Luke Jenkins, who has been solving crimes night after night, tells Katherine MacAlister about secretly auditioning for his Sgt Trotter role and the unstoppable legacy of The Mousetrap

Sir Richard Attenborough played Sgt Trotter in Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap in 1952 in the West End.

The famous actor then died on the very same day that Luke Jenkins stepped into his shoes, 60 years later. So it seemed only fitting that after the performance Luke said a few words to the sold out theatre audience about the acting great, a rather daunting first night.

Two years on, the touring version of Agatha Christie’s masterpiece shows no sign of abating, just as the West End show is still reigning supreme in London.

“There are already talks to come back for a third tour,” Luke says. “Which just shows how much people like a whodunnit. Because although The Mousetrap does involve murder and crime, there is a lot of humour in the play as well. And at the end everyone gasps and is aghast, so it gets the right response even now, all these years later.”

Previously the understudy for the first tour, Luke was therefore delighted to be invited to step into the police detective’s shoes, and is relishing every minute on stage, solving the crime.

“They auditioned me secretly during rehearsals and gave me the job on the spot,” the 25-year-old beams.

So what can he tell us about Sgt Trotter? “He is about my age and this is his first big job, but he is a classic Agatha Christie police character and always clutching at straws. He is never quite on top of the case.”

Neither is Sgt Trotter helped out by one of Agatha Christie’s most famous detectives, such as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. “No, I’m the man and – while I can’t give the end away and the audience is given a spoiler alert warning at the end of each show so they don’t let the cat out of the bag either – the crime does get solved,” he promises.

And the best bit? “Sgt Trotter does get to say some classic lines, such as “Not quite so fast,” which I always enjoy,” Luke laughs.

As for The Mousetrap itself, is Luke surprised that it’s still selling out so many years later?

“Yes, but then it’s amazing how many people haven’t seen it, even though they know all about it, while others come back because they can’t remember the end and want to find out whodunnit all over again,” Luke explains.

And with no end in sight, Sgt Trotter will be solving the crime every night for the foreseeable future.

“Perhaps the legacy of The Mousetrap is that it doesn’t stop and keeps on going, so for me it’s a dream come true.” Luke accedes.

Luke hails from Kent and went to the Rose Bruford Drama School outside of London. Since then he has played Macbeth, Urgentino in Howard Howard Barker’s Scenes From an Execution, Jamie in Our Country’s Bad, and appeared in feature film Evidence of Existences.

Now firmly ensconced The Mousetrap’s current run, there seems little point in asking about his future.

“It’s just great to be part of something so iconic, such a massive part of our theatrical history and the longest running show in the West End. So playing Sgt Trotter has been a real honour.”

SEE IT
The Mousetrap runs at Oxford’s Playhouse from Monday, August 17, to Saturday,  August 22. Age guideline: 14+
Call 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com