St. Martin's Theatre

St Martin's Theatre, which opened its doors in West Street in 1916, is the home of Agatha Christie's whodunnit The Mousetrap and has been since the curtain first rose on the show in 1974. It holds the world record for the longest continually running production having exceeded more than 25,000 performances.

The venue in the heart of the West End offers easy access to attractions such as Covent Garden and Leicester Square, as well as the Royal Academy. It’s also within easy walking distance of lots of popular pubs and restaurants making it ideal if you're looking to combine a visit to the theatre with a day's sightseeing or shopping. Or if you want to enjoy pre- or post-theatre drinks or a great lastminute.com theatre meal deal. 

The theatre, which is decorated in an English Georgian style, less flamboyant than many others, offers an intimate atmosphere, making it a great venue for a family day out or theatre visit for two. It seats 550 people across three levels: orchestra stalls, dress circle and upper circle. It’s a short walk from Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road tube stations.

The history

St Martin's Theatre was designed by the prolific W G R Sprague who also created the companion venue The Ambassadors, also on West Street. However, while the Ambassadors opened in 1913, work on St Martin's was delayed by the outbreak of the First World War. It opened in 1916 with a production of Houpla, an Edwardian musical comedy. The venue has staged performances by many famous British actors including Basil Rathbone, best known today for his film roles as Sherlock Holmes. He appeared in R.U.R, a 1920s Czech science fiction drama. And in 1927 Henry Daniell appeared here in Meet the Wife by Lynn Starling.

The Mousetrap, which started next door at the Ambassadors, transferred with its original cast including Richard Attenborough as Detective Sergeant Trotter and his wife, Sheila Sim, as Mollie Ralston. Two of the performers, Mysie Monte and David Raven, made history by remaining in their roles for more than 11 years. The voice of the late Derek Guyler can still be heard reading out a radio news bulletin and the production still features one of the original props, a clock seen on the mantelpiece of the fireplace in the main hall.

The theatre staged a gala performance marking the 25th performance of the play which included performances by Patrick Stewart, Miranda Hart, Hugh Bonneville, Tamsin Greig and Julie Walters.

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