A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE
Go Back for Murder
Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 6m
After a wrongly convicted woman dies in prison, her daughter recreates the scene of the crime to exonerate her memory. Agatha Christie adapted this suspenseful stage play from her novel Five Little Pigs.
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Cast Size
4w, 6m -
Duration
More than 120 minutes (2 hours) -
Subgenre
Adaptation (Literature), Mystery/Thriller -
Target Audience
Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Details
Summary
After receiving a letter from beyond the grave, Carla Crale believes her mother, who died in prison, was wrongly convicted of her father’s murder. In a passionate attempt to clear her name, she persuades those present on the day of her father’s death to return to the scene of the crime and ‘go back’ 15 years to recount their version of events.
An unusual take on the traditional murder mystery, the play slips seamlessly from past to present, examining the danger of relying on personal testimony warped by time, prejudice and perception. By studying each suspect’s testimony, and the various inconsistencies among them, the drama arrives at a disturbing and terrible truth.
History
Cast Attributes
Keywords
- Time Period 1940s/WWII, 1930s
- Setting Several locations in London and Alderbury, in the West of England. Autumn 1964.
- Features Period Costumes
- Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Cautions
- Mild Adult Themes
Media
“A subtle and ingenious detective story.” – The Guardian
“Agatha Christie’s Go Back for Murder, which deals with family values and filial devotion, has a lot to recommend it. It is a classic whodunit filled with red herrings … a subplot of romantic love.” – Leah D. Frank, The New York Times
“A subtle and ingenious detective story, an elegiac love story and a masterful example of storytelling technique, with five separate accounts of one devastating event. Christie's greatest achievement.” – John Curran, The Guardian on Five Little Pigs, the story on which this play is based
“Demonstrates the author’s uncanny skill. The answer to the riddle is brilliant.” – Maurice Willson Disher, The Times
Music
- Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
- Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
- Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)
Licensing & Materials
- Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
Please submit a license request to determine availability.