IT'S the world's longest-running play and it's returning to Southampton next week, starring a former Eastender.

Classic whodunnit The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie continues its 70th anniversary tour at Mayflower Theatre from Tuesday to Saturday (February 28 to March 4). 

Todd Carty, of Eastenders, The Bill, Grange Hill and Dancing on Ice fame, stars as Major Metcalf in the genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time.

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He is joined by Gwyneth Strong, best known as Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses, who reprises her role of Mrs Boyle.

As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a stately countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst! Which one is the murderer? 

Audiences are famously asked not to reveal the identity of the killer so as not to spoil the play for future fans.

Daily Echo:

Todd Carty told the Daily Echo: "I saw it about 40 years ago, when I was a much younger man, and when I got the call ‘Would you like to be in The Mousetrap?’ I didn’t hesitate.

"I remembered it being such a great play and I’ve always been an Agatha Christie fan, having first gotten hooked on her storytelling by seeing the Margaret Rutherford/Miss Marple films on TV.

"Now here I am 40 years later playing Major Metcalf in the UK and Ireland tour. It’s fantastic."

The play, based on a radio play written to celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Mary, wife of King George V, opened in 1952 starring Richard Attenborough.

It was only seven years since Hitler died. Much essential food was still rationed, Mr Winston Churchill was Prime Minister, Harry Truman was President of the United States, and Stalin was ruler of Russia.  There was fighting in Korea, and Princess Elizabeth began her long reign as Queen.  The last tram ran in London, television programmes ended at 10.30 p.m., and the entire TV listings only occupied three and a half lines.

Tickets for the Mousetrap are on sale now from mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.