The Scousetrap | Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, September 23 – October 29, 2022
Liverpool take on Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, written by Kevin Fearon and Cal McCrystal and directed by McCrystal for the Royal Court Theatre. Set in 1941 at Liverpool’s prestigious Adelphi Hotel during the Blitz, the production featured private detective Miss Marble investigating murder among a cast of wartime characters. The comedy blended crime drama, thriller elements, and slapstick in what reviewers described as “a Carry On film colliding with a Norman Wisdom farce.”
takis designed the production’s wartime hotel setting, capturing both the elegance of the Adelphi and the chaos of the Liverpool Blitz. The design needed to serve multiple theatrical styles—Christie-style mystery, physical comedy, and a standout séance scene featuring celebrity impersonations. The cast included David Benson, Eithne Browne, Gabriel Fleary, Helen Carter, Jack Lane, Keddy Sutton, Liam Tobin, and Zain Salim.
The Royal Court Theatre has long specialized in Liverpool-set comedy, and The Scousetrap demonstrated how classic mystery structures can be reimagined for local audiences while maintaining the genre’s essential pleasures. The production’s success showed that parody and homage need not be mutually exclusive.
Creative Team: Writers: Kevin Fearon & Cal McCrystal | Director: Cal McCrystal | Designer: takis