

Discussion Series
Join us for a Script Club with the Portland Public Library. Check out your copy of the script and join us two weeks before opening of each Mainstage Production. Scripts are available at the reference desk at the Main Branch of the Portland Public Library. This year discussions will be held in the Rines Room at 1:30pm two weeks before a show opens. Feel free to come and chat about the plays with Literary Manager, Todd Brian Backus; his Directing and Dramaturgy Apprentices, and special guests. Visit portlandlibrary.com/programs-events/ for more information.
The Artistic Perspective, hosted by Artistic Director Anita Stewart, is an opportunity for audience members to delve deeper into the themes of the show through conversation with special guests. A different scholar, visiting artist, playwright , or other expert will join the discussion each time. The Artistic Perspective discussions are held after the first Sunday matinee performance.
Curtain Call discussions offer a rare opportunity for audience m embers to talk about the production with the performers. Through this forum, the audienc e and cast explore topics that range from the process of rehearsing and producing the tex t to character development to issues raised by the work Curtain Call discussions are held after the second Sunday matinee performance.
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HannaH Cordes, Paula Vogel, anita stewart, and todd Brian BaCkus in a talkBaCk, Portland stage ComPany
Murder on the Links
by Steven Dietz
adapted from the novel by
Agatha Christie
PlayNotes Season 51 Editorial Staff
Editor in Chief
Todd Brian Backus
Contributors
Charlie Bowen, Sadie Goldstein, Micki Demby Kleinman, Kimmarie McCrann, Larsen Nichols
Copy Editor
Adam Thibodeau
Cover Illustration
James A. Hadley
Portland Stage Company Educational Programs, like PlayNotes, are generously supported through the annual donations of hundreds of individuals and businesses, as well as special funding from:




The Simmons Foundation


Susie Konkel Harry Konkel
Harold & Betty Cottel Family Fund
Letter from the Editors
Dear PlayNotes Readers,
We're so excited to have you with us for the new year and our latest edition of Playnotes!
In this issue, we explore the world of Murder on the Links, a hilarious adaptation of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, which takes audiences on an exciting romp through Merlinville-SurMer, France, to find the killer of a rich businessman. Follow famous detective Hercule Poirot as he puts the puzzle pieces together in this classic whodunnit!
Want to learn about this production of Murder on the Links? Head over to our "Interview with the Director: Kevin R. Free” (Pg. 10), and meet our actors in "About the Characters" (Pg. 8). Intrigued by Agatha Christie? Learn more about her life and work in "Who was Agatha Christie?" (Pg. 26).
Curious about the iconic Hercule Poirot and other Agatha Christie detectives? Check out the article "Christie's Detectives" (Pg. 19). Or are you intruiged by those who help famous detectives crack their case? Check out "Sidekicked: Detective Assistants" (Pg. 24).
When compiling each issue of PlayNotes, we strive to provide articles and interviews that give you insight into what the process has been like behind the scenes (see articles in "Portland Stage's Murder on the Links"), contain pertinent information about the play’s setting and major themes (“The World of Murder on the Links”), and provide deeper dives into specific subjects that compelled our literary department (“Digging Deeper”). We include a list of books, plays, and other media that we hope audiences will access for more cultural content that relates to the play (“Recommended Resources”).
We are delighted to have you join us for this magical adventure, and we hope you enjoy seeing Murder on the Links
Sincerely yours,
The Portland Stage Literary Department
Todd Brian Backus
Micki Demby Kleinman
Kimmarie McCrann
Larsen Nichols
About the Play
by Larsen Nichols
An urgent cry for help brings Hercule Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face down in a shallow grave on a golf course. But why is the dead man wearing his son’s overcoat? And who was the impassioned love letter in the pocket for? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse.
The book The Murder on the Links, written by Agatha Christie, was published in March 1923. And though the story features now-beloved recurring characters Detective Hercule Poirot and Captain Arthur Hastings, it is only the second time the world encountered these characters. The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the first novel with Hastings and Poirot, was published in 1920. But though Hastings and Poirot were new characters, considering the many Christie books they would go on to feature in, the novel was well received. Reviewers compared it favorably to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, remarking that Poirot was “a pleasant contrast to most of his lurid competitors; and one even suspects a touch of satire in him.” Agatha Christie based the novel very closely on a real-life French


murder case, giving the novel a realistic complexity and allowing Hercule Poirot to be at his most Poirot as he solves the mystery with his “little grey cells.”
Since its publication in 1923, many adaptations have been made of the novel, including a BBC radio program, an episode of the British television series Agatha Christie's Poirot, a French television episode, a French graphic novel, and now a play! American playwright and director Steven Dietz adapted Murder on the Links for the stage in 2021. Dietz directed its world premiere in 2023 at North Coast Rep in San Diego, and the play has been produced multiple times across North America since. Though the plot and characters of Dietz’s Murder on the Links mostly stays true to the original novel, Dietz’s adaptation condenses the book to a freewheeling and breakneck stage play with inventive doubling, a breeches role (in which an actress appears in male clothing), and a unexpected feature on the European sport of nine-pin. Dietz’s adaptation imbues comedy and brilliant theatricality into an already complex murder mystery, taking you for a ride through Christie’s Merlinville-surMer you’re not soon to forget.
agatHa CHristie at CoCkington Court in 1912.
a PHotograPH of nine-Pin Bowling, CirCa 1936.
Focus Questions
by Charlie Bowen and Sadie Goldstein
1. Murder on the Links implements a “play-within-a-play” style format, where the actors are aware they are in a performance and directly address the audience. Have you ever seen a play in this style before? How does it feel to get included in on the story in this manner?
2. Agatha Christie, the author of the original The Murder on the Links book, writes books that typically have one of two leading detectives: Mrs. Marple or Hercule Poirot. This show is led by Hercule Poirot. Read the PlayNotes article “Hercule Poirot,” and consider what makes Poirot different from other detectives you have seen in media. What do you think has made him one of the most famous detectives in literary history?
3. While this play is a comedy and has many comedic elements to it, it simultaneously has many themes of violence. In addition, the moments of violence that would typically be gruesome have little to no gore involved. How did the use of comedy impact your perception of, what would typically be, particularly violent moments in the show? Did it make them easier to watch?
4. Poirot and Hastings are a classic detective and sidekick duo in literature. How do the two characters complement and contrast each other? Think of other famous duos you have encountered in literature, movies, or other media (Holmes and Watson, Batman and Robin, etc.) How does this pairing compare?

lauren karaman (aea) & tom ford (aea) at tHe first readtHrougH of Murder On The Links. PHoto By aressa goodriCH
About the Characters



