The Mousetrap @ Theatre Royal Glasgow

Set in Monksville Manor Hotel during a blizzard, a group of guests arrive and are trapped there together, when a murder takes place. The set is a wood-panelled livingroom with tall windows and sofas, and works nicely as the backdrop to the action.

Agatha is cosy murder and comforting recognisable types of British character from a bygone age. In this regard the play lets no-one down, there’s even two gay characters in it. It is set in a newly opened hotel run by married couple Mollie and Giles Ralston. A murder has been committed in London, and it is the talk of the papers and radio. A guest arrives who seems to fit the description of the murderer, then another, then another, all with dark coat and light scarf the killer wore.

There is the camp young man Christopher Wren, the battleaxe Mrs Boyle who faults the hotel at every turn, Miss Casewell in trousers and tie, the old Major, and a suspicious foreigner Mr Paravicini, all wearing the dark coat and light scarf of the killer. Then a phone call comes in saying that someone fitting the description of the London murderer is in the house and they’re sending an officer to interview them all, and Sergeant Trotter arrives on skis. He proceeds to unpick the guests’ life stories. Up until the end of the first act, this play tends to plod along a bit, heavy on dialogue light on suspense, then another murder is committed.

The Mousetrap has a fascinating history – it was written as Three Blind Mice by Agatha for the-then Queen Mother after Her Majesty specifically requested a play by Agatha Christie as a desired 80th birthday present. It later became The Mousetrap and ran for decades in the West End. Agatha thought she had better plays so was a little perplexed as to why this one was such a hit, but a hit it was. I agree it’s not one of her best stories but I didn’t guess the murderer and that’s always a bonus.