Call for Papers - The Ageless Agatha Christie

The Ageless Agatha Christie: Adaptations and Afterlives

A One-Day Conference at the University of Exeter, Monday 20^th June 2016

Confirmed Keynote Speakers

Sophie Hannah, author of Hercule Poirot mysteries

Dr Mark Aldridge, Southampton Solent University

When Agatha Christie died in 1976, she was the acknowledged Queen of Crime. The bestselling novelist and most successful playwright of the twentieth century, she created the immortal detectives Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. Forty years after her death, her play The Mousetrap is in its seventh decade in London’s West End, while the BBC’s And Then There Were None was the most viewed television drama on Boxing Day 2015. With continuation novels, apps and video games, and big screen adaptations forthcoming, the Christie brand continues to adapt and evolve.

This conference will consider Agatha Christie in the context of adaptations and afterlives. We invite proposals for twenty-minute papers relating to this theme in any way. Suggested topics include but are not limited to:

Christie in the 21^st century

Continuation and tribute novels

Fandom, fanfiction, and fan studies

Stage, Screen, or Radio legacy

The art of adapting

Christie as a fictional character

Graphic novels

New strategies, new readers

Politics and globality

LGBTQ+ readings and appropriations

Detective fiction today

Translation

National identity and heritage

Rediscovery and re-evaluation

Please email abstracts of around 200 words to the organisers Dr Jamie Bernthal and Mia Dormer, at agathachristieconference@gmail.com no later than Monday 29^th February 2016. We also invite unorthodox or creative approaches to the theme.

#Agatha2016

Criminal Snippets

© The Guardian

Excellent interview with Sophie Hannah in the Guardian.   It can be read here.  One of the most important points she makes and something that has constantly annoyed me is the fact that many people think that crime fiction can’t be literature.  I often wonder what books they have been reading.

According to the Bookseller Michael Fassbender is to star in the film adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s bestselling novel The Snowman. Filming starts in the middle of January 2016 and is currently set for release in the cinema in October 2017.

Alison Flood in the Guardian interviews author Paula Hawkins on becoming a literary sensation with her novel Girl on the Train.

According to Cinemablend xXx: The Return of Xander Cage will see the return of a major character.  More information can be found here.

Sherlock fans might be interested in the short trailer for BBC’s Christmas special The Abominable Bride.  It can be seen below.

Fans of Ann Cleeves Shetland series will be pleased to note that a six part series is due to start on BBC One on 15 January 2016.  More information can be found here.

Look out for Deutschland 83 which is an 8 part Cold War Spy thriller set amidst a divided Germany.  It is to be shown on Channel 4 starting on 3 January 2016.  More information can be found here.

Interested in knowing what are the world’s greatest spy films? If so then in the run up to the launch of Deutschland 83 Channel 4 are counting down the ten most thrilling spy movies as chosen by “real spies” and spy masters.  More information can be found here.  The programme is due to be shown on 2^nd January 2016 on Channel 4 at 21:00.

Remember the Robert Rodriguez film From Dusk to Dawn? Well the series is due to launch on Spike at 9:00pm on 4 January 2016.  More information about the series can be found here.

Publishers Weekly have issued their list of best mysteries of 2015.  The full list can be found here and includes The Cartel by Don Winslow, James Lee Burke’s House of the Rising Sun and Charles McCarry’s The Mulberry Bush to name a few.

Whilst not strictly crime fiction – fans of actor Idris Elba who plays Luther may be interested to know that he will be sharing his favourite music on BBC Radio 6 on Sunday 27 December 2015 between 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Agatha Christie’s 125th birthday

Press Release

Internationally-acclaimed author Kate Mosse commissioned to pen short story to celebrate Agatha Christie’s 125^th birthday, for BBC.com Culture

BBC Culture, one of six bespoke feature sections on BBC.com announced its first short story commission today [September 15, 2015]. Written by Kate Mosse, ‘Eleven Days’ celebrates the 125^th anniversary of the birth of Dame Agatha Christie.

Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time and the world’s best-selling mystery writer, as well as Britain’s most popular author.

