The all-time best-selling author in any genre excepting Shakespeare is Agatha Christie, The First Lady Of Crime.

Her stage plays, however, have fared less well. While she holds the record for the longest-ever London run The Mousetrap opened in 1952, and is still running today the majority of productions were deemed so poor that, four years ago, the authors' grandson led the Agatha Christie Trust in placing a ban on all-professional touring productions of her plays.

Until now, that is. In accordance with his desire to rescue Christie's scripts from stale, predictable stagings, producer Bill Kenwright has been granted permission to start the Agatha Christie Theatre Company. And this production of The Hollow, a classic Christie manordrama, marks their first outing.

"I think what happened," says cast member Chloe Newsome, "is that most of the plays were printed with absolutely all the stage directions in them.

"So you could pick up a script and, practically without a director, perform the play. It's all there for you on a plate there's even a map at the front showing where the furniture can be put. It doesn't lend itself to much artistic creativity. It all became very staid."

With a bold set design signalling a much fresher approach, director Joe Harmston's flagship production is headed by Theatre Royal favourites Kate O'Mara and Tony Britton. They play the Angkatells, owners of a beautiful country retreat and hosts to a luncheon party which takes a turn for the awkward when one of the guests is found dead in the garden room. Enter Inspector Colquhoun (Christie swopped this rough and ready sleuth for Poirot when adapting The Hollow for the stage), who soon discovers that absolutely everyone has a motive.

"I'd be amazed if anyone guessed who the murderer was," says Newsome. "I play Midge Harvey, a relative of Lucy Angkatells who works in the city. She is in love with another character who is in love with another woman who in turn is in love with another man.

"Everybody's in love with someone else in this play. Never mind the furniture, there should be a map at the front of who's shagging who."

Running until Sat. Starts at 7.45pm, Thurs and Sat mats. Tickets cost £15-£24, call 08700 606650.