Six Agatha Christie Radio Dramas Coming Soon

Six "new" BBC Radio drama adaptations of Agatha's Christie's works are to be released on CD in the coming months.

The first radio drama collection is "Agatha Christie: The Lost Plays" which is a collection of three full cast radio dramas that are believed to have been lost for half a century and recently rediscovered and remastered. Two of them were written specifically for radio by Agatha Christie and one is an adaptation of her novel "Murder in the Mews".

Here's the BBC CD's product description:

“A triple bill of archive BBC radio dramas, believed lost for over half a century and only recently rediscovered. Butter in a Lordly Dish, written specially for radio in 1948, features Richard Williams as Sir Luke Enderby KC, whose infidelities lead him into trouble when he goes to meet his latest flame. Williams also stars as Hercule Poirot in Murder in the Mews, a 1955 adaptation of a short story. A young woman is found dead in her flat, the day after Guy Fawkes night. Did she die by her own hand, or someone else's? In Personal Call, also written specially for radio by Agatha Christie, a disturbing telephone call from a woman named Fay has consequences for both Richard Brent and his wife Pam. This 1960 production stars Ivan Brandt and Barbara Lott.”

This collection is available to pre-order from the BBC Shop and Amazon.co.uk now and will be released on September 3rd 2015. It is clearly a must-have for Agatha Christie fans - a collection of classic radio dramas that have been lost and rediscovered.

Then there’s also a set of new radio dramas from the BBC to be released on CD in November. Acclaimed actress June Whitfield is returning to play Agatha Christie's renowned sleuth Miss Marple in three brand new radio plays based on the collection of short stories “Miss Marple’s Final Cases”. June Whitfield completed recording the twelve Miss Marple novels back in 2001, and is now returning again to play the character in some new adaptations of Miss Marple short stories for BBC Radio.

Here’s the CD’s product description:

“June Whitfield stars as Miss Marple in three brand new BBC Radio 4 dramatisations. The short stories on which the adaptations are based were published in a variety of magazines during Agatha Christie's lifetime, and then collected posthumously as the book Miss Marple's Final Cases. Duration: 2 hours 30”

It is possible that the three radio dramas will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the coming months, but this is not confirmed. However, I must say that I am pleased that June Whitfield is returning to play Miss Marple in some new radio dramas as it’s great to see (or rather hear) the character back on radio again. Each episode will be 50 minutes long and are all full cast BBC radio adaptations starring June Whitfield as Miss Marple. The audio CD is due to be released on November 5th 2015 and is available to pre-order on Amazon.co.uk. Therefore it is likely that the radio plays will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the coming months.

Are you excited about these “new” radio dramas? Leave a comment below or tweet me @AChristieWeb

A Christie For Christmas

(c) ITV

There are many things that constitute a great British Christmas. There's the turkey, stuffing and pigs-in-blankets, the crackers, the beautifully decorated tree, the presents and of course, the television. These days, many families across the UK, and indeed the world, settle down on Christmas day to watch the Queen's speech, or perhaps Doctor Who or the Downton Abbey special. But going back in time, people had something else to look forward to each December.

Mostly every year up until her death in 1976, Agatha Christie released a new crime fiction novel. Some featured her most celebrated detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. But every one was an exciting murder mystery that the public looked forward to. Hercule Poirot's Christmas, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and 4.50 From Paddington were all classic Christie Christmas tales. This tradition became known as "A Christie For Christmas".

(c) ITV 

These days, the tradition has been continued be adapting Dame Agatha's work for television. Ten years ago, ITV released the first series of their Miss Marple films, starring the wonderful Geraldine McEwan as the elderly sleuth. "The Body in the Library", "The Murder at the Vicarage", "4.50 From Paddington" and "A Murder is Announced" were the first episodes, originally broadcast at Christmas 2004. In more recent years, ITV adapted "Murder on the Orient Express" in 2010 starring David Suchet for the series "Agatha Christie's Poirot", as wells as "Clocks" in 2011. In keeping with the tradition, ITV broadcast the final episode of the Marple series, "Endless Night", starring Julia McKenzie, in December 2013.

