Agatha Christie 2010

2010 will see a welcome return for the sixth annual Agatha Christie Week. Coinciding with the birthday of Agatha Christie, the week, coordinated by the Torbay Cultural partnership, will run from 12th - 19th September 2010.

The week is part of a nation-wide celebration of the life and works of the most published novelist of all time and 2010 will see the festival bigger and better than ever before as we celebrate 120 years since the birth of Agatha Christie.

Torquay is the birthplace of the undisputed "Queen of Crime" and the festival grows bigger each year. Expect to hear talks of the famous crime writer, street performances, creative writing workshops and screenings of Agatha Christie classics on film.

The first clue to discovering the author's many connections to her hometown of Torquay will be a visit to the Tourist Information Centre. Here you can enjoy a browse in the Agatha Christie Riviera Collection Shop. See Events programme below.

Download the Events Guide - Agatha Christie Festival 2010 PDF

Murder, mystery and mayhem are on the cards as the English Riviera prepares for its annual Agatha Christie Festival, the biggest event of its kind in the world! This September will see an extra special celebration of the life and works of the prolific author, for it is the 120^th anniversary of her birth.

A huge number of events are set to take place over the week-long celebration including all-star theatre productions, a 1930s ‘village’ fete, guided walks, book signings, murder mystery dinners, train and boat trips, garden parties and a very special charity open-water swim. There will also be a birthday fireworks display on Torquay seafront on Wednesday 15^th September, the day of her birth.

The festival is in fact a triple birthday celebration. The world’s most famous Belgian – Hercule Poirot - first exercised his “little grey cells” in Agatha Christie’s very first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, back in 1920, making this year his 90^th anniversary. Miss Jane Marple also made her first appearance in a full-length novel in The Murder at the Vicarage in 1930.

To celebrate Christie’s 120^th anniversary there will also be a very special treasure hunt with amazing prizes. Can you find the 120 red herrings cunningly hidden across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham? There’s an amazing prize up for grabs for the winner!

This year, fans of Christie will also be able to meet up and discuss stories as Breezes Café at the Princess Theatre in Torquay opens its doors for the duration of the festival.