Actor: Tom Ford Character: Hercule Poirot
Poirot: A Belgian detective living in London.
Actor: Lauren Karaman Character: Captain Hastings
Hastings: A former World War I British Army Officer. Poirot’s companion and roommate.
Actor: Andrew Rein Character: Paul Renauld, Bex, Gendarme, Dr. Durand, Gardener, Hotel Clerk, Railway Porter
Paul Renauld: Master of the house, English Bex: Commissioner of the police, French Gendarme: French armed police officer Dr. Durand: French physician



Actor: Brenny Campbell
Character: Madame Renauld, Theodora Van Hoven, Frau Keller, Gendarme, Glazer, Photographer, Chauffeur
Madame Renauld: Mistress of the estate, English
Theodora Van Hoven: Mistress of the neighboring villa, European
Frau Keller: Senior maid of the estate, German
Gendarme: French armed police officer
Glazer: Lawyer for Jack Renauld, English
Actor: Ross Cowan
Character: Jack Renauld, Stonor, Gendarme, Inspector Giraud
Jack Renauld: Son of the house, English
Stonor: Renauld’s accountant, English
Gendarme: French armed police officer
Inspector Giraud: Investigating officer, French
Actor: Michela Micalizio
Character: Cinderella, Leonie, Bella Duveen, Gendarme
Cinderella: English acrobat
Leonie: Young maid of the estate, French
Bella Duveen: English acrobat
Gendarme: French armed police officer
An Interview with the Director: Kevin R. Free
Edited for length and clarity by Larsen Nichols
The Assistant Director and Dramaturg of Murder on the Links, Larsen Nichols, sat down with director Kevin R. Free for an interview about his directing process for this production. Kevin talks about his penchant for murder mysteries, his empathetic approach to directing, and how Murder on the Links deals with identity.
Larsen Nichols (LN): What drew you to this play initially?
Kevin R. Free (KRF): The job offer. HA! No, the truth of the matter is, yes, it was the job offer. But I thought it was fun; when I worked on Sherlock [Holmes: The Final Adventure], it was a really fun play. And at this point I kind of enjoy being the guy that does the comic murder mystery here at Portland Stage. It's kind of fun. I do a lot of message work in my everyday life and I think, if having fun and escaping from our current socio-political landscape is a message, that I'm happy to be the deliverer of that message, you know? For two hours, people get to come and have a really good time. Why not? I spend a lot of my free time (when I have it) watching murder mysteries on TV, British and American. I love a good thriller. I'm just very excited to do it, and I was excited to be asked to do it again.
LN: You have a history of directing murder mysteries. Is there something particular about this genre that excites you as a director?
KRF: I mean, yeah, the escape that I mentioned. I enjoy watching soapy things on TV. I enjoy watching thrillers on television and film. I think in my life over the past couple of years, there's been a lot of grief in my world. And so taking my mind off of that grief has been really lovely. Being able to work with some of the finest actors I've ever known and learn about their humanity, as we're doing a play that is more or less about humanity or the loss of humanity, or just death [laughs],
and trying to solve a death is delightful. It's delightful to me. So I think I am drawn to these types of plays because they provide me with a means to escape from some of the grief of my life and the world.
LN: This piece deals with varying levels of performance and theatricality. How have you been exploring that in rehearsals?
KRF: Oh, God! What I will say is that so far (because I feel like we're still early), I've been watching the performance styles of the actors and thinking about how I can make them aware of when their characters are acting, when they are acting as their characters, and when they are acting as themselves. When we get to our third week is when we start asking those questions. The prime example in the play is Madame Renauld has a plan and is playing proud and steely, and then something happens that ruins the plan, and we get to see Madame Renauld have a real emotional moment. And that's, I think, what the play is in conversation about. Like in Shakespeare, all the world's a stage, and in our time, we're all players. I think the play is having a conversation about mythology and how we make up who we are, how we create our own destinies, how sometimes our destinies are chosen for us, but our essence is still revealed to the world, somehow. So that's what I'm thinking about. We haven't gotten to really talking about that yet.
LN: Some of the people on our team you’ve worked with before or known for years, and others you’ve just met. What do you find challenging and/or exciting about working with a team like this?
KRF: There's nothing challenging about anything ever. I don't believe in challenges, only conflict. No. In general, as a leader of a room, I wonder about how people are getting along when I'm not around. I want the people
with whom I've worked to like the other people with whom they're working. I want the people who I've known for a long time to be liked by the newer people in my life. And I want everyone in the room to feel brave enough to create. So the biggest challenge for me is getting out of the way, and allowing everybody to be who they are without worry. I can be heavy-handed about the things that I want on a stage, but I'm not controlling, and I also go home every night and think, “How could I have done this better? What are the words that I need to say to unlock this moment for that actor? And how have I failed at doing that?” So I don't feel like there are insurmountable challenges. I think I have a really beautiful opportunity to create new colleagues. I think we have a space where people feel safe enough to disagree. To disagree with me, to disagree with each other, and that disagreement isn't about discounting anyone's humanity. It's just about saying, “Mmm, I'm not sure that that's right, in this moment.” So to go back to your original question, the big challenge [is that] we're working with people with varying degrees of comfort with the material, varying degrees of comfort with each other, varying degrees of comfort with being in Portland in general and that we also have a space, a room where people start to make decisions about how something will work when I'm not here. If I give a foundation for how to make this play, then if a new choice happens to come in while I'm gone, everybody knows how to deal with it. So we're creating an ensemble, and I'm trying to create an ensemble that really wants to work together to solve this mystery.
LN: What do you find to be the most challenging thing about working on this play?
KRF: There are so many moving parts; all of the scene changes the actors are manipulating themselves. It's hard for me to remember. I never remember what I tell people. I rely on stage management and other people to remember the things that I tell them, and I know that it's hard for them to remember everything. And I also believe that we've been moving so fast that it has made people feel a little unsure of when they're doing fine. In my opinion, you don't need to know your lines until we get to technical rehearsals, you don't

need to be perfect until we do a run-through after technical rehearsals, and then really, what is perfection anyway? But I think because we are so ahead of the game in terms of staging and the conversations about character, partly because they're all such brilliant actors, the most challenging thing is reassuring them that as far as you have to go, we're okay, we're good.
LN: The energy in the rehearsal room for Murder on the Links is very fun and collaborative. How do you go about creating such an environment as a director, and why do you feel this kind of environment is important?
KRF: I've spent a lot of years as an actor, and I still do it from time to time. And one of the things that's really difficult about being an actor, both when you're in a play and when you're not in a play and looking to do a play, is that feeling of powerlessness. And there are a lot of directors who treat actors like they're just a cog in a vast machine, even if the machine is very small. And I have never enjoyed that as an actor. I've never enjoyed not having the autonomy to make my own choices about a scene. And then on top of it, I've always been the kind of actor who just figures things out on his own. So I like when a director says, “No, seriously, tell me your ideas.” And so that's one reason I want to empower the artists in the room to do the show well. If they had wanted
keVin r. free*, direCtor of Murder On The Links (*memBer, stage direCtors & CHoreograPHers soCiety).

