The Mousetrap opens with a BBC voice-above announcing that a body has been observed in London and a person viewed putting on a dim coat, pale scarf and comfortable felt hat.

Suspects get there a person by 1 at Monkswell Manor, a guesthouse 20 miles from London, all of them in this garb.

A single of them is the assassin and only a pick out group of Melbournians know who that is.

Those people in the know have travelled to London to view the play or been at the Comedy Theatre and have been sworn to secrecy.

The 70th anniversary of this longest-functioning murder mystery by Agatha Christie’s opened to a entire home in Melbourne on February 21.

The participate in has by no means been built into a film, so it nevertheless has the freshness of a time capsule.

Director Robyn Nevin has stuck to the initial in conditions of phase set and casting, drawing on musical comedy talent.

There are quite a few acquainted Christie varieties these types of as Mr Paravicini, a continental gentleman equivalent to Hercule Poirot, whose vehicle has overturned in a snow drift.

“I am the male of thriller,” he declares.

When a policeman arrives on skis, the cell phone is slice and a homicidal maniac is regarded to be in the vicinity, he claims, “I know very little about very little.”

 

Gags these types of as these are portion of the murder secret patter as are disguises. Just one of the visitors calls himself Christopher Wren right after the architect who created St Paul’s.

 

Actor Laurence Boxhall does a brilliantly wacky task as Christopher, conveying empathy and insanity at the very same time as he helps out harmless guesthouse manager, Molly Ralston.

The Ralstons have only just opened for enterprise that day and Molly is normally in a tizz. She, too, has a horrid earlier.

The participate in gives psychological insights into the period of time with Christopher’s queer persona both equally laughable and acceptable, suggesting to some commentators that Christie was forward of her time.

The efficiency was refreshing, the actors strike the correct observe and the emotional tugs were convincing.

The forged features Anna O’Byrne and Alex Rathgeber, who have each gained Helpmann awards for their performances in musicals.

Robyn Nevin, the director, selected to go with a musical forged, in spite of the actuality there is only 1 track, for the reason that of the similarity of the genres which equally provide escapism instead than commentary.

The Mousetrap, Comedy Theatre, right until March 26.