Murder, Margaret and Me

Name: Murder, Margaret and Me
Start: 2024-04-20
End: 2024-04-20

by Philip Meeks

13th -20th April 2024 730pm

Knit one, bash two.

Genteel ladies involved with violent murder makes a fine theme for comedy drama

The only real truth in what you are about to see is that Miss Margaret Rutherford didn’t want anyone to know the truth.”

In the early sixties two national treasures were the creative force behind one of British cinema’s most successful franchises. But the Miss Marple movies were almost never made….

Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie didn’t want Margaret Rutherford to bring her fabled spinster to life. And Margaret Rutherford was mortified at the prospects of sullying her reputation with something as sordid as murder…

This is the story of the real reason why the acting legend and “the funniest woman alive” didn’t want to take on the role that made her celebrated across the world. Margaret and Agatha form an unlikely friendship filled with high tea, brandy snaps and gossip. Meanwhile Agatha turns detective herself and she’s on a mission. She’s determined to unearth Rutherford’s tragic and shocking secret.

Directed by Sue Borg

Cast

Agatha Christie…Gill Barham

Margaret Rutherford… Lynda Hoyle

Spinster… Mel Buchanan

Crew

Director…. Sue Borg

PA … Alayne Whitworth

Stage Manager… Siobhan Ebden

Lighting… Bob Critchley

Sound… Mark Acton

Prompt… June Holmes

Props… Ian Crickett, Liz O’Driscoll, Karen Welton, David Ebden

Costumes… Verity Mann, Sue Lund, Karen Welton, and the costume team

Set…. Chris Bannatyne, John Lees , Frank Brown

Publicity… David Ebden, Sam Al-Hamdani, Val & Martin Kavanagh, Richard Wallis, Alan Gorst

Sponsored by Tanner Business Centre

Gill Barham as Agatha Christie

Lynda Hoyle as Margaret Rutherford

Mel Buchanan as The Spinster

"A gem of a production”

“Knit one, bash two. Genteel ladies involved with violent murder makes a fine theme for drama….Playwright Philip Meeks has humorously imagined a triple-threat encounter in which brash, comedic British actress Margaret Rutherford meets prolific mystery writer Agatha Christie on the set of the first Miss Marple film, with both women initially reluctant to have Rutherford portray Christie’s elderly female detective of literary fame. Meanwhile, that innocent-looking citizen-detective is present onstage too, calmly knitting in a cosy corner while narrating some of the events that might have transpired.”

“Their laugh-out-loud funny “She said/She said” dialogues remind us that every story has multiple perspectives, and the eloquence of the dialogue throughout speaks of a playwright who adores the fluidity of language….Moving, mirthful, and entertaining from start to finish, this gem of a production deserves a wide audience”

The set close up

Director Sue Borg at clear up with Crew: L–> R

Liz O’Driscoll, Karen Welton, Andrew Mann, David Plowright, Siobhan Ebden, David Ebden, Sue Borg, Verity Mann, Alayne Whitworth , Carol Davies…

with Sue Lund taking the photo.

Date

Sat 20th April 2024

Expired!

Time

7:30 pm - 10:00 pm