SUSIE BLAKE AND SIMON SHEPHERD JOIN THE CAST FOR THE FIRST EVER UK STAGE ADAPTATION OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MIRROR CRACK’D
Wales Millennium Centre and Wiltshire Creative have today announced initial casting for the first ever UK stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s much-loved Miss Marple thriller The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side. The Mirror Crack’d will be a European Premiere, opening at Salisbury Playhouse on 15 February before touring to Dublin, Cambridge and Cardiff. The Mirror Crack’d will have an Opening Night on 25 February.
Miss Marple will be played by Susie Blake, known as Hilary Nicholson in Mrs Brown’s Boys, Bev Unwin in Coronation Street and The Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood As Seen on TV. Having worked extensively on stage and screen, her theatre credits include: When We Are Married (Garrick Theatre); Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre); Wicked (Apollo Victoria); High Society (UK Tour); Noises Off (National Theatre); The Shakespeare Revue (RSC). Television credits include: Midsomer Murders ; You, Me and Them (UKTV Gold); Wild At Heart (ITV); Cuckoo (BBC 3); New Tricks (BBC); Mud (CBBC).
Susie Blake said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking on this part, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to play a role like this my whole career. I loved watching the great Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple and always wanted to be her when I was growing up. I admire Miss Marple’s incredible brain and very much look forward to putting my own spin on the character with the fantastic creative team.”
Times are changing. Girls are wearing trousers and Hollywood has come to a sleepy English village in the shape of a beautiful film star. Miss Marple is left to feel that the world has no need of her now until a mysterious death calls into question the past of all those present. Everyone’s version of events is different. Can Miss Marple unravel the tangle of lies?
Simon Shepherd will take on the role of the Scotland Yard inspector Dermot Craddock. Best known for playing the role of Dr. Will Preston in the popular ITV television series Peak Practice. His theatre credits include: Misalliance; Precious Little Talent (Orange Tree); Evening at the Talkhouse (National Theatre); Hay Fever (Duke of York’s); Duck House (Vaudeville); Posh (Royal Court/Duke of York’s). Other television credits include: Casualty, Father Brown (BBC); Tilly Trotter (ITV).
Simon Shepherd said: “Dermot Craddock is my first Chief Inspector role. Craddock interviewed me as Patrick Simmons in Murder is Announced for the BBC about 30 years ago. It was a great Alan Plater adaptation with Joan Hickson playing Miss Marple. It feels like things have come full circle! I am delighted to be working with the brilliant Melly Still again on this sharp, fresh adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff.”
The iconic Marple mystery from the world’s best-selling author of all time has been adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff (Flowers for Mrs Harris, Birdsong) and directed by Melly Still (Coram Boy, My Brilliant Friend, The Lovely Bones).
Full casting will be announced soon.