''The Mousetrap'' re-opens in the West End

Record ID: 1616532

  • Title: ''The Mousetrap'' re-opens in the West End
  • Date: 17th May 2021
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 17, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR SUSAN PENHALIGON AND DEREK GRIFFITHS, SAYING: PENHALIGON : I mean, it's iconic, you know, the tourists used to come and see the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and 'The Mousetrap'. You know, it's it really is part of being British, if you like GRIFFITHS: It's our English heritage. SUSAN PENHALIGON AND DEREK GRIFFITHS IN INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR DEREK GRIFFITHS, SAYING: ''I was saying this morning to our producer that was here, you know, was he feeling nervous over the weekend? Because I certainly was, because the headlines were leaning it towards that way. It's abated now. And luckily, we go on tonight.'' SPIEGEL BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRODUCER, ADAM SPIEGEL, SAYING: 'You know, each day you get good news and bad news. And if you allow those to, if you allow yourself to respond emotionally in the extreme way to both good and bad, I think you send yourself nuts. So I'm sort of hoping that the, that in the course of the next few weeks, the news on the Indian variant is reassuring and that the roadmap that the government had outlined is able to go ahead'. VARIOUS OF SPIEGEL BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRODUCER, ADAM SPIEGEL, SAYING: 'I think it will be devastating for the industry as a whole. We will continue here, but we're in a very fortunate position that we can just about make these economics work. But for the bigger, more lavish productions across the West End, the musicals particularly, I think operating without complete capacity will be impossible.' LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT - MAY 13, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE PALACE THEATRE WITH SIGN FOR HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD (EXPECTED BACK IN OCTOBER) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE SONDHEIM WITH SIGNS FOR 'LES MISERABLES THE STAGED CONCERT' (DUE BACK MAY 20)
  • Embargoed: 31st May 2021 16:48
  • Keywords: Mousetrap Theatre West End reopening
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Theatre
  • Reuters ID: LVA005EDCMPUH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Even though it cannot open at full capacity, the world's longest running play 'The Mousetrap' is about to re-open in London's West End.
    Author Agatha Christie's murder mystery is one of the first shows back as lockdown restrictions in England eased on Monday (May 17).
    Producer Adam Spiegel told Reuters that although the show, now in its 69th year, can only sell under half of the usual number of seats due to social distancing rules, he wanted to open as soon as possible.
    "I've always thought that it was really important symbolically that 'The Mousetrap' reopen the West End," he said.
    "Although financially this is unsustainable for a long period of time, I made the decision that I thought it was worth doing, first of all, to get everyone back to work and secondly, to say right the West End is open for business again."
    'The Mousetrap' staged its first show in 1952, and its London run stopped for the first time in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    This time around, the show has two casts - called 'Marple' and 'Poirot', named after other Christie characters Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot - just in case any of the actors contract the coronavirus.
    Actor Cassidy Janson, who is on team 'Marple', said it was great to be back ''at the front of the ship'' when it comes to theatre starting back.
    ''I feel very honoured and humbled and privileged'', she told Reuters.
    Spiegel said the production only found out at the end of last week that the show could open, as the British government monitors the data on the spread of COVID-19.
    Reflecting on the possible impact on the spread of new strain of the virus first detected in India, he said he was hopeful that re-opening plans can continue as planned in the UK.
    He said it would be 'devastating for the industry as a whole' if social distancing has to continue past the next anticipated easing date of June 21.
    (Production: Sarah Mills / Will Russell)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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