Agatha Christie’s West End hit The Mousetrap finally heads for Broadway after 70 years

Quite what is the secret to its success remains closely-guarded, reports Rishi Davda

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap will open on Broadway next year for the first time after 70 years on the London stage.

The world’s longest-running play, which has been watched by over 10 million theatre-goers, was first staged in London in 1952 and has never been performed in New York.

Why? Christie apparently didn't trust Broadway to produce the iconic murder mystery.

But the new show will be a co-production between its UK’s producer Adam Spiegel and Tony-award winner Kevin McCollum, whose credits include Broadway productions of British hit shows The Play That Goes Wrong and Six.

McCollum said: “I am thrilled that Agatha Christie’s beloved murder mystery that changed popular theatre and has been a landmark attraction for US visitors to London’s West End for the past 70 years will now be coming to Broadway.

“I’m excited for the huge Christie fan-base in North America, and for the acting company in New York who will join the esteemed ranks of The Mousetrap alumni.”

Spiegel said: “There can be no better way to mark today’s milestone in The Mousetrap’s illustrious run, than to look ahead to a production in New York.

“I feel after the longest out of town try-out in history, The Mousetrap is finally ready to transfer to Broadway.”

Almost 29,000 performances of The Mousetrap have taken place in London.

The likes of Patrick Stewart, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Tamsin Greig and husband-and-wife actors Richard Attenborough and Sheila Sim are among famous names to have treaded the boards in the famous production.

During its long history the show has been watched by the late Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill and US director Quentin Tarantino.

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