Unfortunately, there are no adaptations of Christie's novels or short stories to look forward to this Christmas, so the tradition seems to have been broken. However, on ITV3, the first series of Marple is being shown, so look out for that. Next year, the BBC will be making a three-part adaptation of And Then There Were None which is expected to be broadcast at Christmas 2015. In the meantime, we will have to dust off our copies of the many great DVDs of Agatha's works to watch this Christmas as they do make great viewing for the festive period. And what could be better than reading a Christie novel in front of a roaring fire on Christmas morning?

Wishing all of my followers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from Agatha Christie Web

Poirot Season 13 - Curtain: Poirot's Last Case Preview (US)

©ITV - David Suchet as Hercule Poirot and Gregory Cox as the Coroner

After twenty five years and sixty nine episodes, the end is here. 

For fans of the hugely successful and long-running series in the US, Hercule Poirot's Last Case is here. David Suchet has now completed all of Agatha Christie's Poirot novels (and most of the short stories). Curtain reunites Poirot with Hastings and Style's Court, the scene of their first murder investigation together. But there is a marked difference in both friends: Hastings is widowed and Poirot is ill. Curtain was adapted by the late Kevin Elyot, produced by David Boulter and directed by Hettie Macdonald.

Poirot Season 13 - The Labours of Hercules Preview

©ITV/Patrick Redmond - Eleanor Tomlinson as Alice Cunningham

David Suchet's penultimate episode as Poirot comes to the US on Monday 18th August 
On Monday 18th August, Poirot: The Labours of Hercules will be available to watch in America on AcornTV. The penultimate episode of the long-running series sees Hercule Poirot in a different light: the great detective is depressed. After failing to save a young woman's life, he goes to the Swiss Alps to cure himself, but finds the killer amongst the hotel guests. Orla Brady stars as Countess Vera Rossakoff, Poirot's old flame, who was previously played by Kika Markham in The Double Clue. The films was adapted from a collection of short stories by Guy Andrews, produced by David Boulter and directed by Andy Wilson.

Murder at the Bloxham Hotel

It has been revealed that a 1920s hotel due to re-open in September is central to the new Poirot mystery. 

All that we know so far is that The Bloxham Hotel, a 1920s hotel due to re-open in September, will appear in Sophie Hannah's new Poirot novel The Monogram Murders. The date for the re-opening is 9th September, the same date the new Poirot novel is released worldwide. So far, the location and history of the hotel is a mystery.
 

Poirot Series 13 - Elephants Can Remember Preview

©ITV/Patrick Redmond - From left: Zoe Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver, David Suchet as Hercule Poirot and Greta Scacchi as Mrs Burton-Cox

For one of his final cases, Poirot must delve into the past with his friend Ariadne Oliver

America fans of the little Belgian detective will be pleased to hear that episode three of the thirteenth and final series of the long-running show will be available to watch on AcornTV from August 11th. Elephants Can Remember features the recurring character of Ariadne Oliver, perfectly played by Zoe Wanamaker, and features Greta Scacchi, Danny Webb and Caroline Blakiston amongst the guest cast.  It was first broadcast in the UK on June 9th 2013, and was adapted by Nick Dear, produced by David Boulter and directed by John Strickland.

Poirot Season 13 - The Big Four Preview

©ITV - from left: Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon, Philip Jackson as Assistant Commissioner Japp, David Suchet as Hercule Poirot and Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings

The first episode of the final season of Poirot will be broadcast in the US on Monday 28th July. 

Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran are reunited with David Suchet for the final season of Poirot. The Big Four was broadcast in the UK on 23rd October 2013, but fans of Poirot in the US have had to wait a little longer to say "Adieu" to the famous Belgian detective. The wait is finally over, as on Monday, they can watch the season premiere. 
The thirteenth and final season starts with a bang, as Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) and Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) are reunited after many years apart for the funeral of their much loved friend Hercule Poirot. It has been twelve years Poirot has seen his old friends, as they last appeared alongside him in the 2002 episode Evil Under the Sun. 
The episode was adapted by Mark Gatiss and Ian Hallard, produced by David Boulter and directed by Peter Lyndon. 

Book of the Month July 2014: Dead Man's Folly - Plot & Characters

(c) Harpercollins - the new cover for the book

For July, the chosen Book of the Month for the Agatha Christie Book club at the website is one of my favourite novels. Dead Man's Folly was first published in October 1956 and features the recurring characters of Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver. The setting is Nasse House, in the fictional Devonshire town of Nasscombe. Nasse House and its surroundings were inspired by Agatha Christie's own holiday home Greenway House. Recently, for the final series of Agatha Christie's Poirot, David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker filmed an adaption of Dead Man's Folly at Greenway. It was the last Poirot story to be filmed, but not the last to be broadcast.

Plot 

The great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is called upon by his old friend, the crime novelist Ariandne Oliver, to investigate the goings on at Nasse House. Mrs Oliver is helping the owner of the house Sir George Stubbs to run a murder hunt as part of the annual summer fete's festivities. However, Mrs Oliver believes there is something wrong at Nasse, and she feels sure someone will die. Hercule Poirot is called in to hand out the prizes for the murder hunt, much to his dislike, and so he can get to know the potential suspects. There he meets Sir George and his subnormal wife Hattie and Amy Foliatt, the previous owner of Nasse House. But as the celebrations begin, Hattie disappears and the fake body in the murder hunt, played by a young girl guide, turns in to a real body and is found in the boathouse. Hercule Poirot must solve the mystery of Nasse and help the police as they struggle to find the missing Hattie Stubbs.

Adapting Christie: An overview

(c) Agatha Christie Archive Trust 

There have been many different adaptations of Agatha Christie's stories on film and television over the last decade. Some have been successful, and some have not. 

Prior to the 1980s, Agatha Christie never allowed television or movie companies to adapt her work for the screen, as she had seen what they could do to her works. Take Margaret Rutherford, for example. Christie, although being great friends with Ms Rutherford, never made a secret of her dislike towards her portrayal as Miss Marple. But after Christie's death in 1976, her daughter was more open to letting TV companies film her mother's works. So in 1980, producer and writer Pat Sandys (mother to actress Samantha Bond) had permission to adapt to of Christie's novels: Why Didn't They Ask Evans and The Seven Dials Mystery. Both were successful adaptions because of one main reason: they were faithful to the source materials. These two television films created the birth of adaptions of Christie's work. There were already feature length movies starring Peter Ustinov on the big screen, but these television adaptions heralded a new age for Agatha Christie. Three years later, Pat Sandys filmed the ten part series Partners In Crime (1983-4) starring James Warwick and Francesca Annis as Tommy and Tuppence. Then, the next year, the BBC struck gold by starting a new series based on the Miss Marple series of novels, starring Joan Hickson as the sleuth. Finally, a mere five years later, ITV created the best series imaginable, Agatha Christie's Poirot, starring the incredibly talented David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. This monumental series would span twenty five years.

As I stated before, some of the best adaptations of Agatha Christie's novels and short stories come from scripts that stay close to the original story. I mean, surely it's not hard to make a good story from the original and best selling novels of the Queen of Crime? The Poirot series generally sticks close to the novels, generally because of the intervention of David Suchet, especially as he is an Executive Producer of some of the later films. Some of the best adaptions are Death on the Nile (2004), Dead Man's Folly (2013), Five Little Pigs (2003) and After the Funeral (2006) as they are all faithful to Christie's work. Yes, there are some minor changes like removing certain unnecessary characters for length and budget purposes and making it shorter to make them fit ITV's 89 minute broadcast time, but they still closely resemble the novels they come from. Some of the adaptions that fall a little far from faithful are Halloween Party (2012) and Cards on the Table (2006) to name just two. The difference between the two is that the former makes sensible changes that improve the adaption and make it better for television. The latter however makes changes to the killer's motive that don't really fit in well with Christie's works. And why would you change the killer's motive? Surely Agatha Christie knew better when it comes to constructing the perfect crime?

