Elaine Paige Cast in ITV's "Miss Marple" Series
By Andrew Gans
29 Jun 2004
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Elaine Paige
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| photo by Aubrey Reuben | Elaine Paige, the leading lady of the British musical theatre, returns to the small screen with a guest appearance on the hit series "Miss Marple."
Paige's official website says the award-winning actress will play Dora Bunner in the second of four "Miss Marple" TV films, which star Geraldine McEwan as Agatha Christie's spinster sleuth. The films will be broadcast on ITV1 later this year; shooting for the second film is expected to begin this month.
Paige, who made her long-awaited Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard, will be joined on the "Miss Marple" TV film by Zoë Wanamaker, Alexander Armstrong, Keeley Hawes and Robert Pugh as well as Claire Skinner, Cherie Lunghi, Frances Barber, Catherine Tate, Christian Coulson, Sienna Guillory, Matthew Goode and Virginia McKenna.
According to production notes, this "Miss Marple" film concerns "the villagers of Chipping Cleghorn [who] are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, September 25th, at Little Paddocks at 7:30 PM' A childish practical joke? Or a hoax intended to scare poor Letitia Blacklock? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out, a man bursts into the room and fires three shots. When the lights are turned back on, Letitia is wounded but the mysterious gunman lies dead on the floor."
The screenplay was written by Stewart Harcourt and will feature direction by John Strickland. Matthew Read, the producer of the series, said in a statement, "I am delighted that Stewart’s adaptation has attracted such a strong team to join Geraldine McEwan in our second film. 'A Murder Is Announced' is one of the most tightly plotted and best loved books by Agatha Christie.'"
Arguably Britain's most successful musical theatre actress, Elaine Paige has starred on the London stage in Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard and The King and I. She made her Broadway debut to much acclaim in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, and her recordings are numerous. Paige recently appeared in the New York City Opera's production of Sweeney Todd, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance as Mrs. Lovett.
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