Having sold two billion (you read that correctly, that’s billion) books worldwide and being the most successful female playwright of all time, it’s safe to say any new material by Agatha Christie would be an exciting find, to say the least.
But that’s exactly what theatre producer Julius Green has gone and done. He’s unearthed ten new plays after being granted access to the archives. What a way to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Christie’s birth.
Julius discovered the five full-length and five one-act dramas that were previously either completely unknown or forgotten, and not surprisingly, several are murder mysteries. The unearthed plays include a 1945 stage adaptation of her previous novel Towards Zero, which is entirely different to the existing 1956 version.
Until now, all this material had been residing in the archives just waiting to be discovered, and when Julius was given unprecedented access by the family, he was overjoyed to make the discoveries.
News of the find is set to thrill fans of Christie, who also created the literary creations Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Christie is also the author of the world’s longest stage production, The Mousetrap, which is now into its 63rd year clocking up more than 25,000 performances.
Of course regular readers of this blog will know that Christie has strong ties to the Midsomer region. For a large part of her adult life, Christie (also known as the Queen of Crime) lived at Winterbrook House with her husband Max Mallowan. The house lies in the parish of Cholsey, just outside the Wallingford town boundary, where Christie was frequently seen shopping.
At the Wallingford Museum, there is a permanent Christie display, along with special exhibitions throughout the year. Read handwritten letters and stories gathered from the residents who came into contact with Christie over the years.
Wallingford also has a special connection to Midsomer Murders too, with it often doubling up as Causton in the show. It’s a unique coincidence that Christie, and in many ways her modern day heir Midsomer Murders, should be tied together in this way.
Fans of both can enjoy both Christie and Midsomer trail walks in the area too, taking in the best the Southern Oxfordshire has to offer. For more information, visit the trails page on the Visit Southern Oxfordshire website.
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