Review: The Rat Trap (Park Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You don’t usually have to look too far to find one of Noël Coward’s classic plays in London, with multiple productions of Private Lives in recent years, and Fallen Angels currently playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory. One of his plays you are unlikely to come across, however, is his very first. It has been 100 years since The Rat Trap was first seen, and it has been rarely seen in the century since. Now reimagined by Bill Rosenfield, it returns to London for a run at Park Theatre. Having failed to match the standard of Coward’s other hits, would this production prove to be the perfect catch, or would success slip through the cracks once again?

Written in 1918, it wasn’t until 1926 that The Rat Trap made its stage debut, though in that time it has only been seen in London three times - its initial twelve performance run in Hampstead, a run at Finborough in 2006, and a one-night-only rehearsed reading in 2021. It is a play Coward thought was imperfect, which is where this reimagined take comes in. Set in Belgravia in the 1920s, The Rat Trap is centred around novelist Sheila and aspiring playwright Keld as they prepare to get married. Voicing concerns over people losing their personality once they are married, that is exactly what happens when Keld’s career takes off, and Sheila’s doesn’t. As the cracks begin to show in their marriage, their harmless bickering gets increasingly nastier, and a killer revelation threatens to strike the final blow in their marriage.

Now, understandably,I wasn’t around in 1926 to see the premiere run, so I can’t compare this reimagining to that. What is clear, however, is how it has Coward’s distinct voice with plenty of wit and his distinctive humour - though not to the same effect as his other plays have. Though this is very obviously a Coward play, Act One is a real slow-burn, always sizzling but never quite exploding as you’d hope. The payoff does come after the interval, however, with a much pacier and more dynamic second Act capturing my attention and upping the quality considerably. Of course, elements of The Rat Trap feel dated, but attempts to contemporarise certain aspects of it, while retaining its 1920s setting, did lift the material. I particularly enjoyed multiple references to “first nights”, given that this performance was essentially that.

The mix of Noël Coward’s original writing, and Bill Rosenfield’s reimagined additions creates a real beast of a mix. In some respects, it is a product of its time while in others it feels refreshingly up to date. This creates a timelessness to the piece, leading to a play that exists in its own time, but is more importantly recognisable for its iconic playwright. There are several laughs to be had and shocking moments, though where it loses marks is in its ability to heighten the more emotional aspects of the story, coming across rather cold when it needed to connect. Though this is a reimagining, there is the overwhelming sense that this is a very safe production, though that is not necessarily a bad thing, and gives a sense of comfort for the familiarity (even though very few will have actually seen a production of this before).

Park Theatre’s larger 200 seat space is used to great effect, with a mostly bare bones set consisting of no more than a few chairs and a desk getting an unexpected transformation in Act Two, with a great use of design from Libby Watson. Kirsty Patrick Ward’s direction is full of creative choices with great care taken in each cast member's personalities, mannerisms and inflections. One inspired part of the direction is something I have never commented on in any review before, and that is the smell. Bear with me here. The scent of the character Ruby Raymond is commented on by other characters, and not in the most positive of ways. It could have been left simply at that, if it weren’t for the fact the choice has been made for actress Zoe Goriely to have a seemingly large amount of perfume on for every appearance, wafting to those in close proximity. I appreciate not everybody in the theatre will pick up on that, but it is a subtle touch that truly speaks to the creativity and attention to detail in Ward’s direction.

Though her stage time is comparatively short, Zoe Goriely leaves a lasting impression with more than simply her scent, in a larger-than-life and exaggerated performance as Ruby Raymond, to great comic effect. Daniel Abbott and Alisa Joy are a great comedic double act as Edmund Crowe and Naomi Frith-Bassington, while Gina Bramhill delivers a solid albeit drastically underused turn as Olive Lloyd-Kennedy, lighting up the stage whenever her character makes a rare reappearance. One of the standouts in the cast is Angela Sims for her scene-stealing turn as Burrage, the long-suffering maid whose disdain for the “master” makes for some great line deliveries.

That leaves the two main cast members as Ewan Miller and Lily Nichol lead the cast as married couple Keld and Sheila. Miller delivers a believable turn as the playwright whose personality changes with his success, with arrogance and even narcissism rearing their ugly heads. There is a real art to the characterisation of Keld - a character who speaks with his hands more than his voice, and his impatience leads to some comic moments, while also signifying the growing flaws in his character. As strong as his performance is, he is eclipsed by Nichol who dominates the play with her every appearance in a turn that sees her acting defeated, betrayed and assured all within a short space of time. It’s a demanding turn as the character changes with her every appearance, but Nichol wonderfully achieves this, impressing every time.

As someone who is actively trying to see more Noël Coward plays, it was great to be able to tick The Rat Trap off its list. Is it one of his best? Absolutely not, but is this reimagined watch still as watchable as it is enjoyable? Absolutely. A safe and harmless piece of theatre, the timeless nature of this play is more than enough to put a smile on your face. It may not be Coward’s sharpest snare and it has certainly taken a lot of chasing to get The Rat Trap to a state as strong as this, but it still springs with plenty of bite. That is mostly down to this production, which successfully manages to be a great catch.

The Rat Trap plays at Park Theatre until 14th March. Tickets available here.

Photos by Mitzi de Margary