Mousetrap heads for 20,000th performance

The world8217;s longest-running play celebrates its 20,000th performance next month with a celebrity lunch for the surviving members of the original eight-strong cast 8212; film director Richard Attenborough, his wife Sheila Sim and Jessica Spencer 8212; on December 7.

The play opened on November 25, 1952 when Winston Churchill was Prime Minister in Britain and Josef Stalin ruled Russia.

With the theatre still playing to about 80 per cent of capacity, The Mousetrap ranks with The Tower of London and Westminster Abbey among Britain8217;s perennial tourist attractions.

quot;Lots of people say it is a funny, old-fashioned play but it is still a very good murder story. It wouldn8217;t still be running otherwise,quot; David Turner, who has directed the play since 1987, told The Daily Telegraph.

quot;It is a coy, pleasurable two-and-a-half hours and people enjoy trying to solve the murder,quot; he said.

Christie, who died in 1986, gave the play to her grandson as a ninth birthday present. She once said of the hit: quot;It is the sort of play you can take anyone to. It is not really frightening. It is not really horrible.quot;

Originally written as a radio play at the request of Queen Mary to mark her 80th birthday, The Mousetrap has been translated into 23 languages and seen in more than 40 countries.

But don8217;t hold your breath if you are waiting to see the film.

The rights were sold to two producers for 5,000 pounds each on condition they did not make the film until the play closed. Both died many years ago.