Chimneys (play)
Encyclopedia
Chimneys is a play by crime writer Agatha Christie
and is based upon her own 1925 novel The Secret of Chimneys
. The play was written in 1931 and was due to open at the Embassy Theatre
in Swiss Cottage in December of that year. One year previously, Black Coffee
, Christie's first performed stage play, had opened at the same theatre.
As was the law at the time, the play was vetted by the Lord Chamberlain's Office
and passed for performance. Several press articles referred to the new play but suddenly, and without explanation, the theatre substituted Mary Broome, a four-act comedy from 1912 by Allan Monkhouse
, in its place.
The play was all-but-forgotten until December 2001 when John Paul Fischbach, the artistic director of the Vertigo Mystery Theatre in Calgary
, Canada
was looking to re-launch the company after it had been forced to vacate its home in the Calgary Science Centre and was opening in its new home of the Vertigo Theatre Centre. In looking for something special and relatively unknown to celebrate the opening, Fischbach contacted Agatha Christie Limited, who handle the author's rights, and was told by its chairman (and Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard) that the only relatively unknown stage work that could be performed was the 1930s play A Daughter's a Daughter
which was performed once in the 1950s but had previously been revised into a 1952 novel published under the nom-de-plume of Mary Westmacott.
Fischbach had a copy of the play available and in looking through it, found another manuscript headed: Chimneys: A play in three acts by Agatha Christie. He again contacted Prichard who admitted that he had heard of the play but had never seen a copy. Prichard contacted the British Library
who found a second copy of the manuscript in their archives (together with notes suggesting Laurence Olivier
for one of the roles) and the Vertigo Mystery Theatre presented the play's world premiere on October 16, 2003 with Mathew Prichard in the audience.
The UK premiere took place on June 1, 2006 when it was performed by the Pitlochry
Festival Theatre Company. The US premiere took place on June 12, 2008 as part of the International Mystery Writers' Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky
.
The play has been published in the collection "Discovering New Mysteries Scripts" by On Stage Press, a division of Samuel French, Inc.
Cast:
Jonathan Battersby as Tredwell
Jonathan Coote as Lemoine
Jacqueline Dutoit as Old Lady
Robin Harvey Edwards as Lord Caterham
Michele Gallagher as Lady Eileen Brent
Martyn James as The Hon. George Lomax
Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Bill Eversleigh
Darrell Brockis as Anthony Cade
Flora Berkeley as Virginia Revel
Richard Addison as the Stranger
Ronald Simon as Superintendent Battle
Matthew Lloyd Davies as Herbert Banks
Richard Galazka as Boris Anchoukoff
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
and is based upon her own 1925 novel The Secret of Chimneys
The Secret of Chimneys
The Secret of Chimneys is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by The Bodley Head in June 1925 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. It introduces the characters of, among others, Superintendent Battle and Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent...
. The play was written in 1931 and was due to open at the Embassy Theatre
Embassy Theatre (London)
The Embassy Theatre is a theatre at 64, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London.- Early years :The Embassy Theatre was opened as a repertory company in September 1928 on the initiative of Sybil Arundale and Herbert Jay., when the premises of Hampstead Conservatoire of Music were adapted by architect...
in Swiss Cottage in December of that year. One year previously, Black Coffee
Black Coffee (play)
Black Coffee is a play by the British crime-fiction author Agatha Christie which was produced initially in 1930. The first piece that Christie wrote for the stage, it launched a successful second career for her as a playwright....
, Christie's first performed stage play, had opened at the same theatre.
As was the law at the time, the play was vetted by the Lord Chamberlain's Office
Lord Chamberlain's Office
The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the wedding of...
and passed for performance. Several press articles referred to the new play but suddenly, and without explanation, the theatre substituted Mary Broome, a four-act comedy from 1912 by Allan Monkhouse
Allan Monkhouse
Allan Noble Monkhouse was an English playwright, critic, essayist and novelist.He was born in Barnard Castle, County Durham. He worked in the cotton trade, in Manchester, and settled in Disley, Cheshire...
, in its place.
The play was all-but-forgotten until December 2001 when John Paul Fischbach, the artistic director of the Vertigo Mystery Theatre in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was looking to re-launch the company after it had been forced to vacate its home in the Calgary Science Centre and was opening in its new home of the Vertigo Theatre Centre. In looking for something special and relatively unknown to celebrate the opening, Fischbach contacted Agatha Christie Limited, who handle the author's rights, and was told by its chairman (and Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard) that the only relatively unknown stage work that could be performed was the 1930s play A Daughter's a Daughter
A Daughter's a Daughter
A Daughter's a Daughter is a novel written by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by Heinemann on November 24, 1952. Initially not published in the US, it was later issued as a paperback by Dell Publishing in September 1963...
which was performed once in the 1950s but had previously been revised into a 1952 novel published under the nom-de-plume of Mary Westmacott.
Fischbach had a copy of the play available and in looking through it, found another manuscript headed: Chimneys: A play in three acts by Agatha Christie. He again contacted Prichard who admitted that he had heard of the play but had never seen a copy. Prichard contacted the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
who found a second copy of the manuscript in their archives (together with notes suggesting Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
for one of the roles) and the Vertigo Mystery Theatre presented the play's world premiere on October 16, 2003 with Mathew Prichard in the audience.
The UK premiere took place on June 1, 2006 when it was performed by the Pitlochry
Pitlochry
Pitlochry , is a burgh in the council area of Perth and Kinross, Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. Its population according to the 2001 census was 2,564....
Festival Theatre Company. The US premiere took place on June 12, 2008 as part of the International Mystery Writers' Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
.
The play has been published in the collection "Discovering New Mysteries Scripts" by On Stage Press, a division of Samuel French, Inc.
UK premiere – Pitlochry (2006)
Director: John DurninCast:
Jonathan Battersby as Tredwell
Jonathan Coote as Lemoine
Jacqueline Dutoit as Old Lady
Robin Harvey Edwards as Lord Caterham
Michele Gallagher as Lady Eileen Brent
Martyn James as The Hon. George Lomax
Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Bill Eversleigh
Darrell Brockis as Anthony Cade
Flora Berkeley as Virginia Revel
Richard Addison as the Stranger
Ronald Simon as Superintendent Battle
Matthew Lloyd Davies as Herbert Banks
Richard Galazka as Boris Anchoukoff
External links
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20030907/ai_n12584132 Sunday Herald article on discovery and world premiere of the play.
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3086048.stm BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
article on play's discovery in the British LibraryBritish LibraryThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,... - http://www.edinburghguide.com/aande/theatre/reviews_06/c/chimneys_pitlochry.shtml Review of UK premiere in Pitlochry
- http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111711.html Article in PlaybillPlaybillPlaybill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door...
on play's discovery and US premiere