©ITV - Julia McKenzie (right) as Miss Marple, with Wendy Craig

Two Poirot adaptions that don't seem to be anything to do with the original novels are The Big Four (2013) and Appointment with Death (2008). The latter makes outrageous changes to the novel by changing the setting, motive and killers, as well as changing the method of murder and the adding and removing suspects. One of the killers in the TV version is innocent in the novel! Although it is well directed and well acted (there are some great performances from Cheryl Campbell and Elizabeth McGovern), it has a poor script. However, even though The Big Four suffered from the curse of changes to the novel, the changes helped improve the novel. Most fans know (including Mark Gatiss and Ian Hallard, who adapted it) that The Big Four is an odd novel, which would be better suited to James Bond than Hercule Poirot. The changes turned it into a more believable Poirot mystery, and I think that Gatiss and Halldard did a fine job.

The recent ITV Marple series starring Geraldine McEwan (2004-2008) and Julia McKenzie (2009-2013) is notorius for its radical changes to the plots. Take the very first episode, The Body in the Library (2004), which changes the killers! But that's one of the more faithful of adaptions, as Nemesis (2008) and Sleeping Murder (2006) seem miles away from the novels they originated from. The episodes starring Julia McKenzie seem to have fared better, as A Pocketful of Rye (2009), The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side (2011) and A Caribbean Mystery (2013) are all very faithful and brilliant adaptions. ITV have also made the decision to insert Miss Marple into novels she didn't originally appear in, as there are not enough Marple books to make the series long-lasting. Some of these episodes are brilliant, like Endless Night (2013), Murder Is Easy (2009) and The Pale Horse (2010), but there are some where Miss Marple just feels out of place, like Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (2011). Incidentally, the script for Evans? is a far cry from the original adaptation, and the novel.

So, to conclude, the general trend is that the best TV adaptions of Agatha Christie's work are ones that stick closely to the original novels. I think that adaptions should 80% Christie's story and 20% screenwriter's imagination. The best TV films are ones where the writer adds something of their own, like the voodoo and James Bond references in Charlie Higson's version of A Caribbean Mystery, or the additional murder in Elephants Can Remember. Slavishly sticking to the source material can be a little dull, as audiences don't want an exact repeat of the novel, otherwise it is not unique, but we don't want a complete re-writing either.

The Monogram Murders: Cover Revealed!

In an exclusive video, the cover of the new Hercule Poirot mystery, written by Sophie Hannah, is revealed. 

And here is the amazing UK cover...

(c) HarperCollinsUK

And here is the US cover...

(c) HarperCollinsUS

Poirot and Marple are coming to the US

©ITV

The final seasons of Poirot and Marple are to be broadcast on PBS in the USA soon. 

A year ago, excited fans of Poirot in the UK were waiting another twenty four hours for the first episode of the thirteenth and final series of the hit ITV show. Elephants Can Remember first aired on our screens on June 9th 2013, and didn't disappoint. Then the week after, we were treated to the first of the last series of Marple, A Caribbean Mystery. This year, fans in the US can now view these amazing last episodes on their TV screens. But there's a catch. The thirteenth season (why do we Brits call them a 'series' and in America they are called 'seasons'?) will be shown in part on the American channel PBS, but the final three will be available to watch exclusively on the new streaming service Acorn TV. You can also view the first two episodes on Acorn TV the day after broadcast, but you can ONLY see the last three on Acorn TV. The Big Four and Dead Man's Folly will be broadcast on PBS but the other three are only available on the streaming service. All of the Marple episodes will be available to watch on PBS, and will be on Acorn TV the day after broadcast. As I don't live in the US or have never been, and to be honest, have no idea what this Acorn TV is, I don't know if this is good or bad. But if you have a subscription with it, you should be able to watch.

