Zoe Wanamaker is a terrible Ariadne Oliver

[Needhelp101]

Bit obscure, I know, and only for Agatha Christie fans (I've been revisiting Poirot and Miss Marple for some comfort viewing) but Zoe isn't Ariadne. She's far too clipped and curt for the character.

On the other hand, David Suchet is perfection as Poirot.

June Whitfield is in radio 4 as Miss Marple right now.She is great to listen to- I preferred Joan Hickson then Geraldine McKeown.I also thought Ariadne was a little less business like in the books.

Geraldine McEwan moved my dad to announce last Christmas 'you know you're getting old when you fancy Miss Marple' 😂

Surely the best Miss Marple is Jane Hickson?

Yes. 100% yes.

The audiobooks with Stephanie Cole as Ariadne Oliver are absolutely perfect to me, sorry Zoe!

David Suchet is so spot on as Poirot, even to the egg shaped head! He puts so much of himself into the part, Poirot and me is currently heading my to-be-read pile.

Ustinov, however great an actor, was appalling. Partly because his suit was permanently creased

Yes, Hickson for me too.

Wannamaker, Suchet, Hickson and Fraser are all as I imagine the characters from the books. Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie however, were horribly mis-cast.

Geraldine Mcewan was hopelessly unconvincing as a Victorian lady

I was put right off when I saw her inviting someone she'd only just met to call her Jane. The only people who called Miss Marple 'Jane' were women of around her own age whom she'd known for many years. Shows that the writers had completely failed to understand the character and the setting.

The audiobooks with Stephanie Cole as Ariadne Oliver are absolutely perfect to me, sorry Zoe!

I've never heard those but Stephanie Cole makes perfect sense if they remake the Oliver stories.

Agatha Christie Mastermind winner here. I disagree, Zoë Wanamaker interprets the character very well. She’s scatty, scratches her head with a pencil, her library is an absolute shambles, she calls Poirot down to Nass House on a whim, she’s bonkers.

Zoe Wanamaker is a terrible actress, end of.

I don't watch many of the later Poirot's because she is so annoying!

And yes Joan Hickson is perfect as miss Marple. None of the later ones are quite right.

And I will not watch any version of Sherlock Holmes that is not Jeremy Brett!

Agatha Christie herself said she thought Joan Hickson was meant for Miss Marple, though I don't think she lived to see her play the character.

Also on this subject, Hugh Fraser reading the Agatha Christie audiobooks is my favourite thing ever... I have them all yay

@Voomster953

Agatha Christie Mastermind winner here. I disagree, Zoë Wanamaker interprets the character very well. She’s scatty, scratches her head with a pencil, her library is an absolute shambles, she calls Poirot down to Nass House on a whim, she’s bonkers.

I've reflected a bit easier than actually doing some work and will concede the above.

I suppose I just don't warm to her as an actress.

Loving the Christie chat, by the way 🙂

I'm aghast at the Zoe hate! I bloody love Zoe Wanamaker, have for years. Miss Marple isn't my thing though.

Hickson, Suchet, Zoe Wanamaker, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson (Japp) - all brilliant.

I cannot bear watching any of the newer televised Marples - none of them managed to catch the gentle, refined ruthlessness of Joan Hickson.

I do like the June Whitfield radio plays though. (And I'm also a Jeremy Brett fan)

Much as I like Martin Shaw in George Gently, Judge John Deed etc., he was an awful Adam Dalgleish, Roy Marsden was Dalgleish. I think we all have a picture of fictional characters and it's worse when they change them.

Oh my goodness. Apropos of not much, I was just watching this:

And it turns out to have Hugh Fraser in! In a rather... different role. And one to which he does much honour, may I say sir.