If Agatha Christie were still alive she probably wouldn't believe it. Her West End play, The Mousetrap, which she once described as, "not really frightening, not really horrible and not really a farce," has broken all records, and has just celebrated its golden anniversary at St Martin's Theatre in London with a royal gala performance.
The Queen, who this year is marking her own 50 years on the throne, arrived for the show with the Duke of Edinburgh and met up with surviving members of the original cast including Sir Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim.
Agatha Christie's famous whodunnit is the first stage production to achieve the half-century milestone after opening on November 25, 1952. More than 10 million people have seen the play since it opened and it has been performed in more than 40 countries and translated into over 20 languages.
"It is like a London institution - like the ravens in The Tower of London," said Sir Richard Attenborough.
Following Monday night's gala performance, the Queen was presented with a posy of flowers and a giant mousetrap by Agatha Christie's great-great grandsons Joshua and Max.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
