Agatha Christie comes to life at the Story Center: deadly games, crimes and lots of mystery

Sometimes she killed with a few drops of poison hidden in tea, sometimes with a shot in the right place, and sometimes she even choked people with a pearl necklace. The writer Agatha Christie invented countless techniques to kill her victims, some common and others more creative, in her more than sixty mystery novels. It is not unreasonable to wonder why she became (and still is) the queen of this genre.

Many wonder how he developed all that imagination to write such addictive and unexpected novels. Everything makes sense when you discover what Christie’s life was like, from her childhood in a somewhat spooky house, to her travels around the world, in which she set her novels, and even her marriage to an archaeologist, a situation that helped her develop their crimes. Delving into the life of the writer and discovering hidden details of her novels is possible with the theatrical visit of the “ Agatha Christie Show ” available at the Story Center.

45 MINUTES OF PURE MYSTERY

With a marked English accent, a peculiar hat, glasses and somewhat dated but elegant clothing, Agatha Christie herself (or a very similar imitator) appears before thirty people at the exhibition dedicated to the writer, “The Show by Agatha Christie”, at the Zaragoza Story Center.

The well-known writer, played by María Ángeles Parroqué of the La Clac Theater Company, begins by taking a tour of her entire life: from her childhood in Wallingford, through her mysterious eleven-day disappearance that shocked the entire world and to the inspiration of his first novels. Of course, although crimes and references to mystery take up most of the story, humor is assured at all times . The actress recognizes that she brings her “sense of humor to the character,” a certainly successful combination, since the audience does not stop laughing at the writer’s humorous touches.

A new room, a new mystery. The covers of all of Agatha Christie’s books wallpaper the walls of the favorite room of every visiting fan of the writer. And as it could not be otherwise, it is in this room where a crime happens… or several. At Christie’s suggestion, visitors are divided into small groups and assigned one of the novel covers. Inspired by them, they have to create a crime in the purest Agatha Christie style : who died, where, what happened and who the murderer is.

The audience tells the most incredible stories they can think of, from a child who accidentally kills, the murder of a butler in Big Ben and atrocious deaths with precise doses of poison. “Later, I’m going to talk to you to jot down a few ideas ,” the writer tells a man who has received all the applause for his story, laughing.

Just as readers devour their books quickly, continuous interaction with the audience causes the hands of the clock to pass quickly during the dramatized visit . When the small group has already gained trust with the writer and among the rest of her colleagues, and the desire for mystery is palpable, Christie decides to go beyond it.

“Ten little black guys went to dinner. One of them suffocated and there were nine left… The famous lullaby from the book “ And there were none” (Ten little black ones) begins to sound in the silence of the next room, causing the expectation of those present. The writer places hats on ten of those present until the melody ends and those who have read the book or seen the movie know that all ten die.

It is at this moment when the chosen ones must represent their deaths as described in the song. Laughter is guaranteed when one of those present decides to give her best performance and throws herself on the floor or when a woman decides to shoot her partner with impetus. Of course, a writer would never spoil her own novel: “ If you want to know who is guilty, you will have to read the book or watch the movie .” And with this task and some other secrets the theatricalization of the visit ends.

POIROT IN THE BLANK NIGHT

Such is the success of the theatrical visits of the “ Agatha Christie Show ” that the Story Center has had to increase the number of showings to accommodate all the people who were on the waiting list.

During the White Night that takes place on Saturday, June 29, the exhibition will have a new guest. The legendary Belgian detective and Agatha Christie character, Hercule Poirot, will be in charge of carrying out the theatrical visit. Although it will not be just any visit, together with those present he will solve a mystery: “A murder is announced.”

Anyone who does not want to miss the dramatization should sign up at the Centro de Historias for the 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.