International Agatha Christie Festival

Every September, the English Riviera in Devon becomes a crime scene worth some serious investigation, as we celebrate the birthday of our most famous literary daughter.  Each year you can expect a series of events coinciding with her birthday on 15 September, the next International Agatha Christie Festival will be held 11-18th September 2021, with more fun and literary events than you can shake a smoking gun at.

The 2021 Festival will run from 11-18 September 2021.

• 2021 speakers include award-winning novelists Anthony Horowitz and Kate Mosse
• 2021 performers include an award-winning actress Annette Badland
• 2021 venues include Dartmoor Prison Museum, the Golden Hind, Oldway Mansion, Paignton Picturehouse, Paignton Zoo, the Palace Theatre, the River Dart, Rowcroft Hospice, the Torbay coast, Torquay Museum and Torre Abbey Museum;
• 2021 events include the UK premiere of a mystery play by Christie.

Tickets are on sale at www.ticketsource.co.uk/agathafestival

And it’s bigger than ever (See the current programme, annexed). Among many highlights:

- The UK professional premiere of THE STRANGER, Agatha Christie's gripping psychological thriller;

- Award-winning authors ANTHONY HOROWITZ and KATE MOSSE in conversation;

- A NEW EXHIBITION ABOUT AGATHA CHRISTIE and her travels in the middle East, developed with the Christie Archive Trust;

- Award-winning actress ANNETTE BADLAND in a special event on The Golden Hind in Brixham harbour;

- A new film, AGATHA CHRISTIE AND THE NEAR EAST, about the archaeological experiences of Christie and her husband Max Mallowan in Iraq and Syria;

- A HOST OF ACKNOWLEDGED AUTHORITIES ON AGATHA CHRISTIE’S LIFE AND WORK ON STAGE AND SCREEN AT A RANGE OF VENUES ACROSS THE ENGLISH RIVIERA.

In parallel, there are fringe events including guided tours, the opportunity to go seal-watching on the Dart by Christie’s home at Greenway House and a very special model railway ... as well as several online events, including talks by the author Christopher Huang and Christie expert Chris Chan.

Full details of the Festival programme and fringe events will be published in June when tickets will go on sale. To be among the first to find out, subscribe to Festival News on the Festival website, www.iacf-uk.org or follow the Festival on Twitter and Facebook (@AgathaFestival).

The Queen of Crime was born is Torquay, Devon in 1890 and worked and socialised in this fashionable resort. During the First World War she trained and worked as a nurse in the temporary soldiers’ hospital housed at Torquay Town Hall, then, gaining her useful knowledge of poisons she trained as a pharmacist. She completed the writing of her first novel in 1916 at the Moorlands Hotel near Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor. In 1938 she and her husband Max Mallowan bought the estate of Greenway near Kingswear. This National Trust property makes a fascinating place to visit. The perfect way of arriving is to take the Dartmouth Steam Railway from Paignton to Greenway Halt, just like Poirot did in the ABC Murders. She wrote her first crime novels while living in the resort and indeed the area features in no less than 15 of her novels.

If you'd like to investigate these local connections more, why not follow the Agatha Christie Mile. Pick up a leaflet from the Visitor Information Centre and prepare to drift back into the style and opulence of the Jazz Age, as you retrace the steps of the world’s best-selling author along Torquay’s seafront. Starting at either the Imperial Hotel (which features in several novels) or the Grand Hotel (where she spent the first night of her honeymoon), the Agatha Christie Mile takes you to some of the places that were inspirational in her life and works, with seven unique plaques to find along the way. You’ll also see the Agatha Christie Bust, created to commemorate her centenary year in 1990.

Another stop along the route the is Torquay Museum, which is home to the world's only dedicated Agatha Christie Gallery. You can step into Poirot's study and lounge, with furniture and props from the ITV series. There are also costumes worn by David Suchet, as well as by Joan Hickson when she played Miss Marple. You can also view a collection of Agatha Christie's personal effects, including handwritten notes and items of clothing. It's a fascinating visit during the festival or indeed any other time of the year. 

Add the Agatha Christie Potent Plants Garden at Torre Abbey Museum to your itinerary. The Abbey’s head gardener dug deep into the murky world of poisons, antidotes and remedies in Agatha Christie’s novels and created a garden featuring a variety of interesting plants that may cure or kill, depending on one’s motives. Of course, it’s not really dangerous - less potent garden cultivars were planted and the garden is designed to entertain - not provide murderous opportunities!

Torre Abbey Museum is also the home of the annual International Agatha Christie Festival which celebrates Agatha Christie and her astonishingly rich and diverse legacy. The Festival includes series of literary talks, fascinating exhibitions, workshops, performances, a murder mystery escape room, film screenings, guided walks, a vintage swim and a period garden party. Elsewhere across the Bay you will also find a variety of murder mystery events taking place, as well as theatre productions and other Christie-themed fun.

A unique bronze bust statue of Agatha Christie, created by Dutch sculptor Carol Van Den Boom-Cairns, is located on Palk Street, on the Agatha Christie Mile, and close to the beautiful Edwardian Pavilion where her first husband Archie Christie proposed to her following a Wagner concert. 

If you are looking to attend the International Agatha Christie Festival, or simply to visit the English Riviera to enjoy its many connections with the world's best-selling author, be sure to book your accommodation early. As you can imagine, it attracts thousands of day and overnight visitors to the resort and surrounding areas.

With this part of Devon so well-known for Agatha Christie, Christie-related events also take place throughout the year, so keep an eye on our What's On section to stay up-to date!

For a more detailed look into the life of Agatha Christie and her close affinity with the English Riviera then please check out our in-depth blog article or even our 'Top 10 Agatha Christie things to do'!