The London reopening of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, which was scheduled for October 23 at St. Martin's Theatre with social distancing in place, has been delayed. The venerable mystery was set to be the first show to reopen in the West End, as part of London's Stage Four of the return of live theatre and music.

Producer Adam Spiegel said in a statement, “In view of the current uncertainty and with greater restrictions looming for London, I have had to make the difficult decision to postpone the reopening of The Mousetrap.

When we took the decision in July that the show would reopen, it was in anticipation of a gradual easing of restrictions in general. The government’s announcement last week that the situation is deteriorating, together with increased restrictions being imposed across the country, makes it impossible to proceed with confidence."

Ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a credit or full refund.

Christie’s The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play; it has been performed 28,199 times in London and sold over 10 million tickets. The play follows seven strangers who are snowed in at a countryside manor as they slowly realize that one of them has just committed murder in London.