As an exclusive for fans in America, here is an episode guide for the following episodes, with broadcast dates included. (Note that the episodes are in US broadcast order)

Jason Durr takes over from Robert Powell in Black Coffee

The Heartbeat actor will take over the role of Hercule Poirot from Robert Powell in the UK tour of Black Coffee. 

Jason Durr will make his debut performance as Agatha Christie's super sleuth tonight (June 3rd) on the UK tour of the play Black Coffee from the Agatha Christie Theatre Company. His previous acting credits include roles in Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, Lewis and Marple: The Blue Geranium on television. Jason Durr has also played another famous detective on stage recently, Sherlock Holmes.
He will follow in the patent-leather footsteps of Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov, Robert Powell, and of course David Suchet, who have all played Poirot before and brought him to life on stage and screen.
Jason Durr will star alongside Liza Goddard, Robin McCallum, Olivia Mace, Ben Nealon, Eric Carte and Felicity Houlbrooke.

(c) Bill Kenwright Productions - Jason Durr as Hercule Poirot 

(c) Bill Kenwright Productions - Robert Powell as Hercule Poirot 

Related Articles:

Robert Powell is the new face of Hercule Poirot 
Black Coffee Review 
Hercule Poirot: On Stage and Screen

Three Poirot Filming Locations to visit

 Ever wondered where Poirot was filmed? Ever wanted to go to some of the wonderful locations that have appeared in the series? Look no further. 

1. Florin Court, Charterhouse square, London 

©Agatha Christie Web

 This 1930s apartment block is now well know for appearing in Agatha Christie's Poirot since it's debut in 1989. It has appeared throughout the series' 25 year run appearing in most of the episodes. It was used as the exterior for Hercule Poirot's flat (the interior was based at a set). It first appeared in The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (1989) and last appeared in The Labours of Hercules (2013), the penultimate episode.

2. Greenway House, Galmpton, South Devon 

©Agatha Christie Web

Now owned by the National Trust, Greenway was originally owned by the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie. Poirot's creator used Greenway as a holiday home and is famous for its connections to the author. In June 2013, David Suchet, Zoe Wanamaker and the Poirot production team went down to Greenway to film their final film Dead Man's Folly (2013). Greenway became 'Nasse House' in  the fictional town of Nassecomb for the production.

3. Knebworth House, Hertfordshire 

©Agatha Christie Web

Knebworth House in Hertfordshire became 'Melfort Abbey' in 2009 when the Poirot production team filmed the episode Three Act Tragedy (2010) there. It was the scene of a brutal poisoning as well as housing an alumnus in the back garden! Although the house is actually in Hertfordshire, 'Melfort Abbey' was actually set in Yorkshire. Knebworth House has also been used as the eponymous house in the Marple episode Greenshaw's Folly (2013).

[Please note that the above pictures are mine, taken on location in 2013]

Agatha Christie's Wartime Experiences Inspired Poirot

©BBC - The volunteer nurses in The Crimson Field

Agatha Christie's experiences as a nurse in WWI inspired her to writer her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

First published in the UK in 1920, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Hercule Poirot's debut novel, tells the story of a soldier who is home on leave after an injury. In 1917 Britain, Lieutenant Hastings goes to the house Styles Court to recuperate at the invitation of a friend. Whilst there, he meets his old friend Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee. Of course, there is the brutal murder of the owner of the house, murder by strychnine poisoning. Among the suspects is a VAD.

Agatha Christie was inspired by her wartime experiences, and it drove her to write her first novel. In the same way Christie was inspired, writer Sarah Phelps was also inspired by the notebooks of volunteer nurses in WWI, which helped form the basis for the new BBC series The Crimson Field (pictured left).


