A Daughter's a Daughter
Encyclopedia
A Daughter's a Daughter is a novel
written by Agatha Christie
and first published in the UK by Heinemann on November 24, 1952
. Initially not published in the US, it was later issued as a paperback by Dell Publishing
in September 1963
. It was the fifth of six novels Christie wrote under the nom-de-plume Mary Westmacott.
Initially a play
written by Christie in the late 1930s, the plot tells of a daughter's opposition to her mother's plan to remarry.
Christie tried to interest Peter Saunders
, later the producer of The Mousetrap
in the play in 1950. He suggested amendments to update some of the references which were now twenty years old and tried the play out at the Theatre Royal, Bath
where it opened on July 9, 1956 and ran for one week and eight performances. It was billed under the Westmacott name but the true identity of the author slipped out resulting in good attendance figures. Saunders however felt that it would not survive in the West End
and Christie didn't pursue the matter further.
Following Christie's death, the copyright for the play was owned by her daughter, Rosalind Hicks, who was unenthusiastic about the play as it was believed that the main character was based on her. Following Hicks' death in 2004, a new production of the play, starring Jenny Seagrove
and Honeysuckle Weeks
and produced by Bill Kenwright
, was to open in London's West End
on 14 December 2009. Kenwright described the play as "brutal and incredibly honest" and "It's a good enough play to stand up without the Christie brand. It's quite a tough play. It is a substantial night at the theatre."
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
and first published in the UK by Heinemann on November 24, 1952
1952 in literature
The year 1952, in literature involved some significant events and new literary publications.-Events:*J. L. Carr takes over as headmaster of Highfields Primary School, Kettering, which will eventually furnish the subject matter for his novel, The Harpole Report.*November 25 - Agatha Christie's play...
. Initially not published in the US, it was later issued as a paperback by Dell Publishing
Dell Publishing
Dell Publishing, an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte, Jr.During the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, Dell was one of the largest publishers of magazines, including pulp magazines. Their line of humor magazines included 1000 Jokes, launched in...
in September 1963
1963 in literature
The year 1963 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*First United States printing of John Cleland's 1749 novel, Fanny Hill . The book is banned for obscenity, triggering a court case by its publisher.*Leslie Charteris publishes his final collection of stories...
. It was the fifth of six novels Christie wrote under the nom-de-plume Mary Westmacott.
Initially a play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
written by Christie in the late 1930s, the plot tells of a daughter's opposition to her mother's plan to remarry.
Christie tried to interest Peter Saunders
Peter Saunders
Pete or Peter Saunders may refer to:* Peter Gordon Saunders, Australian social researcher* Peter Robert Saunders, Australian social researcher* Peter Saunders , English theatre impresario* Pete Saunders , musician...
, later the producer of The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap opened in the West End of London in 1952, and has been running continuously since then. It has the longest initial run of any play in history, with over 24,500 performances so far. It is the longest running show of the modern...
in the play in 1950. He suggested amendments to update some of the references which were now twenty years old and tried the play out at the Theatre Royal, Bath
Theatre Royal, Bath
The Theatre Royal in Bath, England, is over 200 years old. It is one of the more important theatres in the United Kingdom outside London, with capacity for an audience of around 900....
where it opened on July 9, 1956 and ran for one week and eight performances. It was billed under the Westmacott name but the true identity of the author slipped out resulting in good attendance figures. Saunders however felt that it would not survive in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and Christie didn't pursue the matter further.
Following Christie's death, the copyright for the play was owned by her daughter, Rosalind Hicks, who was unenthusiastic about the play as it was believed that the main character was based on her. Following Hicks' death in 2004, a new production of the play, starring Jenny Seagrove
Jenny Seagrove
Jennifer Ann Seagrove is an English actress. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and rose to fame playing the lead in a TV dramatisation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance and the 1983 film Local Hero...
and Honeysuckle Weeks
Honeysuckle Weeks
Honeysuckle Weeks is a British actress, best known for her starring role as Samantha Stewart in the British TV series Foyle's War, since 2002.-Background:...
and produced by Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
, was to open in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
on 14 December 2009. Kenwright described the play as "brutal and incredibly honest" and "It's a good enough play to stand up without the Christie brand. It's quite a tough play. It is a substantial night at the theatre."
Publication history
- 1952, Heinemann (London), November 24, 1952, Hardback, 200 pp
- 1963, Dell Books (New York), September 1963, Paperback, 191 pp
- 1972, Arbor HouseArbor HouseArbor House was an independent publishing house founded by Donald Fine in 1969. Specialising in hard cover publications, Arbor House published works by Hortense Calisher, Ken Follett, Cynthia Freeman, Elmore Leonard and Irwin Shaw before being acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 1979 to move into...
(New York), Hardback, 191 pp - 1978, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 334 pp ISBN 0-7089-0217-0
- 1986, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
), Paperback
External links
- A Daughter's a Daughter at the official Agatha Christie website