St Martin’s Theatre has three seating levels: Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle. It’s smaller and more intimate than most West End venues, with good views from most areas, though safety rails and overhangs can cause some restriction in certain rows.
The Stalls hold 277 seats and put you close to the action, which suits a classic whodunnit like The Mousetrap. Central rows give the clearest, most immersive view.
The Dress Circle holds 135 seats and offers a great overview of the stage. It’s worth checking reviews for your specific row, as an overhang can affect the very back seats.
The Upper Circle holds 153 seats and is the highest, most affordable level. Given the theatre’s compact size, it’s still a good, close view of the stage.
St Martin’s Theatre is on West Street, just off Cambridge Circus. The nearest tube station is Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern lines), a short walk away, with Covent Garden also close by.
St Martin’s Theatre opened on 23rd November 1916 with the musical comedy Houp-La!, designed by W. G. R. Sprague. Over the decades it hosted notable productions including Basil Rathbone in R.U.R. in 1923 and the thriller Sleuth in 1970, and it was given Grade II listed status in 1973.
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap transferred here from the Ambassadors Theatre in March 1974 and has been running ever since, aside from a brief closure during the pandemic. As of 2024 it had passed 29,500 performances, making it the world’s longest-running theatrical production of any kind.
St Martin’s Theatre has a capacity of 565 across its three levels: Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle.
St Martin’s Theatre is owned by Lord Willoughby de Broke and Stephen Waley-Cohen.
It opened on 23rd November 1916 with the musical comedy Houp-La!.
The Mousetrap first opened in the West End in 1952 and has been at St Martin’s Theatre since 1974, making it the world’s longest-running show.
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is currently playing, as it has been continuously since 1974.
The theatre offers step-free access to the Stalls level, though as with many historic West End venues there’s no lift to the upper levels.
The Upper Circle is up 28 steps from the foyer with no lift, and regular theatregoers describe the rake as very steep, especially from row F back, with a waist-high safety rail running across the front of rows A and B. The Dress Circle is a much gentler option, just a handful of steps up with a shallower slope. If heights are a worry, ask for Dress Circle or Stalls seats when booking, or call the theatre on 020 3034 2604 to talk through the options.
Leicester Square is the closest, with Covent Garden also nearby.
Central Stalls give the most immersive view of this classic whodunnit, though thanks to the theatre’s compact size, every level has a genuinely good view.
You can book tickets for The Mousetrap at St Martin’s Theatre directly through the official show website. I’d always recommend booking through the show’s own site or a trusted official retailer to avoid inflated resale prices.
