A SHORT time after the interval of Agatha Christie’s record-breaking murder mystery, The Moustrap, currently showing at the Theatre Royal in Bath, I made the deliberate decision to choose my number one suspect and stick to them.

Before that I had bounced between just about every character, ruling each one out as I went along; “He’s too obvious”, “She’s not suspicious enough”, “He doesn’t appear to have a motive.” In my head I was Poirot, Holmes, Columbo, Morse, even, somewhat strangely, Mrs Marple.

The play, returning to Bath for its extended 60th anniversary run, drew to its dramatic conclusion and, to cut a long and painful story short, I was wrong.

This is the magic of The Mousetrap. It is, I am sure, a play that can be watched and watched again but nothing will ever compare to that first viewing, that first investigation, that first shocking revelation.

It is fitting then that this play comes with famous a closing message. To keep the magic of The Mousetrap alive, says the murderer, we ask you to keep the identity of the killer in your hearts.

As you may have already guessed, I had never seen London’s longest running play – which follows a detective’s efforts to unravel the case of a murdered woman in a snowed-in guesthouse – and so I was intrigued by the opportunity.

Not a big fan of the works of Christie I was unsure as to whether or not I’d enjoy it. The varied critical comments I had heard about it beforehand didn’t help in giving me a clearer idea.

But in the end I would describe it as a roaring success, helped in no small way by the excellent ensemble cast.

Helen Clapp and Henry Luxemburg are perfectly suited to their roles as the Ralstons, the couple we first meet, running the guest house where the story takes place.

As the play moves on we meet the other characters as they trickle in one by one before the snow traps them there, each of them well performed, clearly defined with their own quirks and mannerisms.

Michael Fenner demands attention in his role as Mr Paravicini, the loud and boisterous Italian who enjoys poking fun at the fears of the other guests.

Stephen Yeo is the comic relief as Christopher Wren, a role he seems to thoroughly enjoy playing as he darts around the stage with speed and enthusiasm, spouting off about his love for any topic raised and whistling nursery rhymes like an over-excited child.

Though the cast are all excellent individually, what is more important for this particular play is their ability to function together.

They achieve this remarkably well and the merging and clashing of egos feels very genuine and is an absolute thrill to watch.

Overall, I found this production of The Mousetrap to be a riveting and utterly entertaining, and the murderer’s reveal was merely the cherry on an already rather tasty cake.

I strongly recommend you go and see The Mousetrap as soon as you can.... And here’s to hoping you’re a better detective than I am.

Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Monday 20th October to Saturday 25th October. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk