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Orion Fiction gains rights to Christie’s The Mousetrap ahead of 70th anniversary
Orion Fiction has acquired publishing rights in new editions of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap – the world’s longest running play.
Sarah Benton, executive publisher for Orion commercial fiction, acquired world rights, excluding Spain and Italy, from Dan Marks and Anouska Spiers at The Theseus Agency, on behalf of Adam Spiegel and Mousetrap Productions Ltd.
In line with the 70th anniversary of the play, a new edition will be published with a brand-new introduction and never before seen archive material including letters, programme designs, an interview with producer Adam Spiegel and other memorabilia.
The Mousetrap began its life as a radio play called “Three Blind Mice”, which was commissioned for Queen Mary’s 80th birthday and first broadcast in 1947. It is now the world’s longest running show of any kind and has been presented in 27 languages in more than 50 countries worldwide. The original cast of the play included Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim, and more than 500 actors and actresses have since appeared in the play.
For the 70th anniversary, the play has embarked on a major tour of the UK and Ireland, and recently opened at the Theatre Royal Nottingham, where it held its original world premiere in 1952. The thriller will then visit 70 venues across the country, including all cities in which it originally played 70 years ago ahead of finding its home in London’s West End.
Benton said: “As a lifelong Christie fan, when this opportunity came across my desk I jumped straight on it. As the home of crime this is the perfect addition to Orion, and the whole team is buzzing. Accessing the archive and putting this project together has been an enormous privilege and we can’t wait to keep the story of The Mousetrap alive for another 70 years!”
Spiegel commented: “As part of the 70th anniversary celebration of The Mousetrap it is essential for us to recognise the unparalleled impact Agatha Christie has had on the literary world. The Mousetrap has established a partnership with the National Literacy Trust and I am delighted to now also be working with Sarah and her team at Orion to bring to life their creative vision for these new editions of Agatha Christie’s iconic play.”
Orion will publish a hardback edition for theatres and the general trade in March 2023, plus a special collector’s edition for next Christmas.