Here are some of Agatha Christie's real experiences of war, taken from her autobiography:
'Suddenly the theatre walls reeled around me...It had never occurred to me that the sight of blood or wounds would make me faint.'
'I remember one serious-faced sergeant whose love letters I had to write for him. He could not read or write. He told me roughly what he wanted me to say. "That will do very nicely Nurse," he would nod, when I read it over to him. "Write it in triplicate, will you" ' She had to write letters to all three of his girlfriends!

Agatha Christie said, 'Since I was surrounded by poisons, perhaps it was natural that death by poisoning should be the method I selected.'

Sophie Hannah's New Poirot Novel - Title Revealed!

The highly anticipated new Hercule Poirot novel, written by Sophie Hannah, is called The Monogram Murders. 

HarperCollins 

In a short video released yesterday, author of the new Poirot novel Sophie Hannah revealed that the book is called The Monogram Murders. The book will be published worldwide in September, to tie in with the Agatha Christie Festival. The Monogram Murders will be released in the UK on 8th September. This will be the first new Poirot mystery to be published since 1976. It will make up the 34th Poirot novel in the series.

Here is the official description: Hercule Poirot's quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.

Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…

In the hands of internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London – a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’.

Here is the video of the big reveal...


What do you think of the title? Are you excited for this new novel? Leave a comment below or tweet me @AChristieWeb 

May 2014: News Round Up

©ITV

We're rapidly approaching the middle of the year now, so I thought it a good time to have a news round up. 


 BBC is  the new home of Agatha Christie on TV

Back in February the BBC  announced plans to release two new dramas based on Agatha Christie's works, due for release in 2015 to mark her 125th Birthday. There will be a six-part series called Partners In Crime starring David Walliams as Tommy. It will be based on the novels of detective duo Tommy and Tuppence (pictured, left) and will feature the stories The Secret Adversary and N or M?. The part of Tuppence is yet to be cast.
There will also be a three part adaption of Christie's classic best seller And Then There Were None will which will be broadcast in Christmas 2015.






Cases closed for Poirot and Marple 

©ITV

It will not come as a surprise to fans that Agatha Christie's Poirot on ITV has come to an end, as David Suchet has filmed all of the novels Christie wrote about the character of 25 years. His seventieth outing as the Poirot, Curtain, was broadcast in the UK on 13th November 2013.

ITV have also decided to close Marple's casebook as well, as the BBC hold the majority of the Agatha Christie filming rights. Julia McKenzie has played Miss Marple for the last five years, appearing in eleven films. Her last episode, Endless Night, was broadcast in December.

It's a great shame that both of these series have now ended. Both David Suchet and Julia McKenzie played their respective roles perfectly. David Suchet is seen by most fans worldwide as the definitive Poirot as he has masterfully played the detective for 25 years.




Sophie Hannah's new Poirot novel will be published in September

As many of you will know, highly acclaimed author Sophie Hannah has written a brand new Hercule Poirot novel. There is a massive sales campaign for the novel worldwide, which is due to be released in September to tie in with the Agatha Christie Festival 2014.

The Agatha Christie Festival 2014

The dates for the 2014 Festival are September 14th - September 21st. The Festival will feature tours of Greenway, special guest talks including Sophie Hannah on the new Poirot novel and bus tours. The Festival Hub will be Torre Abbey in Torquay. I hope to see you there!

Any other news? Anything I've missed? Contact me via Twitter @AChristieWeb or leave a comment below.

Book of the Month April 2014: After the Funeral

©HarperCollins

The Agatha Christie Book Club's Book of The Month for April was After the Funeral, a bestseller. The novel was first published in 1953 and featured the unique character of Hercule Poirot. Here are my thoughts on the novel.

