It's been running for more than 60 years but continues to break all box office records.

Agatha Christie’s long-running murder mystery The Mousetrap is making a return visit to Canterbury’s Marlowe theatre, after it was the first venue of the 2012 tour.

For the author and playwright's grandson, Mathew Pritchard, having such a famous grandmother made for an eventful childhood, including being given The Mousetrap for his ninth birthday.

"I suppose it took some time for it to sink in that I had a famous grandmother," he said. "We used to have enjoyable exeats on Sundays from preparatory school and it was, I think, then that the first glimmers of truth came through. Very sensibly, our headmaster insisted on initialling all books that came into school. I came back once clutching the latest Agatha Christie and wondering, quite genuinely, whether the head could possibly find any reason for withholding the coveted signature. He never did! There was, however, one occasion when my book took a terribly long time to reappear. Later I realised that the headmaster’s wife had taken the opportunity to read it!"

"She was a marvellous grandmother and someone nice to have around. She could manage to write a book almost without one noticing. Sometimes she used to read the new one to us. We all tried to guess, and my mother was the only one who was ever right. I think most of my friends who met her during those years were quite astonished that such a mild, gentle grandmother could really be the authoress of all those stories of intrigue, murder and jealousy."

He added: "She gave me The Mousetrap for my ninth birthday. Probably nobody realised until much later what a marvellous present it was, but it is perhaps worth remembering that my grandmother had been through many times in her life when money was not plentiful. It was therefore incredibly generous of her to give away such a play to her grandson, as in 1952 her books were only just approaching the enormous success they have now become. She loved giving pleasure to others – good food, a holiday, a present, or a birthday ode."

He added: "When I had the pleasure of taking my own children to The Mousetrap for the first time they enjoyed it tremendously. They crossed off assiduously in their programmes those whom they thought couldn’t have done it (the real culprit was excluded at an early stage!). I think it tells us something about the success of the play, too: it contains so much for everybody – humour, drama, suspense and a jigsaw puzzle – suitable for all ages and taste."

DETAILS

The Mousetrap is at the Marlowe until Saturday, September 5. Tickets from £20.

Call the box office on 01227 787787 or visit www.marlowetheatre.com