Agatha Swims: A new film celebrates Torbay's most famous author and our naturally inspiring environment
As part of our Culture Recovery Fund work, Torbay Culture commissioned two new films looking at local heritage from different perspectives.
One of these celebrates Agatha Christie's passion for swimming and the natural environment. This literary, visual, and natural heritage link to the English Riviera - designated by UNESCO as a Global Geopark - is something special. Karen Marshall who worked on previous cultural tourism research and projects for us in partnership with the English Riviera Business Improvement District (ERBID) has worked with local filmmakers Amanda Blugrass and Danny Cooke to create both these films.
The first, ‘Agatha Swims: The English Riviera’ will be premiered at the International Agatha Christie Festival at a special event at Torre Abbey on 16 September, then we’ll be sharing this online. ‘Agatha Swims’ involves local author and wild swimmer Matt Newbury, swimmer Morwenna Graziano, and the voice of Alice Bailey. Filming took place at some of Agatha Christie’s favourite swimming places - Anstey’s cove, Beacon cove, Meadfoot beach and Elberry cove - and at Greenway, her summer home now in the care of the National Trust.
Dame Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was born in Torquay, and lived in the bay for many years, retaining a home at Greenway near Galmpton.
Christie’s novels have been translated into more than 100 languages, and over two billion volumes have been sold. Hundreds of film and television adaptations of her stories have been produced.
As a sign of the author’s enduring popularity, The Mousetrap, nearly 70 years old, was chosen as one of the first productions to reopen the West End following the easing of lockdown restrictions.
The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage was managed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). News about our second film will be shared soon.
Images: from Agatha Swims (Torbay Culture/Karen Marshall) featuring Morwenna Graziano at Beacon cove (main image); the cover of the ABC Murders, set in Torbay (smaller image)