Agatha Christie Festival Programme of Events

Event	Date	Time	Venue	Price	Contact
The Agatha Christie Fete	Sun 12 September	10:00-16:00	Palk Street, Torquay Harbourside	Free	01803 408358
Spider's Web	Sun 12 September	19:00	Little Theatre, Torquay	£9 - £10	01803 299330
Port Salut Cocktail Masterclass	Sun 12 September	18:00-21:00	Port Salut Bar and Brasserie	£25 (including drinks)	01803 293384
Witness for the Prosecution	Mon 13 September	19:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19 - £23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Mathew Prichard and John Curran in Conversation	Mon 13 September	16:00-18:00	New Paignton Library	TBC	01803 208321
Spider's Web	Mon 13 September	19:30	Little Theatre, Torquay	£9 - £10	01803 299330
The Agatha Christie Mile (guided walk)	Tues 14 September	10:30	Starts at the Agatha Christie Shop, Torquay Harbourside	£3	01803 211211
Lunch at Burgh Island	Tues 14 September	12:30-16:00	Burgh Island Hotel	£55	01548 810514
Murder Mystery Dining Train	Tues 14 September	19:00 - 22:00	Dartmouth Steam Railway, Queen's Park Station, Paignton	£49.95	01803 555872
Witness for the Prosecution	Tues 14 September	19:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Spider's Web	Tues 14 September	19:30	Little Theatre, Torquay	£9-£10	01803 299330
Agatha Christie Mile Driving Tour & Vintage Bus Ride	Wed 15 September	10am and 2pm	Belgrave Road, Torquay	£6 - £10	0845 4890418
Witness for the Prosecution	Wed 15 September	14:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Tea Dance	Wed 15 September	15:30 - 18:30	Ballroom, Oldway Mansion, Torquay	£12.50	01803 408358 01803 208300
The Evening Mystery Tour and Supper	Wed 15 September	18:30-21:30	Departs Brixham Quay	£10-£16	0845 4890418
Murder Mystery at the Cary Arms	Wed 15 September	19:00 for 19:30	Cary Arms	TBC	01803 327110
Twilight Tour of Greenway House	Wed 15 September	18:30-20:30	Greenway House	£20	01803 842382
Witness for the Prosecution	Wed 15 September	19:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Spider's Web	Wed 15 September	19:30	Little Theatre, Torquay	£9-£10	01803 299330
Birthday Extravaganza Fireworks	Wed 15 September	21:00 (approx)	Corbyn Head, Torquay Seafront	Free	01803 211211
Agatha Christie Birthday Celebration	Wed 15 September	20:00	Grand Hotel, Torquay	£15	01803 296677
Flower Festival	Thurs 16 - Sun 19 September	10:00-16:00	Churston Church, Churston Village	Free	01803 842451
The Agatha Christie Mile (guided walk)	Thurs 16 September	10:30	Starts at the Agatha Christie Shop, Torquay Harbourside	£3	01803 211211
Agatha Christie Mile Driving Tour & Vintage Bus Ride	Thurs 16 September	TBC	Torquay Harbourside	£8-£18	0845 4890418
A Garden Party to Die For	Thurs 16 September	15:00-17:00	Torre Abbey Gardens, Torquay	£9.50	01803 408358
Evening Mystery Tour and Supper	Thurs 16 September	18:30-21:30	The Strand, Torquay	£10-£16	0845 4890418
Murder Mystery Dining Train	Thurs 16 September	19:00-22:30	Dartmouth Steam Railway, Queen's Park Station, Paignton	£49.95	01803 555872
Agatha Christie - Literary Daughter of South Devon	Thurs 16 September	19:15 for 19:30	New Paignton Library, Station Lane, Paignton	£1.50	01803 408358 01803 208321
Witness for the Prosecution	Thurs 16 September	19:30	Princess Theatre	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Spider's Web	Thurs 16 September	19:30	Little Theatre	£9-£10	01803 299330
Agatha Christie Mile (guided walk)	Fri 17 September	10:30	Starts outside Agatha Christie shop, Torquay Harbourside	£3	01803 211211
Agatha Christie Mile Driving Tour & Vintage Bus Ride	Fri 17 September	TBC	Torquay Harbourside	£8-£18	0845 4890418
Flower Festival	Fri 17 September	10:00-16:00	Churston Church, Churston Ferrers	Free	01803 843541
A Hole in One - Murder Mystery	Fri 17 September	18:45	Churston Court Hotel, Churston Ferrers	£34.95	01803 842186
Witness for the Prosecution	Fri 17 September	19:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Spider's Web	Fri 17 September	19:30	Little Theatre, Torquay	£9-£10	01803 299330
Appointment with Death	Fri 17 September	19:30	Torquay Museum	£4	01803 293975
Flower Festival	Sat 18 September	10:00 - 12:30 14:00-16:00	Churston Church, Churston Ferrers	Free	01803 843541
Cream Tea Day	Sat 18 - Sun 19 September	10:00-16:00	Cockington Court, Torquay	Free Entry	01803 607230
Agatha Christie Mile Driving Tour & Vintage Bus Ride	Sat 18 September	TBC	Torquay Harbourside	£8-£18	0845 4890418
Tea on the Terrace	Sat 18 September	14:00-16:30	Living Coasts, Torquay	£6.95	01803 202470
Witness for the Prosecution	Sat 18 September	14:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Murder in the Abbey	Sat 18 September	19:00 for 19:30	Torre Abbey then Toorak Hotel, Torquay	£35	01803 400500
Witness for the Prosecution	Sat 18 September	19:30	Princess Theatre, Torquay	£19-£23	0844 8472315 01803 211211
Spider's Web	Sat 18 September	19:30	Little Theatre	£9-£10	01803 299330
Flower Festival	Sun 19 September	10:30-16:00	Churston Church, Chruston Ferrers	Free	01803 841541
Agatha Christie Mile Driving Tour & Vintage Bus Ride	Sun 19 September	TBC	Torquay Harbourside	£8-£18	0845 4890418
Agatha Christie Sea Swim	Sun 19 September	14:00-18:00	Starts Goodrington Beach, Paignton	£20	01803 408350
Gourmet Dinner and 1930s Themed Evening	Sun 19 September	18:45	Churston Court, Chrston Ferrers, Brixham	£49.95	01803 842186

Events are co-ordinated by the Torbay Cultural Partnership.

The staff will be able to give you more information about events taking place throughout the week, while you might like to buy a copy of the Exploring Agatha Christie Country car trail and any one of her novels, plays and short story collections. They also stock a wide range of associated merchandise, while for the first time this year you will be able to hire walking tour headsets to explore the local links to Mrs. Christie.

Visitors from all over the world come to Torquay to enjoy our annual celebration of the Queen of Crime, so why not join them for a brilliant week of activities and events all celebrating her legacy? It would be a crime not to.

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