me to act in the show, somebody would have cast me as an actor in the show. My body's not onstage doing it, so I want them to feel comfortable doing a thing seven or eight shows a week, and I'm not gonna know that unless they tell me what they're comfortable with. The other part is in my rooms, I prefer for people to bring their whole selves. So we have a whole check-in system in my room that basically is about what kind of energy people are bringing in, and that way I know how to direct them. I know if I need to lean on them to stay focused or if I need to step back a little bit because they're having a challenging day. I think I'm pretty good at casting the show, pretty good at finding the right people to play the right roles and because of that, I think I can spend more time on their humanity because I care more about them as people than I do about them as actors. Which has not gotten me in trouble with producers yet. But I feel like if I bring in the right people, the play is going to work itself out because those people will be searching for the truth of the play.
So I prefer to have fun in a room. You know, when you tell people, “Oh, I'm a director, I make my living as an actor and a director,” they all think, “Oh, that's really, really cool.” They don't know about how hard it is to prepare to do a show or the research involved or all the reading, the wear and tear on your body as an
actor, they're not thinking about that. They're thinking about how they feel when they see an actor onstage. They feel like, “That's a really cool job. Look at them, they can do that thing and that's great.” And so, those of us who have been artists who are constantly looking for work, constantly trying to figure out how to make our ends meet, why wouldn't I make work fun and cool? I want people to come to work and feel excited to come to work.
LN: What do you hope audiences take away from this production?
KRF: What I hope they bring is warmth. Because it's cold AF, as the kids say. I would love for them to be able to escape into the show and just watch a murder mystery. But one of the things that interests me about this play is the way that each of these characters is playing a part in order to make this story happen. Say this play goes out into the world and people wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night: what I want them to think about is how these people have made themselves up, how they have mythologized themselves to turn into the outward appearance of who they are.
I used to work with juvenile offenders. We taught them acting, and we had to convince them that there was acting involved with going to a job interview. That in the job interview, you're putting on a costume, which is the thing that you have to wear in order to get the job and to keep the job. And that they had to put on a character that was very close to who they were that would help them hold onto the job. And that was really important work because they were young people who had not received a foundation of discipline. And so teaching them a discipline like “this is how you are supposed to act in these situations” was moving to me, and valuable to them. And the underneath thing is that this person that you see in front of you, me, is a collection of all of my experiences. And what I show you, what I choose to show you, gives me power. And I think that that's one of the things that this play is about. If an audience comes away with that, oh my God. I mean, I doubt they'll see it the way I see it, but that's one of my ways in.
assistant direCtor larsen niCHols Presenting dramaturgiCal researCH at Murder On The Links reHearsal. PHoto By aressa goodriCH.
An Interview with the Playwright: Steven Dietz
Edited for length and clarity by Micki Demby Kleinman
Portland Stage’s Directing and Dramaturgy Apprentice Micki Demby Kleinman sat down with prolific playwright Steven Dietz. Dietz opened up about his artistic background, his unique approach to playwriting and adaptation, and his creative decisions behind Murder on the Links.
Micki Demby Kleinman (MDK): Could you start off by telling me a bit about your theatrical journey up until this point?
Steven Dietz (SD): It was a great surprise to me and my family. I had essentially no theater in my upbringing. I didn't see my first play ‘til I was probably in high school, and that was a college production in Denver, and I got smitten with it. Candidly, I didn't really even know that there were living playwrights. I had a great professor in college that encouraged me to direct and steered me away from acting because I was quite the terrible actor. And then in 1980 my car broke down in a snowstorm in Minneapolis and I stumbled into an old church on East Franklin Avenue to try to find a telephone to call a tow truck…but that old church wasn’t a church, it was an organization called the Playwrights’ Center. Whatever lucky star I was born under made me walk in that door with just a nascent theater interest, and the cockiness of someone who was 21 and thought: the American theater needed me. That became my 11 years in Minneapolis; I just [talked] my way into directing these readings of plays, and some of those writers were August Wilson and Lee Blessing, John Olive and Barbara Field. I never did end up taking a playwriting class, but those 11 years at the Center were my grad school. I wish everyone a moment of kismet like that. I remain connected to the Playwrights’ Center to this day. Since then, I eventually moved to Seattle and was welcomed into a very vibrant theater community. Some years later, I took a teaching job at the University of Texas in Austin. I taught the MFA playwrights and directors for 12 years,
and still continue to teach master classes around the country. My wife [playwright Allison Gregory] and I now divide our time between Seattle and Austin.
MDK: You directed the world premiere of Murder on the Links at North Coast Repertory Theatre. How does directing your plays influence you as a playwright, and how does being a playwright influence you as a director?
SD: I think they are two parts of the same experiment. I have plays that, when I'm writing them, the “director voice” in me is very strong—and I think Murder on the Links is a great example of that because the director in me was sitting at this desk trying to solve problems, trying to create scenarios of motion, invention, contradiction. But then I have plays that I feel like I just go down into my “writerly” self, and that's not always a play that I necessarily feel I need to direct. But directing Murder on the Links at North Coast Rep and then at Laguna Playhouse, it made me codify a

narrative and performative style for the piece. I try to keep both those voices alive in me, but my best description of myself is probably that I'm a director who writes plays.
MDK: How does it feel to write a play, direct a play, and then hand it off to other artists?
SD: I love doing that. That is when the play gets truly tested. I don't want to make a play that needs me to follow it around to make it work, and if I were to think that, what a level of hubris that is! The thing I love about theater is that there's no such thing as a definitive production. As a playwright, I want there to be a lot of different energies and “takes” and performance approaches. And I better want that, frankly, because that is the field I have chosen to make my life in.
MDK: In the casting breakdown for this play in the script, you offer that Poirot or Hastings could be played by a woman. Why did you make that choice? Or why do you think that is significant?
SD: Well, a couple things. The bigger, meta thing is that I think the great roles in literature should be open to any performer. Hercule Poirot is surely one of those roles. I think that a great actor should get the chance to play a great role regardless of their gender or ethnicity. Recent theatrical history is filled with examples of this. Murder on the Links does not push that notion because the play does
not have that political agenda, but I wanted to signal that on the character page of the script. Secondly, I thought the dynamic of a Poirot and Hastings relationship could be more fun if there was a little gristle or spice in the mix—and having them of differing genders does that almost immediately. And most importantly, this is a story about identity. We have twins, we have stories from the past where someone changed their identity and became someone else in the present, we have people repeatedly posing as people they're not—plus we have four actors playing about 30 people! Therefore, the play already has a “doubleness” to it. It seemed like a genderopenness to the casting of our two heroes would add to that mix in an enjoyable way.
MDK: This is your first adaptation of an Agatha Christie detective novel, of which there are over 60. Why did you choose to adapt this Agatha Christie book as opposed to the rest of her books?
SD: I'll tell you an artistic reason, and I’ll tell you a commercial reason. I believe in all candor that art is made by the marriage of both of those things. The commercial reason was that this book came into the public domain two years ago. [The artistic reason is that] I didn't know this book at all, and then I read it and I realized, this is unlike one of Dame Agatha’s little “jewel box” mysteries, confined to a room or trapped on a train. Instead, this was an expansive mystery, filled with coincidences,

Costume renderings By JaCqueline firkins for tHe many many CHaraCters tHe ensemBle Portrays in Murder On The Links. PHoto By aressa goodriCH.
set in the French countryside. The fact that it was so open and expansive, I realized, oh, one could have fun with this. This could be both a delectable mystery and a delightful romp. It was frankly helpful to me that this is not one of Christie’s more popular titles like Murder on the Orient Express, where there would be precise audience expectations. A lesser known book gave me some room and license to invent, while still honoring the major story points of this 100+-year-old novel.
MDK: You spoke about your time at the Playwrights’ Center, and how integral new plays are to your artistry. Can you tell me a little bit about what it's like to adapt a play versus to create an original work? What are the challenges or advantages to either one?
SD: The advantage and challenge of an adaptation is that it is akin to taking a master class in storymaking. Not “plot” or some kind of “template”—but the core question of how does a story complicate itself? How does a story move forward, generate motion, keep feeding the audience while keeping them hungry to know more? When you are adapting something from a master like Agatha Christie, you get a thrilling and often very sobering lesson in writing. And when you add the transfer from one medium to the next—how do I make what is alive on the page be alive on the stage—you are certainly playing chess and not checkers. Nothing has sharpened my craft more than doing adaptations. What’s more, an adaptation demands that you find your voice inside the original author’s voice. There are likely many ways to approach this, but here is mine.
When considering an adaptation, I read the novel twice. I read it once for enjoyment, taking no notes, just taking it as it comes. And then I read it again, very slowly, marking story moves, character shifts, cool lines that I know must be in the resulting play. And after that second reading, I never open that book again. I have to trust that I have inculcated what I need from it, and must fill in the rest with my own invention. By the time I get into rehearsal, if someone asks me, “Hey Dietz, is that in the book?”, I have no idea how to answer them. I just know it's in the play.

MDK: Is there anything else you would like to share with Portland Stage’s audience?
SD: I take quite personally the responsibility of the theater to delight us. Just fully delight us. And I don't mean “make people happy” which I think is an altogether different thing. Delight is an inexplicable effervescence. Coming out of the pandemic, I thought to myself: what do I want to see? And as much as I love (and have authored) a wide array of theatrical genres, my answer to myself was delight. I want to feel welcomed, I want to be taken on a journey, and I want delightful surprises along the way. Murder on the Links felt to me like a book that had the opportunity to do all those things. So, what I would say to any producer of this play is come to it with an open heart…deliver the turns of this mystery…and dare to delight your audiences. This is harder than it seems, as you know. But fully worth the challenge. I have no doubt your artists and collaborators will succeed at doing just that. I’m delighted to have this play at Portland Stage.
aCtors lauren karaman (aea) and tom ford (aea) as Hastings and Poirot at tHe first taBle read for Murder On The Links. PHoto By aressa goodriCH.
Community Connections: Interview with the Maine Crime Writers
Edited
for length and clarity
The Maine Crime Writers (MCW) are a cohort of 14 mystery, suspense and thriller writers who live and write in the state of Maine. The writers take turns blogging daily on their website, and gather to meet inperson every few months or so. Directing and Dramaturgy Apprentice Kimmarie McCrann chatted with Jule Selbo, an awardwinning novelist and member of MCW, to get a glimpse into the world of a modern crime-writing novelist.
Kimmarie McCrann (KM): How long have you been involved with the Maine Crime Writers? What is it like being a part of this community of writers?
Jule Selbo (JS): Kate Flora, the founder of the Crime Writers, invited me to join maybe five years ago. I was very interested in becoming part of it because the community of writers is so strong here in Maine, and it feels like every time you turn around there's another Maine crime writer. And we're all very close. Everyone is so helpful and supportive. Some of the bloggers are very, very active. Kate asks us to write something about once a month, and I try very, very hard to make that [happen]. And I'm always wondering what I should write, because sometimes people just write about what they're thinking, and I tend to write more about what I’m thinking about in terms of craft. So it's very hopeful to hear all the woes and triumphs and rejections and all that stuff that everybody experiences. And how people approach their work. So that's what I like about it.
KM: So, I know that you guys are contributing to the MCW blog. But, are there ever any inperson meetings?
JS: We do tend to get together for little gatherings, especially around the holidays. But the other thing that we do is, we go to libraries, old folks’ homes, schools, and talk about mystery writing. We also play a mystery game. So the audience basically is creating the mystery. We ask them for different characters,
by Kimmarie McCrann
different settings, different motives, different weapons, and they all go into these separate hats or bags. And then we pull them out, and with the audience, we put together a mystery and it's really amazing how well it turns out. Even if someone writes down something very silly, we make it work, and we end up with the protagonist, the antagonist, the murderer, the suspects, all that kind of stuff, and motive.
There are also several conferences every year that are really fun. These are mystery crime conferences in New England, and we have a little booth and people can talk to each other. It's really dedicated, I think, as a support system, to ask questions about some of the issues that you might have and the book that you're working on.
KM: Can you speak a little bit more about this support system?
JS: You spend so much time alone and there are so many ins and outs, especially in writing crime mysteries because you're basically putting together a puzzle. And so, your brain fizzles, and then it sparks, and then it goes crazy, and some days you can work (even though most of us work every single day at the craft and getting the book done), and some days are better than others. So, it's just like the pain—everyone understands the pain. There’s also little subsets that break within the crime writers because of where you live. So I've been in two book groups that are based in Portland and South Portland. We get together and we read each other's work and we're very, very honest. It's like, “Oh, that works really well… This one seems a little cliché, you know, everybody from James Patterson to Agatha Christie has done that… Maybe there's a different way to do that.”
KM: I know that you’re a voracious reader, and I was curious, are you mostly reading stuff in the same genre that you're writing in?
JS: I would say 75% in the crime-mystery genre. Just because I want to educate myself on a
whole bunch of writers. I want to keep up with the writers that I like. And it's the [genre] that I'm trying to “master” as well as I can.
KM: Why crime? Have you always been writing in this genre, or did you come to it later in your career?
JS: Well, it's just always what I love to read. That was always, you know, Nancy Drew when I was a kid. Agatha Christie's [as] I got a little older. Anne Perry, Patricia Highsmith. It's just that I think I like to solve puzzles. I do like to be swept away in a book. I tend to like to read something quickly instead of having a book that I've been trying to read for a year and just picking it up and doing a chapter a night or something like that. Everyone's got a different reason and the way that they like to read. And for me, I like, “Oh, it's a good story. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.”
KM: In Portland Stage’s production of Murder on the Links , Hastings is being played by a woman. And of course, you have written Dee Rommel as a female protagonist in your novels. So I'm curious about what role you think gender plays, if any, in this genre?
JS: Well, there is still the glass ceiling, unfortunately. And I think it could just shine a light on that. And, I wanted to create a character who just acted in the world almost like a man. I grew up with brothers and I was always amazed at how much they got away with just because they were men or boys, and not in a bad way, but just the fact of their attitude, “Yeah, I can do that. Move over.” And women traditionally are a little bit more polite. We're not considered as strong [as men]. But I wanted to create Dee Romell almost as someone who could approach things like a guy.
KM: Being an expert in the mystery genre, how have you seen it change over the years, if it's changed at all? Do you think it's now going to change a lot with this new introduction of AI technology?
JS: Yeah, I don't think AI is going to change it. There'll be some books out there created by AI that will probably be terrible, and some of them will sell and some of them will be made
into movies or something like that, but the real writer is not going to be affected by AI.
But the way it's changed…well, Sherlock is, you know, usually much more plot and there's the outside villain who kind of comes from the world. Agatha Christie's [work has] plot, but much more character and the murderer is usually a part of the interior crowd, the people of the house, the people at the resort, that kind of thing. So she doesn't kind of go out into the world to find her bad people.
And I don’t really know, I think there might be a move towards more fantasy crime mystery, because young people are seeming to really get into that. And I know there's some newer transgender protagonists out there. I think there's going to be a lot of variety and we'll see who can, you know, really break out.

