The Mousetrap is open, Sydney

The Diamond Anniversary Australian Tour of Agatha Christie’s famous play The Mousetrap is now underway.

The Mousetrap’s Premiere Australian season began shows on June 30 at the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay and will continue performances until July 29 before moving interstate.

The all-Australian cast is just one of 60 professional casts touring the world this year in celebration of the show’s 60th anniversary. Productions have been scheduled in every continent with countries as far reaching as Russia, China, Turkey, The Netherdands and Venezuela  hosting London’s longest running show.

Opening on London’s West End in November 1952, The Mousetrap is the longest running show of any kind in the world, having played over 24 000 performances at London’s St Martin’s Theatre.

Christie originally wrote the story as a radio play entitled Three Blind Mice, which was  broadcast in 1947. She eventually adapted the work into a short story before again rewriting it for the stage as The Mousetrap.

Ironically, 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 at least six months after the West End Production closed. 60 years on, as the show continues its historic London run and embarks on a Diamond Anniversary tour, a film adaptation looks unlikely at this stage!

The Australian Diamond Anniversary Tour of The Mousetrap began performances at The Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay on June 30.

The show will transfer to The Canberra Playhouse from August 1
Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre from August 14
Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from August 30
Adelaide Festival Centre’s Dunstan Playhouse from October 9

Cast includes:
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) and Christy Sullivan (MTC’s Next to Normal, Packed to the Rafters).

For more information and tickets visit themousetrap.com.au