What is The Mousetrap?
The Mousetrap is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie that has been running in London's West End since 1952. It is the longest-running play in the world.
The play opened at the Ambassadors Theatre in November 1952 and moved to St Martin's Theatre in 1974, where it continues to run. It has been performed tens of thousands of times.
The story is set in a country guesthouse, Monkswell Manor, where guests are snowed in and a murder occurs. The audience must work out which character is the murderer.
Keeping the secret
At the end of each performance, the audience is asked not to reveal the identity of the murderer. Fans have kept the secret for decades.
The play is based on a short radio play, Three Blind Mice, which Christie wrote in 1947 for Queen Mary's 80th birthday.
The Mousetrap closed briefly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and reopened in 2021. Many actors have appeared in the cast over the years, including Richard Attenborough in the original production.
The play's title comes from Hamlet.