25/11/2009
The information contained herein is strictly embargoed from all press use, non commercial publication, or syndication until
Monday 7th December 2009
Following her debut as Miss Marple in A Pocket Full of Rye and Murder Is Easy, Julia McKenzie is again joined by a stellar cast for They Do It With Mirrors.
Joining Julia are Joan Collins, Elliot Cowan, Brian Cox, Liam Garrigan, Emma Griffths Malin, Sean Hughes, Alex Jennings, Ian Ogilvy, Tom Payne , Maxine Peake, Alexei Sayle, Sarah Smart, Nigel Terry and Penelope Wilton.
The glamorous Ruth Van Rydock (Joan Collins) contacts her old friend Jane Marple with a mystery – her sister Carrie Louise’s study has been devastated by a fire. And Ruth suspects foul play.
While Carrie Louise (Penelope Wilton) has the same blithe spirit as ever, Ruth fears dark forces are at play at Stonygates, the home Carrie shares with her third husband Lewis Serrocold (Brian Cox), various relatives and a motley crew of young criminals, the latest object of Carrie’s philanthropic endeavours.
On the eve that a theatrical performance is staged for their guests, one of whom is Miss Marple, an even more fascinating performance is taking place before their very eyes. One where the final act is murder...
They Do It With Mirrors is written by Paul Rutman and directed by Andy Wilson.
Renowned for her work with Stephen Sondheim, Julia has starred in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, and has achieved numerous awards, both on Broadway and in the West End. She won an Olivier for her performance as Mrs Lovett in the National Theatre production of Sweeney Todd. Julia has recently appeared in Cranford as Mrs Forrester and the critically acclaimed Notes on a Scandal. Earlier credits include Fresh Fields, Bright Young Things and Blott on the Landscape.
Julia McKenzie is the seventh actress to take on the much-loved character on screen, following in the footsteps of Geraldine McEwan, Gracie Fields, Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes and Joan Hickson.
The Emmy Award nominated ITV films have been sold to over 100 territories worldwide and peaked in the ratings at 10 million viewers.
The Marple films are co-produced by ITV Studios and Agatha Christie Ltd, a Chorion company, and US network WGBH. Mammoth Screen’s Michele Buck and Damien Timmer executive produce Marple on behalf of ITV Studios. Phil Clymer, formerly Chorion’s Director of TV & Film and Rebecca Eaton of WGBH are Executive Producers.
Christie remains the most popular novelist in history, with her work being published in 50 languages in over 70 countries and more than two billion of her books sold to date. As well as the renowned Poirot and Miss Marple series, Christie also wrote the detective series Tommy and Tuppence and a wealth of other murder mysteries and thrillers between 1920 and 1976 including the bestselling And Then There Were None and the record breaking play The Mousetrap.
LWT began broadcasting Agatha Christie's Poirot in 1989 and the BBC was previously the producer of the Miss Marple dramas.
