Lin Blakley Brings Agatha Christie To Life In MURDER, MARGARET, AND ME on UK Tour

Lin Blakley (Eastenders, BBC) will be stepping into the shoes of Agatha Christie for the UK tour of Philip Meeks' critically acclaimed play Murder, Margaret and Me, directed by Damian Cruden (Artistic Director, Shakespeare's Rose Theatre).

The cast also includes Sarah Parks (Coronation Street, ITV; Richard II, Royal Shakespeare Company) as Margaret Rutherford, and Gilly Tompkins (Gangsta Granny, Garrick Theatre and National Tour; The 3 Emos, Smashing Mirrors Theatre) as the Spinster.

Murder, Margaret and Me is the story of an unlikely friendship between famed actress Margaret Rutherford and world-renowned Queen of Crime Agatha Christie. In the early sixties, these 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....

Both these much-loved icons were shrouded in mystery; Margaret held a dark family secret, and Agatha mysteriously went missing for ten days, which has continued to baffled conspiracy theorists. Through exploring their tumultuous relationship, the play seeks to pay homage to these two great women and their hidden histories.

Murder, Margaret and Me is a story of the achievement of women in the long lost world of the silver screen.

Having completed extensive research writer Philip Meeks has used original letters from Agatha to Stringer Davies to authenticate his story. He comments, It transpires the two great women had forged a relationship beyond their awkward meeting on the set of Marple. I've been able to refer to an amazing archive of letters in this version of the play. It makes me feel even more that what I've written is as I intended it to be, a play paying homage to the two great women.

Meeks adds, Theatre is all about collaboration and I'm very pleased my old collaborator Damian Cruden is recreating his production of Murder Margaret and Me with such a great cast. Damian really helped to shape the play and it's always a joy to work with him.

MURDER, MARGARET, AND ME TOUR DATES

26th - 28th September Churchill Theatre
High Street, Bromley, BR1 1HA
https://churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/

30th September - 5th October Theatre Royal Windsor
32 Thames St, Windsor, SL4 1PS
https://theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk/

8th - 12th October Malvern Theatres
Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB
https://www.malvern-theatres.co.uk/

22th - 27th October Devonshire Park Theatre
8-10 Compton St, Eastbourne BN21 4BW https://www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/devonshire-park-theatre

28th - 30th October New Wolsey Ipswich
Civic Drive, Ipswich IP1 2AS
https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/

31st October - 2nd November The Haymarket
Wote Street, Basingstoke RG21 7NW
http://www.anvilarts.org.uk/

5th - 10th November Kings Theatre Portsmouth
24 Albert Rd, Portsmouth, Southsea PO5 2QJ
https://kingsportsmouth.co.uk/

11th - 13th November Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
Westgate St, Bury Saint Edmunds IP33 1QR
https://www.theatreroyal.org/