A Guide to the Plays of Agatha Christie: Murder, Mystery, and Mastery on Stage
Agatha Christie wasn’t just the Queen of Crime – she was also one of the most successful playwrights of the 20th century. With over 30 stage works to her name, her plays have been just as enduring as her novels, if not more so in some cases. The Mousetrap alone has become a phenomenon, with a West End run that started in 1952 and still hasn’t stopped.
As a long-time Christie fan, I’ve always found her stage work fascinating. There’s something about the way she builds tension in a confined space – how every line of dialogue matters, how the characters unravel in front of you – that feels tailor-made for theatre.
If you’re curious about the plays by Agatha Christie – which ones are worth seeing, what makes them work, or how they compare to her novels – this guide will take you through it all.
1. Agatha Christie as a Playwright: A Quick Overview
Agatha Christie’s relationship with theatre started early, but it wasn’t until 1930 that she wrote her first stage play – Black Coffee, a Poirot mystery that marked his only official stage appearance created directly by Christie herself. From there, she went on to craft over 30 plays, becoming the most performed female playwright in history.
She didn’t just stick to adaptations either. Many of her plays were original works written specifically for the stage, with a focus on confined settings, tightly drawn characters, and a final twist that hits just as hard live as it does in print.
While she used the pen name Mary Westmacott for her romantic novels, all her plays were written under her real name. She worked closely with producers like Peter Saunders, who helped bring The Mousetrap to the West End, where it’s stayed ever since.
Christie had a clear instinct for what would land well with live audiences. Her stage work strips things back – no long inner monologues, no chapters to build tension – just actors, a script, and a well-placed silence. And it works.
2. The Mousetrap: The World’s Longest Running Play
You can’t talk about plays by Agatha Christie without starting here. The Mousetrap opened in London’s West End in 1952 and has never closed. It’s the longest continuously running play in the world – and it’s still drawing audiences in.
The story is classic Christie: a snowed-in guesthouse, a group of strangers, a murder, and a killer still among them. Everyone has a secret. Everyone’s a suspect. And just when you think you’ve worked it out, you haven’t.
What makes The Mousetrap special isn’t just the plot – although the twist is iconic – it’s the tradition. At the end of every performance, the audience is asked not to reveal the ending. And for over 70 years, they’ve kept the secret.
I saw it at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. The atmosphere was perfect – just the right balance of suspense and wit. There’s something about being in a theatre, watching it unfold in real time, that makes the tension hit harder. You can feel the audience holding their breath in certain moments. It’s a masterclass in structure.
3. Top 5 Must-See Agatha Christie Plays
1. And Then There Were None
Ten strangers. One remote island. And a chilling message: they’re all guilty. One by one, they begin to die – and the killer is among them.
This is the one for me. My all-time favourite book. No matter how many times I read or watch it, it still gets under my skin. The atmosphere is tense from the start, the characters are drawn so precisely, and the structure is flawless.
The stage version captures all of that intensity, and then some. It’s one of those plays where silence says as much as dialogue – you can feel the weight of every pause. Arcade Players are performing it next year, and I’m ridiculously excited. There’s nothing quite like seeing this story come to life in a theatre.
2. Witness for the Prosecution
Set entirely in and around a courtroom, this play throws you into a murder trial where nothing is quite what it seems. Just when you think you understand who’s telling the truth, another piece of the puzzle drops.
The staging can be incredibly immersive – the London production is actually performed in London County Hall, which makes it feel more real than most courtroom dramas ever do. It’s all about twists, timing, and that final, unforgettable scene.
3. The Mousetrap
Already covered, but it belongs here too. If you’re ticking off the classics, this is non-negotiable.
4. Black Coffee
Christie’s first play – and the only one she wrote that featured Hercule Poirot. It’s often overlooked but deserves more love. There’s a scientific formula, a locked-room setup, and Poirot calmly dismantling every lie in the room.
Later adapted into a novel by Charles Osborne, Black Coffee shows Christie finding her feet on stage – and she hits the ground running.
5. A Murder Is Announced
A local paper prints a notice for a murder that hasn’t happened yet – but soon will. Miss Marple gets involved, and things quickly unravel. This one leans into the village-gossip-meets-deadly-secret territory that Christie did so well.
It also includes one of Christie’s more quietly progressive touches: the characters of Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd. They live together, bicker like an old married couple, and clearly share a life – even if it’s never named as such. In a time when queer relationships had to exist between the lines, this one stands out.
4. Lesser-Known Gems Worth Discovering
Spider’s Web
A light comedy-thriller about a diplomat’s wife trying to hide a corpse during a cocktail party. It’s witty, fast-paced, and fun.
The Unexpected Guest
A moody stranger, a foggy night, and a woman caught standing over her dead husband. Christie plays with ambiguity here in clever ways.
Verdict
Not a murder mystery in the usual sense – this is a moral drama, exploring idealism, betrayal, and sacrifice.
Fiddlers Three
A rare farce from late in her career. Uneven but playful. For completists and comedy fans.
5. Themes and Tropes in Christie’s Stage Work
- Closed environments
- Hidden identities
- Moral ambiguity
- Red herrings
- Quiet domesticity hiding something darker
Christie’s plays are designed for the stage. You feel the tension build in real time. It’s subtle, layered, and hugely effective.
6. Where to Watch or Read Christie’s Plays
- West End: The Mousetrap at St Martin’s, Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall
- Touring: Check regional theatres
- Amateur theatre: Christie plays are amateur theatre staples. Check Concord Theatricals for rights.
- Reading: Collections like The Mousetrap and Other Plays or Go Back for Murder
7. Agatha Christie: The Woman Behind the Mysteries
Born in 1890, Christie’s life was full of quiet brilliance. From wartime pharmacy work (where she learned about poisons) to global travel with her archaeologist husband, everything fed into her writing.
She disappeared once. Wrote under a pseudonym. Created Poirot and Marple. And became the most translated and best-selling novelist in history.
She didn’t chase drama in life. But she mastered it on stage.
8. Complete List of Agatha Christie’s Plays
Originals: Black Coffee, The Hollow, Verdict, The Unexpected Guest, Spider’s Web, The Mousetrap, Witness for the Prosecution, Fiddlers Five, Rule of Three, A Daughter’s a Daughter
Adaptations: And Then There Were None, Appointment with Death, Cards on the Table, Go Back for Murder, Murder at the Vicarage, A Murder Is Announced, Murder on the Nile, Towards Zero, The Secret of Chimneys
Short works / one-acts: Personal Call, Yellow Iris, Butter in a Lordly Dish, The Rats, Afternoon at the Seaside, The Patient
9. Iconic Characters from Christie’s Plays
- Hercule Poirot (Black Coffee)
- Miss Marple (A Murder Is Announced, Murder at the Vicarage)
- Leonard Vole (Witness for the Prosecution)
- Vera Claythorne (And Then There Were None)
- Clarissa Hailsham-Brown (Spider’s Web)
- Miss Hinchcliffe & Miss Murgatroyd (A Murder Is Announced)
- Inspector Thomas (various)
10. Final Thoughts: Why Agatha Christie Still Works on Stage
Christie’s plays are tightly written, emotionally sharp, and built to land. There’s no wasted movement. No cheap reveals. Just structure, subtext, and characters slowly falling apart under pressure.
Whether you’re reading quietly at home or sitting in the dark waiting for the lights to go down, there’s still nothing like a Christie mystery when it’s live on stage.
And for those of us who already love her? It’s just more reason to keep coming back.