Plot 

After the funeral of Richard Abernethie, his family all gather for the reading of the will, including his younger sister Cora Lansequent.  Cora has quite a reputation in the family as a shrewd woman who often blurts out what everyone else is thinking. After the funeral, she says quite naturally "It’s been hushed up very nicely, hasn’t it? But he was murdered, wasn’t he?”. Then, the next day, Cora herself is found beaten to death in her cottage in a little village. Mr Entwhistle, the family solicitor, thinks something is wrong, so he calls in his old friend Hercule Poirot to investigate.

After the Funeral is a very traditional murder mystery: there's a rich upper class family all gathered in a country house and one of them is the killer. There's also a will, a butler and of course, the great detective himself. The solution to the murder is ingenious, and proves the great talent of Agatha Christie. Take nothing for granted, everything is not as it first appears.

©ITV - David Suchet in the TV adaption

Characters 

• Hercule Poirot 
• Gilbert Entwhistle 
• Inspector Morton 
• Richard Abernethie 
• Cora Lansequent 
• Miss Gilchrist 
• Timothy Abernethie 
• Maude Abernethie 
• Helen Abernethie 
• George Crossfield 
• Gregory Banks 
• Susan Banks 
• Michael Shane 
• Rosamund Shane
• Mr Goby 
• Lanscomb

World Book Night 2014

Tonight in the UK and Ireland is World Book Night. One of the 20 books selected is Agatha Christie's bestselling novel After the Funeral,  a Poirot mystery. The purpose of the event is to read one of the books selected, which are available to pick up at local libraries and schools, and discuss. I myself have read After the Funeral (yesterday in fact) and will be aiming to discuss the book on twitter tonight.

The new edition,  that has a wonderful new cover,  has a special introduction by Sophie Hannah. It reads “In a poll conducted by the Crime Writer’s Association in November 2013 to celebrate its sixtieth anniversary, Agatha Christie was voted ‘Best Ever Author’. Any other result would, frankly, have been rather a joke. Christie’s novels have sold more than two billion copies in 109 languages (and probably more). Her play The Mousetrap has been delighting audiences in the West End for over 60 years. It would be fair to say, I think, that no other crime novelist comes close to matching her achievement. For me, as a psychological thriller writer, Agatha Christie is and will always be the gold standard – a lifelong inspiration whose every inventive tale demonstrates exactly how it should be done.  It was Christie who made me fall in love with mystery stories at the age of twelve and, rereading her work now at the age of 42, I still believe that she cranks up the excitement and the intellectual puzzlement like no other.”

Review of Black Coffee (Agatha Christie Theatre Company)

York Press

Last Saturday, I had the great pleasure of seeing the Official Agatha Christie Theatre Company's latest performance in York at the Grand Opera House. This year, after the 'death' of David Suchet's unrivaled performance as Hercule Poirot, the company chose Black Coffee, the sole Poirot play. Robert Powell doesn't rival David Suchet, but he certainly gives him a run for his money.

The story is a typical Agatha Christie tale, there's a missing formula, a murder of a rich patriarch and a unique detective who makes a mockery of the poor old police. As the curtain rose, the wonderful Poirot theme tune from the TV series (composed by Chris Gunning) could be heard, with a slight alteration in tone. The first act was relatively short, but did get out of the way some key points. We are introduced to Sir Claud Amory (Ric Recate), a wealthy country squire armed with a chemical formula. He lives with his sister Caroline Amory (Liza Goddard), his son Richard (Ben Nealon), his niece Barbara (Felicity Houlbrooke) and Richard's Italian wife Lucia (Olivia Mace). There is also a secretary called Raynor (Mark Jackson) Italian doctor called Dr Carelli (Gary Mavers) staying at the house, so he's obviously a suspect!
Read more after the jump...

Hercule Poirot: On stage and screen

Robert Powell is the latest actor to take on the role of Agatha Christie's genius creation Hercule Poirot. Here's a look at the actors who came before him.