Kate took her inspiration for the short story from the eleven days in December 1926 when Christie went missing. Her disappearance sparked one of the largest manhunts in history. Kate’s story is about celebrity, about the ways in which writers use their own experiences in their fiction, and an attribute to the Queen of Crime.

A life-long fan of Christie’s work, Kate has revealed in previous interviews that when she is writing, the only author she can read is Agatha Christie;

“All the novels and short story collections, plays, I've read over and over. They've kept me company all my reading, then writing, life, so I was delighted to be asked.  I didn't want to speculate about what might have happened or to put words into Agatha Christie's mouth, so instead I tried to imagine what it might have been like to be involved on the sidelines.”

Available exclusively on bbc.com/culture, the story features bespoke illustrations by Owen Gatley, a freelance illustrator who has previously worked with a variety of international clients, including The New York Times, Adidas, The Guardian, Google, ASOS, GQ and The Independent.

Matthew Anderson, Editor of BBC Culture, says:

“We were looking for a special way to mark the Agatha Christie anniversary in 2015 and what better way than to have Kate Mosse, another internationally best-selling crime writer, re-imagine Christie’s real-life mystery?”

“We’re thrilled Kate agreed to write this thoughtful and original piece for BBC Culture and we’re sure fans across the globe will enjoy reading Kate’s take on those eventful eleven days.”

BBC Culture launched in the spring of 2013 and became available to UK audiences earlier this year.  The site reaches around 3 million unique browsers every month.  It offers fans an alternative lens on global trends across the arts, through a rich mix of videos, images and editorial content from an array of well-known and respected writers and commentators. The story is part of a new series called BBC Britain that was launched across all of the feature sections in June.

Twitter: @BBC_Culture

               @BBC_Britain

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BBCCulture

     www.facebook.com/BBCBritain       

-Ends-

Contact

For further information contact;

Cassandra Power

Cassandra.power@bbc.com

020 8433 1525 / 07739 300 280

BBC Worldwide Press Office

News about Brian Clemens and David Shelley

Brian Clemens 1931 to 2015

Copyright - bedfordshire-news.co.uk

Scriptwriter and producer Brian Clemens who was responsible for a large number of TV crime dramas such as The Avengers,  and The Persuaders. His scripts have enlivened almost every action-drama series seen on television over the last 50 years.

A thriller screenplay that he wrote Valid for Single Journey Only was accepted and shot by the BBC in 1955.  From the middle of the 1950s he was involved in a number of movies and TV drama series including Danger Man (which featured Patrick McGoohan), The Man from Interpol and the original The Invisible Man.

Brian Clemens wrote the original pilot episode for The Avengers back in 1961 and went on to be the script editor, associate producer and main scriptwriter for the series. He was also involved in writing episodes for the US TV series Darkroom which was hosted by James Coburn, Remington Steele (which featured Pierce Brosnan) and Max Monroe: Loose Cannon.  Brian Clemens was also involved in Bergerac, ITV’s Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense.  He also adapted Gavin Lyall’s espionage thriller The Secret Servant into a three part drama for the BBC in 1984. He was also involved in C15: The New Professionals. He also wrote three episodes for Quiller the TV series and a number of episodes for The Persuaders along with The Champions TV series.

In the US he was again involved in and worked on a number of notable TV crime dramas including The Father Dowling Mysteries, Raymond Burr’s Perry Mason (the feature length series) and Diagnosis: Murder featuring Dick Van Dyke and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  

He was also involved in films and either wrote and produced a number of films for Hammer Films.  He also wrote the screenplays for the films Operation Murder (1957), Station –Six Sahara (1963) and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991).

Clemens was also the author of a number of novels including The Devil at Midnight (2001) and Murder Weapon (2012) both which were adapted into plays.

Using the name Tony O'Grady he also wrote episodes for the TV series Dial 999.

The Telegraph obituary can be found here.

-----

Congratulations go to David Shelley who is to take over as CEO of Little, Brown in July, with current CEO Ursula Mackenzie working on “special projects” for the publisher and its parent company Hachette UK until her retirement at the end of 2016.

