Anyone who reads my blog regularly (thank you, faithful reader!) knows that I love my Agatha Christie and am currently re-reading all her works and writing them up for my blog. So I just had to see Fringe Management’s production of Agatha is Missing! at the Billiard Room @ Gilded Balloon Teviot, at 14:30 on Monday 20th. Let’s read the blurb: “Agatha Christie is missing and ace detective, Miss Clarissa Marbles, needs your help in solving the crime. Was it the cook, the husband, the secret admirer… or you? Everyone is a suspect in this fun-filled whodunnit. If you have a criminal record or any skeletons in your closet, she’ll find out. And of course, don’t hesitate to inform on your neighbours. The audience votes on the best solution to this rollicking whodunit and a lovely prize will be awarded to the winner! ‘A winning performance’ (New York Daily News). ‘Outstanding’ (Backstage.com).”

This sounds like it’s going to be a cross between that old off-Broadway hit, Something’s Afoot, and the Mystery of Edwin Drood, where, again, the audience had to vote on who killed Edwin. Ace detective Clarissa Marbles is played by Prudence Wright Holmes and I hope this will be a lot of fun. However, it seems to divide audiences – I’ve seen some audience reviews that don’t rate this show at all! So I’m a bit nervous of this one now. Check back after 4pm to see if booking it was a big mistake. By then the next preview blog should be available to read too.

One of those “only in Edinburgh” experiences. Quaint, eccentric, but thoroughly good fun. Like an Edwardian parlour game. Just remember one thing: Agatha Christie went missing in 1926, but didn’t die until 1976. It’s a clue!