A review of The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie, performed at St. Martins Theatre, London, November 2008.
The Mousetrap is widely acclaimed as being the longest running play in British theatre. It has now been running for over 56 years, during which time over 23,000 performances have been given. In fact, the official website for the production boasts that during this time the theatre has sold an impressive “415 tonnes of ice cream".
Last weekend I became one of the many poor suckers who have bought the overpriced ice-cream sold at The Mousetrap. Yes, I too have joined ranks with the vast legions of spectators who have visited St Martin’s Theatre to experience this relic of British drama.
From a design perspective the set was of little interest, except perhaps out of antiquarian curiosity. Bafflingly, the original design has been preserved ever since the show began its run in 1952. If the truth be told, however, I had a very enjoyable night. I laughed at all the appropriate moments and clucked my tongue in bemusement at all outmoded gender stereotypes. Yet, I did pause to wonder - how has this play persisted to find audiences while new performances struggle to gain recognition.
Allow me to be harshly critical for a moment. It seems to me that The Mousetrap is a perfect example of what Peter Brook would probably term “The Deadly Theatre”, which simply means a theatre without life or vitality.
In his seminal piece of literature “The Empty Space”, the author makes a very strong argument against playing a show, “the way it was written”, or in the style that it has previously been performed. Brook warned that theatre can quickly transform from the “lively to the moribund” when exact reproductions of performances are recreated outside of their original context. By using “imperial gestures and royal values [that] are fast disappearing from everyday life” each generation will find these performances more and more hollow and meaningless.
Unfortunately, Brook’s theories of “The Deadly Theatre” paint The Mousetrap in a rather abysmal light. And I do not wish to give such a negative review of what was really quiet a nice show. However, I do believe that theatre artists must not become slaves to tradition. ‘In the theatre, every form once born is mortal; every form must be reconceived’ (Brook, 1968 : 16)
With this in mind one begins to wonder... if the Guinness Book of Records saw it fit to award David Raven with the title of 'Most Durable Actor' for his 4575 performances as Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap, perhaps they should also acknowledge the long suffering audience with the title of “Most Durable Audience”.
It is time to reinvent. Not time to re-enact.
The Mousetrap is widely acclaimed as being the longest running play in British theatre. It has now been running for over 56 years, during which time over 23,000 performances have been given. In fact, the official website for the production boasts that during this time the theatre has sold an impressive “415 tonnes of ice cream".
Last weekend I became one of the many poor suckers who have bought the overpriced ice-cream sold at The Mousetrap. Yes, I too have joined ranks with the vast legions of spectators who have visited St Martin’s Theatre to experience this relic of British drama.
From a design perspective the set was of little interest, except perhaps out of antiquarian curiosity. Bafflingly, the original design has been preserved ever since the show began its run in 1952. If the truth be told, however, I had a very enjoyable night. I laughed at all the appropriate moments and clucked my tongue in bemusement at all outmoded gender stereotypes. Yet, I did pause to wonder - how has this play persisted to find audiences while new performances struggle to gain recognition.
Allow me to be harshly critical for a moment. It seems to me that The Mousetrap is a perfect example of what Peter Brook would probably term “The Deadly Theatre”, which simply means a theatre without life or vitality.
In his seminal piece of literature “The Empty Space”, the author makes a very strong argument against playing a show, “the way it was written”, or in the style that it has previously been performed. Brook warned that theatre can quickly transform from the “lively to the moribund” when exact reproductions of performances are recreated outside of their original context. By using “imperial gestures and royal values [that] are fast disappearing from everyday life” each generation will find these performances more and more hollow and meaningless.
Unfortunately, Brook’s theories of “The Deadly Theatre” paint The Mousetrap in a rather abysmal light. And I do not wish to give such a negative review of what was really quiet a nice show. However, I do believe that theatre artists must not become slaves to tradition. ‘In the theatre, every form once born is mortal; every form must be reconceived’ (Brook, 1968 : 16)
With this in mind one begins to wonder... if the Guinness Book of Records saw it fit to award David Raven with the title of 'Most Durable Actor' for his 4575 performances as Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap, perhaps they should also acknowledge the long suffering audience with the title of “Most Durable Audience”.
It is time to reinvent. Not time to re-enact.
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