Towards Zero is a 1956 play written by Agatha Christie and Gerald Verner based on Christie's 1944 novel with the same name.
In 1956, Christie adapted the book into a play with Gerald Verner. The play opened at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham on 6 Aug 1956 and toured the provinces before opening 4 Sep 1956 at the St James's Theatre in the West End of London, and the director was Murray MacDonald. The play was produced by Peter Saunders.
The play was first published by Samuel French Ltd. in 1957. Toward Zero was included in the 1978 Christie play collection, The Mousetrap and Other Plays.
Christie first wrote a stage play under this title in 1945, with one week of performances in Martha's Vineyard. The script was uncovered in 2015 by Julius Green.
Original West End cast[]
- Cyril Raymond as Thomas Royde
- Mary Law as Kay Strange
- Gillian Lind as Mary Aldin
- Frederick Leister as Mathew Treves
- George Baker as Nevile Strange
- Janet Barrow as Lady Tressilian
- Gwen Cherrell as Audrey Strange
- Michael Scott as Ted Latimer
- William Kendall as Superintendent Battle, CID, Scotland Yard
- Max Brimmell as Inspector Leach, local CID
- Michael Nightingale as PC Benson
1989 U.K. tour[]
The U.K. tour was directed by Christopher Renshaw.[1]
1989 cast[]
- Alan Palmer as Inspector Leach
- Miranda Baker as Kay Strange
- Liz Edmiston as Mary Aldin
- Marius Goring as Matthew Treves
- Richard Tyrell as PC Benson
- Anthony Laurie as Ted Latimer
- Eric Carte as Thomas Royde
- Gay Hamilton as Audrey Strange (27th February – 19th August 1989)
- Betty Benfield as Lady Tressilian (27th February – 19th August 1989)
- Michael Cashman as Nevile Strange (27th February – 19th August 1989)
- Glynn Edwards as Superintendent Battle (27th February – 19th August 1989)
- Jennifer Wilson as Audrey Strange (21st August – 7th October 1989)
- Una Brandon-Jones as Lady Tressilian (21st August – 7th October 1989)
- Christopher Reich as Nevile Strange (21st August – 7th October 1989)
- Michael Sharvell-Martin as Superintendent Battle (21st August – 7th October 1989)
2019 The Mill at Sonning production[]
The play was directed by Brian Blessed, and starred both his wife and his daughter.
2019 cast[]
- Hildegard Neil as Lady Tressilian
- Rosalind Blessed as Mary
- Rob Heanley as Neville Strange
- Bethan Nash as Kay Strange
- Kate Tydman as Audrey Strange
- Patrick Myles as Thomas Royde
- Duncan Wilkins as Ted Latimer
- George Telfer as Superintendent Battle
- Chris Pybus as Inspector Leach
- Noel White as Matthew Treves