David Suchet is Hercule Poirot in Three Act Tragedy

7th July 2009

Martin Shaw guest stars as a world renowned actor alongside David Suchet in THREE ACT TRAGEDY, a new Poirot film for ITV1.

Shaw (George Gently, Judge John Deed) takes on the role of Sir Charles Cartwright, a retired actor who relishes the opportunity to assist Poirot with his investigations after the death of a guest at Sir Charles' Cornish home.

THREE ACT TRAGEDY also stars Art Malik (Ben Hur), Kate Ashfield (Collision), Kimberley Nixon (Cranford), Jane Asher (The Palace), Tom Wisdom (The Boat that Rocked) and Kimberley Stewart, daughter of musician Rod Stewart, as Doris.

In his 21st year playing the famous Belgian sleuth David Suchet will make four new Poirot films including THE CLOCKS and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS to be transmitted at a later date.

In THREE ACT TRAGEDY Poirot visits Cornwall to attend a dinner hosted by his friend, the retired actor Sir Charles Cartwright (Shaw).  When an amiable local Reverend chokes to death on his cocktail Poirot cannot see how murder can have been committed.  With the exception of Sir Charles’s doctor friend Sir Bartholomew Strange (Art Malik) and the enigmatic Miss Egg Lytton Gore (Kimberley Nixon) any one of the eclectic mix of guests might have taken the glass - the inquisitive playwright, vulnerable ex-jockey, celebrated dressmaker, faithful housekeeper or young suitor of Miss Lytton Gore’s.  There seems to be no motive for murder and as Poirot predicts, no trace of poison is found in the Reverend’s glass.
 
But weeks later Sir Bartholomew Strange chokes to death at a dinner party he is hosting with many of the same guests. Poirot and Charles travel from Monte Carlo to Strange’s home in Yorkshire where Charles is determined to solve his friend’s death and to impress Egg.  Again, no trace of poison is found in his glass but a mortuary report confirms that Strange was poisoned and this time motives seem plentiful. Could the missing butler, mysterious telephone message or secret tunnel be key to solving the case?
 
It is only after the death of another innocent victim that the impossibility of the first murder begins to make sense.

THREE ACT TRAGEDY is currently being filmed in London and the Home Counties.  It is adapted by Nick Dear (Lewis), directed by Ashley Pearson (The Commander) and the producer is Karen Thrussell (Agatha Christie’s Marple).

The Poirot stories are co-produced by ITV Studios and Agatha Christie Ltd, a Chorion company, and US network WGBH.  Mammoth Screen’s Michele Buck and Damien Timmer executive produce Poirot on behalf of ITV Studios.  Rebecca Eaton is executive producer for WGBH, with David Suchet as associate producer.  ITV Global holds international distribution rights.