Why was Margaret Rutherford, the ‘funniest woman alive’, so reluctant to play Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple on film?

Agatha, overcoming her resentment at the casting of someone so unlike her bird-like spinster, decides to investigate and realises that Margaret’s exuberant public face hides dark secrets about her past - but then Agatha has some dark secrets too.

Can she bring herself to reveal the truth about her mysterious disappearance to help her friend?

Murder, Margaret and Me is a tremendously funny play but with undercurrents of bitter tragedy, written by Philip Meeks.

It is being performed at The Oast Theatre, in London Road, Tonbridge, between Saturday, June 24, and Saturday, July 1, at 8am (Sunday matinee at 3pm) with Barbara Smith as Agatha and Valerie Armstrong as Margaret.

Tickets are £10, from www.oasttheatre.com or phone 01732 363849.