Karen Koren: Sleuthing with Miss Marple

LAST night was the opening night of our new touring show, Murder, Marple and Me, which sold out at the Festival last year.

It’s a one-woman show starring my good friend Janet Prince, who the press described as ‘superb.’ One reviewer also commented that ‘she takes command of the stage ensuring that the proceedings are a delight to behold.’

The play tells the story of Margaret Rutherford, best known for her portrayal of Miss Marple, a role she was initially afraid to take on. But then, Agatha Christie, who created the amateur sleuth, believed Miss Marple should never have been taken to the screen at all.

This intriguing piece explores the world of British film in the 50s and 60s, and is directed by the critically acclaimed novelist Stella Duffy. It’s written by Philip Meeks, whose writing credits include several years as a core writer on the TV soaps Emmerdale and Doctors.

Philip is also the writer I have chosen to write a play for Grant Stott and Andy Gray for this coming Festival. He has a great way with words, creating strong drama and great comedy in equal measure, and while we still have a long way to go until we can tour that Festival production, if it is a hit like Murder, Marple and Me, we will certainly take it all over Scotland, maybe even further afield.

In the meantime I will be going to as many of the performances of Murder, Marple and Me as possible. The tours ends at the Ambassadors Theatre, London, in June but you can catch it at Musselburgh’s Brunton Theatre this April. Watch out for it.