Agatha Christie’s Marple: A Pocketful Of Rye (ITV 6 Sep 2009, Matthew MacFadyen)

Julia McKenzie takes over the super sleuth mantle from Geraldine McEwan in the first episode of season four A Pocketful of Rye. Miss Marple investigates a trio of bizarre deaths at the fortescue household, that of wealthy Rex, his young wife Adele and their housemaid Gladys. It seems the murders are linked to the old nursery rhyme Sing A Song of Sixpence.

Marple teams up with Inspector Neele and Sgt Pickford and is soon embroiled in the goings on at the Fortescue household.

McEwan had a real twinkle in her eye as Marple and was thought by many to be a hard act to follow but McKenzie is terrific in the role and has that suggestion of sprightlyness that has perhaps been missing from the last few portrayals of the character. And as always the supporting players are top notch, this series really has managed to come up trumps with star players making an appearance.

production details
UK / ITV1 / 1×120 minute episodes / Broadcast 6 September 2009

Writer: Kevin Elyot / Music: Dominik Scherrer / Production Design: Jeff Tessler / Costumes: Andrea Galer / Executive Producers: Michele Buck, Phil Clymer, Rebecca Eaton, Damien Timmer / Producer: Karen Thrussell / Director: Charles Palmer

Series: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple Season 4 Episode 1

cast
JULIA McKENZIE as Miss Marple
ROSE HEINEY as Gladys
LAURA HADDOCK as Miss Grosvenor
KENNETH CRANHAM as Rex Fortescue
THEA COLLINGS as Tilly
LUCY COHU as Pat Fortescue
RUPERT GRAVES as Lance Fortescue
MATTHEW MACFADYEN as Inspector Neele
EDWARD TUDOR-POLE as Professor Bernsdorrf
RALF LITTLE as Sergeant Pickford
HELEN BAXENDALE as Mary Dove
KEN CAMPBELL as Crump
ANNA MADELEY as Adele Fortescue
JOSEPH BEATTIE as Vivian Dubois
WENDY RICHARD as Mrs Crump
BEN MILES as Percival Fortescue
LIZ WHITE as Jennifer Fortescue
HATTIE MORAHAN as Elaine Fortescue
PAUL BROOKE as Billingsley
CHRIS LARKIN as Gerald Wright
PRUNELLA SCALES as Mrs Mackenzie
RACHEL ATKINS as Sanatorium Sister