tHe CoVer for 10 days, tHe first noVel in The dee rOMMeL MysTery series By Jule selBo
Pre-Show Activities
by Charlie Bowen and Sadie Goldstein
1. Have you ever read a murder mystery novel before? Have you ever read an Agatha Christie book before? Based on what you know, what do you expect to see in this show? Brainstorm a list of typical murder mystery traits.
2. Writer Steven Dietz took an Agatha Christie book, The Murder on the Links, and adapted it into this play. If you could turn any book into a play, which would it be? Why do you think that book would adapt well? Make a story mountain for the arc of the plot.
3. Agatha Christie’s mysteries often take place in very specific locations including a library, a train, and a cruise ship. In this play, the plot is set on a golf course. If you could set a mystery story anywhere, where would you put it? Brainstorm how that location and its objects could be used in the mystery plot.

Post-Show Activities
by Charlie Bowen and Sadie Goldstein
1. Think back to your list of typical murder mystery traits. Did this show have any of those? Were there aspects of this show that were surprising to you?
2. Like many other murder mysteries, Murder on the Links takes many twists and turns throughout the story. Who were your prime suspects throughout the play? Did they change? Discuss with a partner. How did yours differ from your partner’s predictions?
3. Hastings was played as a “Breeches Role,” which means a non-male actor performed the role of a man, dressed in traditionally masculine clothing. Did it impact the character that Hastings was played by a woman? The playwright calls Poirot or Hastings to be played by differing genders, and that one of the roles should be performed as a “Breeches Role.” How would the show have been different if the genders were reversed: Poirot was played by a woman and Hastings played by a man? Discuss it with a group.
4. Murder on the Links has a small cast for the size of the play, with four of the actors playing multiple roles. Did you find this confusing? Funny? What did the production use to differentiate each character? Imagine if it had been staged in a more conventional way, with each actor playing one role. How would that have impacted the show?
Christie's Detectives
by Micki Demby Kleinman
Agatha Christie’s world-renowned detective Hercule Poirot holds a special place in the public’s heart. First appearing in Christie’s debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the public was captivated by this strange man and his keen ability to use inductive reasoning to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes. In addition to Christie’s 33 novels and two plays starring Detective Poirot, there are countless British TV shows, radio dramas, and blockbuster movie adaptations in which Poirot is brought to life. Poirot left such an indelible mark on culture, that upon his “death” in his final book, Curtain, The New York Times published its first-ever obituary of a fictional character.
Hercule Poirot, famed Belgian policemanturned-detective, arose during the Golden Years of Detective Fiction, a time in the 1920s and ’30s with an abundance of detective fiction novels that often contained similar patterns to one another. Poirot is physically characterized by his shortness, his egg-shaped head, and his distinctive mustache, which was “stiff and military,” and further described as “enormous,” “immense,” “gigantic.” His signature, illustrious mustache precedes him, and becomes almost a sidekick to the detective. The way Poirot chooses to present himself is indicative of the traits that appear in his detection. Poirot is particular, specific, and pays immaculate attention to detail. Unlike other investigators who may rely on external evidence, Poirot is remarkable in that he uses psychology to understand a case and to form conclusions. By having a deep understanding of the criminal mind, and a desire for order and method, Poirot is able to solve cases that others can’t.
In addition to Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie created other iconic detective characters in her novels, including Miss Jane Marple and the duo Tommy and Tuppence. Each of these characters have a unique background that allows them to bring unique and intriguing traits to their detecting.
Miss Marple may at first appear to be just an older lady with a passion for knitting,
gardening, and gossiping, but there is more to her than meets the eye. She uses her unassuming persona, and keen perception of human nature in order to solve mysteries in her small village. At times Miss Marple’s gossipy nature works to her benefit, as she uses it to glean information about the mystery in front of her. Other Christie novels involve the married duo Tommy and Tuppence. Tommy and Tuppence have an adventurous spirit and a can-do attitude that allows their journeys to be far-reaching, odd, and unexpected. In their first story, the two struggle to find jobs after World War I, so they start an agency titled “Young Adventurers Ltd”—"Willing to do anything. Go anywhere... No unreasonable offer refused." The two’s personalities complement each other: Tommy’s thoughtfulness paired with Tuppence’s charisma make them out to be an unusual and unstoppable duo. Christie is known to have said that these two hold a special place in her heart because they were her only characters whose ages and development she tracked in accordance to her own. In a way, they aged and grew together.
Christie's works are full of captivating, witty, and intriguing characters. Specifically, Agatha Christie’s detectives have had a remarkably enduring impact on literature and culture. Each detective’s distinctive perspective enables them to be unique puzzle solvers, and their unique quirks makes journeying with them a delight.

