Who will be Australia’s Miss Marple?

Casting for Australia’s Miss Marple will take place in May this year, following the announcement of another Agatha Christie touring production in 2013.

Agatha Christie’s murder mystery The Mousetrap toured Australia in 2012-13 with unprecedented success, selling out seasons across the country and performing to over 150,000 theatre-goers.

It was confirmed over the weekend that Michael Coppel, Louise Withers and Linda Bewick in association with Mousetrap Productions Ltd, London will present another Agatha Christie ‘whodunit’ play in 2013, thanks to the unprecedented success of The Mousetrap.

A Murder is Announced, the fourth in a series of twelve novels featuring Miss Marple, and the production will open in Sydney at The Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay on September 28 before transferring to Melbourne at The Comedy Theatre for an October 30 opening.

The show will then play Brisbane at QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre for a limited season from December 27 and additional tour dates for the rest of Australia will be announced soon.

There was no unkindness in Miss Marple, she just did not trust people.

– Agatha Christie

Auditions for the 12 roles in the production will take place in May 2013, and an announcement of a full company and creative team will be made mid year. The famous detective spinster Miss Marple has been portrayed by many actresses over the years, including Angela Lansbury, Joan Hickson, Julia McKenzie and Gracie Fields – who will Australia’s Marple be?

Producer Louise Withers says that Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mystery will thrill Australian audiences young and old.

“We were constantly asked about when we were producing another Christie mystery”, she said.

“One of the great surprises from touring The Mousetrap was the age range of patrons from 10-100, which goes to prove that the genius of Christie lives on. There can be no doubt that Dame Agatha remains as popular today as when her works were first published and that the theatergoing public want to see more.”

For updates, visit the A Murder is Announced Facebook Page