Who should be Miss Marple? Here’s my choice

Photo by Khiet Tam on Unsplash — thanks for making the image available

For once a random recommendation from the YouTube algorithm struck me as not being utterly irritating. Apparently there are plans to adapt at least one of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries but the identity of the actress in mind to play the sleuth has not yet been disclosed (if indeed the choice has been made). The video in question is Miss MARPLE Returning to Screens: Casting the PERFECT ACTRESS uploaded by Marina Via,[1] see footnote below.

I’ve put my thinking cap on and thought of an actress that might suit. I have limited myself to finding an English actress or who can carry off a convincing British accent.

I haven’t been able to find an exact age for Miss Marple — the consensus of opinion seems to be that the character is supposed be in her late sixties to her seventies.

Have you watched Call the Midwife? Jenny Agutter[2] who plays Sister Julienne is 72 at the time of writing. I think she could interpret Miss Marple’s character accurately. Ms Agutter certainly has the “acting chops”. She started acting young in 1964. She played a few roles as a child actress but the ones I remember best are her turns as Bobbie from The Railway Children in the BBC’s adaptation of E Nesbit’s book and then in the 1970 film of the story. She won a Golden Globe for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Drama in 1971 for…