ameriCan Book CoVer for CHristie's first noVel PuBlisHed in 1920.
Poirot's Merlinville-sur-Mer
by Kimmarie McCrann
The year is 1923. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is bored out of his mind in London. When he receives a mysterious letter pleading with him to sail across the English Channel to France, he’s all too thrilled to become wrapped up in a dense murder case. And thus begins the plot of Agatha Christie’s The Murder on the Links.
Poirot travels to the fictional town of Merlinville-sur-Mer, which is located about halfway between the real French towns of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. This stretch of land between Boulogne and Calais is along the northwestern coast of France, making it the nearest point of connection between France and the United Kingdom. Today, tourists can easily traverse between the two port cities in 40 minutes by car, or by taking a 30-minute direct train for only 2.10 euros (2.16 USD). Curious minds can get an idea of what Merlinville-Sur-Mer might look like by researching French towns like Marquise, Wissant, and Saint-Inglevert, which are all located on Côte d’Opal, or, the Opal Coast. All of these towns are characterized by their quaint ambiance, stony cathedrals and villas, and lush green landscapes. Although “Merlinville” has no direct translation to English, the French phrase “sur-mer” means “on sea,” which is a direct reference to its coastal atmosphere.

In the novel The Murder on the Links, Hercule Poirot describes Merlinville-sur-Mer as being “a quiet little place—but chic!” Poirot then goes on to describe Merlinville’s rapid ascension into the world of popularity and tourism, saying, “Rich English people who wish to be quiet are taking it up." Indeed, France in the early 1920s was becoming more and more culturally and socially ambitious. This French renaissance is known as the “Années Folles,” which literally translates to “crazy years.”
Across the pond in the United States, the same time period is often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties.” Despite the northwest of France recovering from economic and political instability only five years after the end of World War I (Calais was the target of multiple bombings during WWI), this era was still distinguished by a flourishing of art, music, and literary collaborations.
The Art Deco movement, derived from the French term Arts Décoratifs, flourished in the United States and Europe in the 1920s to early 1930s. Featuring new materials like ebony and ivory, Art Deco stylist choices represented luxury, glamour, and progress. People rejected pre-war values and ideologies, and embraced a new wave. Women wore long-hemmed dresses that did not accentuate their frames like the tightly-wound corsets of the past. Some women were beginning to wear trousers in public for physical activities, but this would not reach mainstream popularity for another fifty years or so. Men often wore tailored suits and shortcropped hair with hats. Jewel tones, pastels, and colors that had not been commonly donned in previous decades were now being embraced. There was an air of elegance, but also fun, in the way they dressed.
In Christie’s Merlinville-sur-Mer, one can imagine that its characters ate food typical of the northwestern region of France at the time. Historically, cuisine in this region relied on locally-farmed butter or lard, with little use of oil. Popular foods included herring and mussels from the nearby sea, which
le Port de Calais (1917) By eugène CHigot.
became the Belgian-French dish moules-frites, or, mussels with french fries. Heartier foods like meat, poultry, herring, and cheese were also commonly consumed, with maroilles being an iconic cow’s milk cheese from the region. Carbonnade flamande is a famous dish found in Northern France with Belgian origins (thanks Poirot!) made of beef marinated in beer. Chicory root was used as a coffee substitute, which was a leftover idea from wartime in France. It was cheaper and more readily available than coffee, and did not have to be imported. Calvados was, and still is, a popular brandy made from apples and pears, which originated in the Normandy region. The wealthy Renauld and Van Hoven families seen in The Murder on the Links, were likely consuming these kinds of extravagant and rich foods, saying “bon appétit!” all the while.
However, it wasn’t all parties and folly in the early 1920s. Tensions were heating up between France and Germany, as a result of Germany’s repeated refusal to provide wartime reparations as agreed upon in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. This resulted in the “Occupation of the Ruhr” from January 1923 to August 1925. French and Belgian troops together invaded the Ruhr business district of western Germany, with the intention of staying there until Germany supplied the predetermined coal and other raw materials required by the Treaty. Amongst acts of sabotage and retaliation, an estimated 137 civilians were killed and 600 were injured during the Ruhr’s occupation. Eventually, France and Belgium accepted the Dawes Plan of 1924, which restructured and lowered the cost of Germany’s reparations, and eventually led to the Franco-Belgian forces withdrawing their occupied troops. This cross-borders conflict greatly impacted the nearby northwestern region of France in 1923. In Christie's fictional Merlinville-sur-Mer, political pressures and a general feeling of suspicion would have been felt regarding any foreigners visiting the region, and even the most affluent of families likely suffered some form of economic instability with the nearby wartime rivalry.
Looking to plan your next “Euro Summer”? Consider picking up a copy of The Murder on the Links and heading to the north of Francesans the murder! Although tourists can’t travel

to Agatha Christie’s Merlinville-sur-Mer, they can enjoy its surrounding region today and all the rich food, culture, and scenery it has to offer. This Upper Normandy locality is only about two hours away from Paris by train, and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, like horseback riding, hiking, sailing, and of course, golfing. Boasting a whopping 36 golf courses in the region, “golfing holidays” are a popular attraction for visitors. Luxurious hotels and villas provide easy access to the links. Gentle rolling hills amongst forests, lakes, and valleys offer a peaceful, green sporting atmosphere. Some of the more well-known courses in the area include Golf D’Evreux, Golf du Havre, and Golf D’Etretat for a seaside view. So, what are you waiting for? Come see the Portland Stage production of Murder on the Links, and then see the real thing!
CarBonnade flamande, a tyPiCal disH of tHe nortHwest of franCe.
Glossary
by Larsen Nichols

Aeroplane Wire: a very strong type of wire made of galvanized or stainless steel, used in many industries for lifting heavy objects.
Bonsoir: French for "good evening."
Bunker: a sandpit strategically placed around golf holes to make them more difficult.
Calais: a port city in France that ferries between France and England.
Caper: an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous.
Cherbourg: Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is a port city in Normandy, western France. It is an important port city on the English Channel.
Chloroform: a chemical historically used as an inhaled anesthetic during surgeries. Chloroform is used often in stories (popularized by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) in the form of the chloroform soaked rag, which, in fiction, causes the loss of consciousness when pressed to someone’s nose.
Continental Express: a type of train running from Victoria Station to Dover with the intention of connecting with a passenger ship to the European continent, in this case, bound for Calais, France.
Dour: relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.
Dover: seaside city in Kent, England, with passenger ship connection to Calais, France.
Excusez-moi, s'il vous plaît: French for "excuse me, please"
Francs: official currency of France from 1799 to 2002. The barter between Giraud and Poirot— 50 francs—would’ve had a roughly equivalent spending power to $57 USD today.
Gendarme: an armed police officer in France and other French-speaking countries.
“Good duck”: a term of endearment in Midlands British dialects.

a View from Boulougne-sur-mer, Pas-de-Calais, franCe.
PHoto of a sand Bunker on a golf Course.

