet audience, there were more audible gasps.

After 70 years, The Mousetrap is still a very nicely crafted play, and this beautiful piece of nostalgia still plays extremely well. My advice is not to wait until you get to London, but to see this excellent Australian production during its short run at His Majesty’s Theatre.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Brian Geach