Shelley, hitherto Little, Brown publisher, has now been appointed deputy CEO of Little, Brown, reporting to Mackenzie, and he will take over the CEO role on 1st July. The 38-year-old joined the Hachette UK main board on 1st January.

An interview with David Shelley can be found here.

Yorkshire Smashes Sherlock World Record

Yorkshire beat the Guinness World Record for the Most People Dressed as Sherlock Holmes today (31 August) with 443 gathering from across the UK dressed as the detective.
 

In a dedicated Sherlock Festival, with music, dance, circus, funfairs and cosplay, hundreds of people dressed in deerstalker hats, cloaks, with pipe and magnifying glass, did a collective Sherlock mob dance to ‘Staying Alive’ putting a modern twist on the Victorian detective. The dance included the theme tune to the BBC Sherlock series, shuffling to the left then the right.
 

On a glorious sunny day at Temple Newsam, there was a sea of dancing Sherlocks, at the end of the Record, they sang along to ‘We are the Champions’.
 

The last World Record attempt was in London – Yorkshire trebled the number collated in the capital (113).
 

Sherlock and Dr Who writer STEVEN MOFFAT and wife, TV Producer SUE VERTUE, sent a video message of support for the Sherlock World Record, which was met with cheers and applause. They donated a BBC Sherlock script which was signed by all the cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, and writers, for the best dressed Sherlock.
 

The winner was Christian Whitley, 12, from Leeds.
 

A dropbox message of support from Steve Moffat and Sue Vertue was also received.

SHERLOCK ON THE CASE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH

The attempt took place at 2.30pm.

Sherlock Holmes, one of the most popular consulting detectives of all time, is on the case to help raise money for one of Europe’s largest teaching hospitals - the Leeds Teaching Hospitals – to help raise funds for a new Yorkshire Brain Research Centre.

The Guinness World Records attempt promised to be the biggest Sherlock party ever. Every

participant received a Deerstalker hat, pipe and magnifying glass on the day of the event for an entry fee of £15, all proceeds go to the charity.   The minimum number of people required to set a new Guinness World Records title is 250 participants.

The event, hosted by actor and comedian Neil Grainger, included a big stage featuring comedy, music, dance, cosplay, circus and theatre, and a fun fair.

Clair Challenor-Chadwick, Appeal Director of the Yorkshire Brain Research Centre, said: “Sherlock is the perfect fit for brain research as the brainiest detective of all time was born in Yorkshire. He is helping us raise awareness of this much under-funded area to help patients with dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s and MS.”

A spokesperson from Guinness World Records said: “We’d like to wish everyone participating in this attempt the very best of luck.  It’s for a great cause, and hopefully by the end you’ll be official Guinness World Records holders.”

The event has galvanised world-wide support with donations from Chile, France, USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico. Sherlocks have been popping up from around the world on social media, with Sherlock fans posting #sherlockselfie pics to help raise awareness of brain research and the world record attempt. Pictures have been posted from the Great Wall of China, from Australian beaches, and outside 221B Baker Street itself.

The new research centre will help deal with life-limiting brain conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and dementia. The centre will conduct research for patient benefit and will help scientists find new treatments and drug therapies.

By 2030 there will be a 20% increase in Parkinson’s alone, a disease that we’ve seen take its toll with Robin Williams, while numbers of dementia patients are expected to soar by 80%.

Social media fans are being asked to TEXT BRAIN to 88811 to donate £5 and to nominate a friend.

For more info: www.sherlockworldrecord.com

@sherlockrecord, #sherlockselfie

ENDS

EDITORS NOTES

The Yorkshire Brain Research Centre is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Foundation, charity number 1075308.

For information about the Yorkshire Brain Research Centre go to www.ybrc.org.uk

The Sherlock World Record will raise funds for a £2m research centre for Epilepsy, MS, Parkinsons and Dementia. Please contact Appeal Director, Clair Chadwick, for more information on 07531948014 or email clair@causeuk.com