Hôtel du Phare: Lighthouse Hotel
J'ai trouvé ça: French for "I found this"
Ja: German for "yes"
Mein gott: German for "my god"
Merlinville-Sur-Mer: Merlinville on the Sea
Mon dieu: French for "my god"
MP: Member of Parliament
Nine-Pins: a variation of bowling played in Europe, originating in medieval Germany. The game is similar to the ten pin variation played in the United States, but the 9 pins are arranged in a diamond shape as opposed to a triangle shape. In Nine-pin, the bowling balls are smaller and lack finger holes, but the pins are larger than those used in 10 pin bowling.
Paragon: a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.
Regarde: French for "look at"
Santiago: the capital of Chile, undergoing significant financial and industrial growth and political shifts during the 1920’s.
Swanscombe: a village in Kent, England.
Très bien: French for "very good"
Valise: a small traveling bag or suitcase
Victoria Station: also known as London Victoria, Victoria Station is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria. In 1920, it replaced Charing Cross as the main station for continental services and included service to Paris via Calais and Dover. A major restructuring of the station was taking place in 1923.
Vous me devez quelque chose, monsieur: French for "you owe me something, sir"
santiago de CHile in winter
Sidekicked (Detective Assistants)
by Kimmarie McCrann
Agatha Christie did not particularly like one of her most popular characters: meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Despite Christie famously calling him a “detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep,” audiences loved Poirot and all his clever eureka moments. So, she kept on writing this “little creep” into her stories. Along with Poirot came Captain Arthur Hastings, his younger and more romantic sidekick. Hastings, a former British army officer, appears in eight Poirot novels, 21 short stories, and one play. And one of these eight novels is none other than Christie’s tale of the hour, The Murder on the Links.
Detective Poirot and Captain Hastings are one example in a long line of renowned hero/ sidekick duos, as seen in many detective stories throughout history. The two are best friends, partners in solving crimes, and share a flat together in London. Although Poirot doesn’t necessarily take pride in Hastings’ skills of deduction, he does value the Captain’s way of seeing things as the “average man” and his frequent tendency to accidentally stumble onto the truth. Hastings is fiercely loyal to Poirot, and the two need each other to balance out their contradicting personalities. Hastings brings a relaxed, human quality to Poirot’s unwavering and mechanical sense of purpose.
The first detective sidekick was the unnamed Parisian roommate of C. Augustine Dupin in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue, a short story published in 1841. The unnamed sidekick is the narrator of this story, and he describes how Dupin solved a double murder and proved a man's innocence. Another popular pairing is Lord Peter Wimsey and his valet sidekick, Mervyn Bunter, in Dorothy L. Sayers’ series of detective novels and short stories. Bunter first appeared in the inaugural Peter Wimsey novel, Whose Body?, which was released in 1923. Often referred to as “Mr Bunter,” the manservant ensures that Lord Wimsey is well-dressed and is very knowledgeable on all matters of affluent social etiquette. Bunter can be seen as an early model for the archetype of the British assistant to the protagonist, later seen in Batman’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth.

Archie Goodwin is the womanizing narrator and sidekick to the grouchy private detective Nero Wolfe, as seen in Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books from 1934 to 1975. Teenage detective Nancy Drew has her best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne, as sidekicks in the Nancy Drew mystery stories. And, of course, likely the most famous coupling of all time, there is detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful partner, Dr. John H. Watson. These two are also roommates, and their working dynamic is rather similar to that of Poirot and Hastings. Watson, who served as an army surgeon in India, is a modest and patient observer, who has saved the genius Sherlock’s life on more than one occasion. Originally written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1800s, the characters of Sherlock and Watson experienced a resurgence in mainstream popularity with the hit BBC TV show, Sherlock, which ran from 2010–2017. Several other examples of detective pairings in modern media include Batman and Robin (DC Comics), The Doctor and Companion (Doctor Who), and Shaggy and Scooby (Scooby-Doo).
original BritisH CoVer of The Murder On The Links, PuBlisHed By tHe Bodley Head in 1923.
The main purpose of the sidekick is to offer the detective an alternate perspective on a perplexing case. Sometimes, even the most gifted minds, like Holmes or Poirot, are standing “too close to the puzzle” and might be so wrapped up in the intellectual facts of the case that they’re missing an obvious, physical clue. Whether or not the sidekick knowingly reveals the missing key to them doesn’t really matter. The important thing is that having another voice and set of eyes in the room can reveal a whole world of possibilities. And, the sidekick often provides much-needed companionship for the cold and calculating hero, as well as some lighthearted moments of humor for the audience. Witty and observant sidekicks often bring a touch of reality to the ridiculousness of a case at hand, especially when they are the ones narrating the story. The sidekick analyzes the situation at hand in the same way that the reader might be seeing it play out. The same story of The Murder on the Links told from Hercule Poirot’s perspective would be quite a different tale.
In the Agatha Christie canon, sidekicks are a literary tool used to assist the main detective and to move the narrative along. In addition to the very popular Captain Hastings, Poirot has several other buddies that make appearances


throughout his stories. Miss Felicity Lemon serves as Poirot’s no-nonsense secretary, Ariadne Oliver is an impulsive and clever crime-writer who provides insight to Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool is a trusty policeman who appears in later novels. Christie’s other featured detective protagonist, Miss Marple, also has a few sidekicks. Marple is more collaborative than Poirot by nature, and she is at times accompanied by Miss Knight and Cherry Baker, who ends up living with her in later years.
Mystery novels wouldn’t be nearly as interesting to read without a steadfast sidekick. Agatha Christie knew this. That’s why she devoted time and effort into ensuring that each of her sidekicks had a rich and interesting backstory, lest they fade into oblivion. In Portland Stage’s production of Murder on the Links, Captain Hastings is played by a femaleidentifying actor, which adds another layer of intrigue to the character and his working relationship with Poirot. In Steven Dietz's stage adaptation Murder on the Links, Hastings has all the fixings of a great sidekick; faithfulness, ambition, and a desire for the truth. It’s no wonder that Sherlock Holmes describes his sidekick Dr. Watson as, “the one fixed point in a changing age.” In any time, a loyal and dedicated pal can never be underestimated.
PHoto of Batman (adam west) and roBin (Burt ward) in 1966.
an illustration of sHerloCk Holmes and dr watson in "tHe adVenture of tHe emPty House" 1903.
Who Was Agatha Christie?
by Micki Demby Kleinman
Prolific author Agatha Christie (née Miller) is the best-selling novelist of all time. The only works that outsell Christie are those of Shakespeare and the Bible. Since her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Christie has sold over 2 billion copies of her books. In addition to writing 66 crime novels, Christie wrote 164 short stories, 30 plays, two autobiographies, and an additional six books under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. Who was Agatha Christie, what was her life like, and how did she become one of the most successful authors of all time?
Born in 1890 in the United Kingdom, Agatha Miller was an independent, imaginative child, who taught herself to read by the age of five. She spent her childhood between England and France, attending a series of girls’ and boarding schools, and immersing herself

