When I get asked what I do is and I explain that I’m the creative director of the Agatha Christie Festival, I often get a funny look. Either people don’t believe that it’s an actual job, or they perhaps think I might be a psychopath with murderous tendencies. While I do spend most of the winter plotting fun and ingenious ways of killing people, this is just for the pleasure of festivalgoers. I haven’t actually killed anyone. Well, not yet.
Growing up in Torquay, I’ve always had an interest in Agatha Christie – it really is amazing to think that someone from my hometown has sold more than two billion books. While I love her mysteries, it is her life that really fascinates me. How as a child she enjoyed horse riding in Cockington, swimming off Beacon Quay or roller skating on Princess Pier. And then how when she was older, she travelled the world, surfing in Hawaii, skiing in Austria and being an archaeologist in the Middle East. She was no ordinary woman.
Over the years I have organised several events for the festival, including a huge treasure hunt to find 120 red herrings hidden around Agatha Christie Country. The incredible prize was lunch on the Orient Express, which sadly I wasn’t allowed to win myself. I also came up with the idea of the Agatha Christie Sea Swim, which celebrates the author’s love of sea swimming, while also raising money for Rowcroft Hospice. I’m also the author of a book called Agatha Christie’s Devon, so, when the role of creative director of the festival came up a couple of years ago, I obviously jumped at the chance.
Having been to many of the previous Agatha Christie festivals, I knew that the regulars were craving some fun social events, to compliment the more serious literary programme. Many people have travelled from other countries, sometimes on their own as a bucket list treat and are looking to meet other fans. So, we created a Fringe Festival that leads up to the main festival, for people to socialise, solve a few murders and hopefully have a great time along the way.
I’m a bit obsessive when it comes to inventing events for the festival and I probably have enough in my back pocket to last a good few years. In fact, my partner has limited me to only mentioning the name Agatha Christie three times a day, as I’m always sharing my latest idea. The main thing to ensure is that while having fun, we are respecting the legacy of the Queen of Crime. My husband is also the first person to tell me if an event is a bit too outrageous, telling me to ‘keep it classy!’
The fringe programme also means we can do events right across the Bay and partner up with lots of other organisations. At this year’s festival people can jump aboard the Dartmouth Steam Railway for Murder on the Riviera Express, head out on a boat for the AB Sea Murders and even take part in a dog walking event called the Wagatha Mystery. We also have events everywhere from Kents Cavern to Paignton Zoo and even a Tea with the Vicar event in the church where Agatha was baptised.
Some of the events I am most looking forward to include our gala opening night at Brixham Theatre called Sparkling Cyanide. This will be a night of vintage cabaret and burlesque courtesy of the Lucky 7 Club team. We also have an improvised mystery stage show called Murder, She Didn’t Write at the Palace Theatre in Paignton and Marple-ous Garden Party at Torre Abbey with live swing and jazz music and TV legend Annette Badland reading Miss Marple Tells a Story.
The literary festival boasts an impressive line-up of speakers who will be chatting about various aspects of Agatha’s life and works, as well as the genre of crime fiction in general. It takes place in the stunning Spanish Barn at Torre Abbey, which is a brilliant venue for an event like this. Opening the four-day programme is a very special headline guest, Lynda La Plante, who will be launching her memoir, Getting Away with Murder: My Unexpected Life on Page, Stage and Screen.
The packed programme continues with Christie experts, academics and enthusiasts, as well as authors discussing every aspect of Agatha’s life, from her travels to her book covers, to the use of jewellery or the role of doctors in her novels. The Literary Festival closes with Ragnar Jónasson (Dark Iceland series) and Benjamin Stevenson (Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone) chatting about their love of Agatha Christie and her influences on their work.
I consider myself very lucky to have the job that I do and I really love meeting the fans who come from across the UK, Europe and literally every other corner of the world. We also have really ambitious plans for the festival and to make Torquay as associated with Agatha Christie as Stratford is with Shakespeare. There are a lot of exciting things on the cards that I can’t reveal yet. I’m mean, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you…
The Agatha Christie Festival takes place at various locations across the English Riviera and runs from September 7-15.
agathachristiefestival.com
10 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2024 AGATHA CHRISTIE FESTIVAL
SPARKLING CYANIDE: An evening of vintage cabaret and burlesque to open the Fringe Festival.
THE WAGATHA MYSTERY: The world’s first dog walking murder mystery.
MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE: An improvised murder mystery created on the spot.
‘ALL ABOARD’ THE AGATHA CHRISTIE MODEL RAILWAY: As featured on Channel 5’s Great Model Railway Challenge.
PAIGNTON ZOO MURDER MYSTERY: Find yourself immersed in a zoological drama courtesy of Moonstone Theatre.
TEA AT AGATHA’S CHURCH: Visit the church where Agatha was baptised, before enjoying tea and cake with the vicar.
A MARPLE-OUS GARDEN PARTY : Drinks, jazz and a Miss Marple story from Annette Badland (The Crown, Ted Lasso, Big Boys).
AGATHA CHRISTIE, FORENSIC DETECTIVE: Carla Valentine explores the burgeoning science of forensics through the lens of Christie’s works.
AGATHA TRAVELS: Andrew Eames retraces a solo journey made by Agatha Christie from London to Baghdad in 1928.
ACTION, ADVENTURE AND INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE: Local writer Emma Seaman explores Agatha Christie’s standalone thrillers from the 1920s to the 1970s in the unique setting of Kents Cavern
