Theatre Review – ‘A Murder Is Announced’

Hello everyone! 🙂

Last night, my parents and I went to see the theatre production of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery ‘A Murder Is Announced’ at the New Theatre in Cardiff. I thoroughly enjoyed the play and the actors’ performances throughout. Here’s a quick review on what I liked about this murder mystery on stage.

‘A Murder Is Announced’ starred Judy Cornwell as Miss Marple. Judy is well-known for playing Daisy in ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ and has done plenty of TV, film and theatre productions in her time. She was in the ‘Doctor Who’ story, ‘Paradise Towers‘ with Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford in 1987.

Judy was brilliant as Miss Marple in last night’s production of ‘A Murder Is Announced’. I liked how she balanced the whimsical, eccentricity of Miss Marple with the serious edge when investigating who the murderer was. There were hints of Daisy in Judy when I saw her on stage as Miss Marple.

With the play, it was a gripping murder mystery divided in two acts with three scenes in each act. The play was set in the living room of Little Paddocks where the murder takes place. I was amazed the play kept my attention, as it was well adapted by Leslie Darbon and directed by Michael Lunney.

I had seen an ITV movie version of this story with Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple with Zoe Wanamaker and Catherine Tate in it. I could vaguely remember what the story was about from watching it and sort of knew who the murderer was. I’m glad that my suspicions were right all along.

As with every Agatha Christie play there has to be a really good murder. In this one there were two murders. One when someone turned the lights off and there was banging and shooting from a gun which startled me. And someone got poisoned with a piece of cake, or was it really the cake at all?

‘A Murder Is Announced’ was a great Agatha Christie play to watch on stage. I do like a good Agatha Christie mystery now and again and love the period drama setting featured in them. This was well-adapted and directed for theatre; the cast was good and Judy Cornwell was brilliant as Miss Marple.

The play is on tour at the moment. Check out this link for where the next performances of this play are taking place. If the play’s performed close to your area, go and see it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

Thanks for reading this.

Tim. 🙂