UK: AGATHA CHRISTIE'S PLAY "THE MOUSETRAP" CELEBRATES TWENTY THOUSANDTH PERFORMANCE

Record ID: 708250

  • Title: UK: AGATHA CHRISTIE'S PLAY "THE MOUSETRAP" CELEBRATES TWENTY THOUSANDTH PERFORMANCE
  • Date: 7th December 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (DECEMBER 7, 2000) (REUTERS) GV SIR RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH GIVING SPEECH, CULTURE MINISTER CHRIS SMITH, ATTENDING ZOOM IN CHRIS SMITH LAUGHING SCU MORE OF ATTENBOROUGH'S SPEECH
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1HKU4JMRVU5P4QB5QZ3GBNYFO
  • Story Text: Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap' is a much-loved institution of London's theatreland - now in it's 48th year it is soon to notch up an incredible anniversary - TWENTY THOUSAND performances. Members of the original cast, including Sir Richard Attenborough met up at a gala lunch in honour of the record-breaking play - to nibble on some cheese - and tell long, long theatre tails.
    It's the longest running play in the world, and also has the best-kept secret in the West End - Agatha Christie's classic thriller The Mousetrap may be coming up to it's 20,000 performance, but the estimated 10 million of people who have seen it will never answer the question - whodunnit? The long running tradition of not revealing the identity of the murder to those who haven't see it (yet!) is just one of the many quirks that makes The Mousetrap the stuff of folklore.
    Despite being written 60 years ago, audiences still flock to St. Martin's Theatre to find out what all the fuss is about for themselves. But even original cast member, Jessica Spencer can't quite put her finger on its broad appeal.
    "I have no idea, really I don't think anybody has, except that it's a very good thriller, it's got lots of excitement in it, it's got nothing that will frighten you, too much, and you can bring your grandchild or your grandmother and they'd all enjoy it."
    One person who has certainly benefited from the longevity of The Mousetrap is Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie's grandson. She gave him the rights to the play for his ninth birthday, an unusual but profitable gift. Of course, the enormity of the present was completely unexpected.
    "I don't think anybody did, I don't think my grandmother did, I don't think her lawyers did, I certainly didn't, but to give her her due she was alive for 20 something years afterwards and she never regretted it, she always said I was a lucky person, and I think we all got on with our live and we are all very proud to be associated with such a piece of theatrical history."
    In it's record breaking run, the production has not missed a single performance - even when the set needed changing it was done in a single weekend between shows.
    Originally written as a radio play at the request of Queen Mary to mark her 80th birthday, the play has been translated into 23 languages and been seen in more than 40 countries.
    The film rights have already been sold - but only on the condition that the film was not to be made until the West End run comes to an end - the producer who bought the rights died waiting.
    There are only three surviving members of the original cast, Sir Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim, and Jessica Spencer. All three were in attendance at the Savoy for a lunch in honour of the 20,000th show. Sir Richard delighted the crowd as he reminisced about the history of the play - recalling how even the actors had very little faith in it's potential. Agatha herself was quietly confident - but even she would have been surprised at it's huge success.
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