Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap is touring the UK and Ireland for its 75th anniversary, and one of its stops is Manchester Opera House, from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October 2026. Nicholas Bailey and Susan Penhaligon lead the company in the record breaking whodunnit, which has been keeping audiences guessing since it opened in London in 1952.
The tour opened at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham on 3 September 2026. It played Windsor until 17 October, is at New Brighton this week and then moves on to Manchester, with 29 current and upcoming stops, running until July 2027 in High Wycombe.
The tour cast
Nicholas Bailey, known to television viewers from EastEnders, plays Major Metcalf, and Susan Penhaligon, star of A Fine Romance, plays Mrs Boyle. Emily Laing and Jack Hardwick play Mollie and Giles Ralston, the young couple running the guesthouse, with Thomas Barrett as Christopher Wren, Clare Duffy as Miss Casewell, James Peake as Mr Paravicini and Alfie Richards as Detective Sergeant Trotter. The understudies are Ben Gresswell, Sophie Lagden, Judith Rae and Darren Ruston.
Penhaligon has history with the play: she has previously appeared in it at St Martin's Theatre in London, where the original production is still running. Hardwick's stage work includes The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End and The Bodyguard on tour.
The story
A shocking murder rattles London. Far away, a remote country guesthouse called Monkswell Manor welcomes seven strangers looking for shelter from the snow. When a police sergeant battles through the storm with a warning, it becomes clear that the threat is already inside. Tradition asks every audience to keep the ending a secret, and we will not spoil it here.
The tour is directed by Hannah Chissick, with lighting design by Nic Farman, casting by Denise Silvey and resident direction by Myles Brown. For the long story of the London run, see our guide to the world's longest running play.
Tour dates for 2026 and 2027
The tour has already played:
- Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, 3 to 12 September 2026
- Princess Theatre, Torquay, 14 to 19 September 2026
- Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, 21 to 26 September 2026
- Malvern Theatres, Malvern, 28 September to 3 October 2026
- Lyceum Theatre, Crewe, 5 to 10 October 2026
- Theatre Royal Windsor, Windsor, 12 to 17 October 2026
The 29 current and upcoming stops are:
- Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton, 19 to 24 October 2026
- Opera House, Manchester, 26 to 31 October 2026
- Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, 3 to 7 November 2026
- Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, 9 to 14 November 2026
- Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, 16 to 21 November 2026
- Lighthouse, Poole, 23 to 28 November 2026
- Palace Theatre, Southend, 30 November to 5 December 2026
- Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 7 to 16 January 2027
- New Theatre, Cardiff, 19 to 23 January 2027
- New Victoria Theatre, Woking, 25 to 30 January 2027
- Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth, 1 to 6 February 2027
- Churchill Theatre, Bromley, 15 to 20 February 2027
- Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, 22 to 27 February 2027
- Regent Theatre, Stoke on Trent, 1 to 6 March 2027
- Garrick Theatre, Lichfield, 8 to 13 March 2027
- Mercury Theatre, Colchester, 16 to 20 March 2027
- Empire Theatre, Sunderland, 22 to 27 March 2027
- Eden Court, Inverness, 30 March to 3 April 2027
- Playhouse Theatre, Edinburgh, 5 to 10 April 2027
- King's Theatre, Glasgow, 12 to 17 April 2027
- Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, 19 to 24 April 2027
- Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes, 26 April to 1 May 2027
- Malvern Theatres, Malvern, 4 to 8 May 2027
- Hall for Cornwall, Truro, 24 to 29 May 2027
- Hippodrome, Darlington, 8 to 12 June 2027
- Theatre Royal Bath, Bath, 14 to 19 June 2027
- Grand Opera House, York, 21 to 26 June 2027
- Derby Theatre, Derby, 28 June to 3 July 2027
- Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe, 12 to 17 July 2027
How long is the show?
The running time is 2 hours 5 minutes, including a 20 minute interval.
Is it suitable for children?
Producers recommend it for ages 7 and over.
Catch it at a stop near you between now and July 2027. See dates and tickets.
Header image: official artwork.
Regional Theatre Correspondent
Bridget covers UK regional theatre for British Theatre: tours, openings and production news beyond the West End.
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