in piano and singing lessons. At this time she was already often writing short stories. In 1914, Agatha Miller married Archibald Christie. During World War I, Agatha Christie worked as a wartime nurse, and later worked with pharmacists at the hospital dispensary. This job provided her with the extensive knowledge about chemicals and poisons that would later appear as “weapons” in her murder mysteries. Christie reportedly once said about her novels’ victims, “they can’t be poisoned every time, but I am happier when they are.” Around this time, Christie’s sister challenged her to write a crime novel where the reader would not be able to solve the mystery before the detective. This prompt, and the influx of Belgian refugees in the United Kingdom due to the war, inspired Christie to draft her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring retired Belgian policeman Hercule Poirot. The novel was rejected by publishers for a number of years, until the Bodley Head publishers took a chance on the new author. Following the publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles in 1920, Christie wrote and published a novel for each year in the decade, including her famous and successful The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, published in 1926.
In addition to writing about fictional mysteries, there was a real mystery surrounding Christie herself. On a cold winter’s night in 1926, Christie disappeared from her home, leaving behind her daughter Rosalind, an abandoned car, and no explanation. Days later, after an international manhunt and much press, Christie was found at a hotel claiming to have no memory of who she was. This episode only advanced Christie’s fame, as the intrigues of her personal life only added to her mystery novelist persona. Since then, it has been posited that this occurrence was a direct result of marital issues between Christie and her husband. Her husband had started having an affair; by the end of the decade the two would be divorced. This
agatHa CHristie CirCa 1914.

theory is supported by the name that Christie used to check into the hotel, Nancy Neele, which was the name of Archie Christie’s new lover. Though widely discussed by the press and the public, this incident was never mentioned by Christie herself, even in her autobiography. Was it a marketing ploy, a true case of amnesia, a runaway wife, or something in between?
During the late 1920s, Christie began writing under her pseudonym Mary Westmacott, which allowed her to expand her scope of writing to be less focused on mystery and more on interpersonal relationships, human psychology, and love. Absent in the Spring is a Westmacott book with autobiographical components. The book, written in three short days, focuses on a middle-aged woman taking stock of her life, her relationships, and who she has become. Another Westmacott novel that Christie cherished was The Rose and The Yew Tree, which explores a couple grappling with their differing socioeconomic origins and how it affects their relationship. Christie would
ultimately publish six Mary Westmacott novels.
In 1930 Christie married archeologist Max Mallowan, 15 years her junior. While married, she accompanied him on archeological expeditions in Iraq and Syria, and often assisted with his digs. These foreign environments had a marked influence on her writing, as seen in books such as Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Murder in Mesopotamia, Appointment With Death, and They Came to Baghdad, as well as many short stories. Her books continued to be influenced by the ongoing events in her life. During the second World War, her books took a more serious turn, like in N or M?, in which detectives Tommy and Tuppence, now middle-aged, are tasked with subverting German spies.
In 1947, Christie wrote a radio play for BBC titled Three Blind Mice, which ultimately became the stage play The Mousetrap. The Mousetrap premiered in the West End in London in 1952, and is still running today. Omitting the hiatus due to COVID, The Mousetrap is the longest continuously running stage play in the world. During the 1950s Christie found much success as a playwright. In 1954 she became the only playwright to have three productions concurrently running in the West End: The Mousetrap, Witness for the Prosecution, and Spider Web.
Christie's last novel was published three years before her eventual death on January 12, 1976. After her death, her notebooks and dictaphone were discovered and examined. These notes and recordings contained examples of victims, perpetrators, motives, which Christie would then piece these together until a cohesive story emerged. This offers insight into the methodical way that she wrote her detective stories. Instead of focusing too much on the psychological depth of all of these characters, Christie spent more energy focusing on the plots and the “puzzle stories” she so expertly crafted. Over the course of her lifetime, Agatha Christie's inventive storytelling, captivating characters, and unparalleled work ethic enabled her to achieve extraordinary things and leave behind an exceptional legacy.
newsPaPer artiCle PuBlisHed in deCemBer of 1926 regarding agatHa CHristie's mysterious dissaPearenCe.
Recommended Resources
by Editors
Read
The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Unfinished Portrait by Agatha Christie
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Lonely Planet by Steven Dietz
Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz
Watch
“The Unicorn and the Wasp” from 2008 TV series Doctor Who Clue by Jonathan Lynn
BBC’s Sherlock
ITV’s Agatha Christie’s Poirot Knives Out by Rian Johnson
Murder on the Orient Express by Kenneth Branagh
Listen
The Murder on the Links by Audiobooks Unbound
Get Involved
Maine Crime Writers, mainecrimewriters.com

direCtor keVin r. free* & Costume sHoP manager susan tHomas at tHe first readtHrougH of Murder On The Links PHoto By aressa goodriCH (*memBer, stage direCtors & CHoreograPHers soCiety).
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Professional actors perform a 50-minute adaptation of a Shakespeare play, followed by a talkback. In 2025 we will be touring Hamlet to middle and high schools. After the performance, students engage directly with the text in an interactive workshop with the actors and creative team. In these workshops, students practice effective communication, creative collaboration, rhetoric, and critical analysis. The program also comes with a comprehensive Resource Guide filled with information and resources about the play we are focusing on. Directors Lab puts Shakespeare’s language into the hands and mouths of the students, empowering them to be the artists, directors, and ensemble with the power to interpret the text and produce meaning.
Portland Stage Company

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Jennifer London Company Manager, Apprentice Coordinator
Carrigan O'Brian Audience Services Associate
Stacey Salotto-Cristobol Education Assistant
Don Smith Audience Services Manager
Julianne Shea Education Administrator, Apprentice Coordinator
Adam Thibodeau House Manager
Michael Dix Thomas Education Director
Apprentice Company
Charlie Bowen Education Apprentice
Kevin Commander Stage Management Apprentice
Renata Cortés Costumes Apprentice
Sadie Goldstein Education Apprentice
Micki Demby Kleinman Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Kimmarie McCrann Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Larsen Nichols Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Casey Pitts Company Management Apprentice
Jessica Podemski Costumes Apprentice
Sierra Riley Electrics Apprentice
Grάinne Sheehan Props Apprentice
Charlotte Teplitz Stage Management Apprentice