Audible‘s latest audio drama is a typically star-laden affair as they’ve announced the cast for an adaptation of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which is Agatha Christie’s debut novel, and the very first to include the intrepid Detective Hercule Poirot. The cast will include Peter Dinklage, Jessica Gunning and Himesh Patel. Variety were the first to report the news.
Dinklage is taking on the role of Poirot, while Patel is going to play his buddy, Captain Hastings. Gunning — who burst onto the scene in a big way in Netflix‘s Baby Reindeer — is playing the villain of the piece, Evie Howard, while Harriet Walter will play Emily Inglethorp, around whom the entire affair revolves. Other cast members include Rob Delaney as Alfred Inglethorp, Phil Dunster as John Cavendish, Patsy Ferran as Mary Cavendish, John Bradley as Lawrence Cavendish and Vivian Oparah as Cynthia Murdoch. A full plot synopsis can be found below.
“The Mysterious Affair at Styles” follows an “injured and traumatized Captain Hastings (Patel), who has been invited to a large country estate to recover after serving in World War I. With tensions tearing the family apart, what seems like a perfect haven soon turns into a nightmare, as the matriarch of the family Emily Inglethorp (Walter) dies suddenly one night, with her family swiftly realizing her death was no accident. With a full ensemble of characters with motives for the murder, nobody is above suspicion. As Hastings is desperate to solve the mystery and protect the family from fervent media speculation, he knows there is only one man who can help. With his impeccable suit and exceptional insight, Hastings calls on the brilliant detective he once knew — Hercule Poirot (Dinklage).”
What’s the Inspiration Behind Audible’s Adaptation?
“Building on the groundbreaking adaptation of George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ Audible is thrilled to announce this new, immersive audio drama of Agatha Christie’s debut novel,” Aurelie de Troyer, head of regional content Europe at Audible, said in a statement. “Working in close collaboration with Agatha Christie Limited, we are excited to bring this iconic mystery to life with cinematic audio quality and an all-star cast, led by the extraordinary Peter Dinklage.”
James Prichard, CEO and chairman of Agatha Christie Limited, also released his own statement: “This project promises to push the boundaries of what audio can be. The combination of an extraordinary cast, music by Johnny Flynn and the use of ground-breaking audio technology will make this a completely extraordinary telling of my great grandmother’s first story. We are very excited to partner with Audible on this journey and work with them to bring this story to life.”
via Collider