The New Palace Theatre Company (Green & Lenagan) at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea presented the first ever Agatha Christie Theatre Festival. It ran from 8 May to 28 July 2001.
The festival, featured all of Christie's 25 plays, including a semi-staged performance of the West End production of The Mousetrap using all of the actors of the West End cast of the 'World's Longest Running Play.' This was the first time The Mousetrap has been licensed in the UK outside of the West End since it launched in 1952. 25 actors for the 135 performances of all 25 of Agatha Christie's plays in a 12-week season to mark the 25th anniversary of the mystery writer's death. It is believed that the Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea holds the world record for performing plays by Agatha Christie.