MURDER, Margaret And Me began life as a one-woman show, presented at Harrogate Theatre in June 2013 but playwright Philip Meeks always intended to expand his comedy thriller into a three-hander.

From February 17 to March 4, York Theatre Royal is giving him that opportunity at the invitation of artistic director Damian Cruden, who is directing a cast of Nichola McAuliffe, Susie Blake and York actress Andrina Carroll.

Murder, Margaret And Me explores the relationship between "Queen of Crime" Agatha Christie, played by McAuliffe, and the acting legend known as "the funniest woman alive", Margaret Rutherford, played by Blake. In the early 1960s, these two national treasures were the creative force behind one of British cinema's most successful franchises but the Miss Marple films were almost never made. Christie did not want Rutherford to bring her fabled spinster to life and Rutherford was mortified at the prospect of sullying her reputation with something as sordid as murder.

Nevertheless, as Murder, Margaret And Me records, the pair form an unlikely friendship filled with afternoon tea and gossip. Meanwhile Agatha turns detective herself as she becomes determined to unearth Rutherford's tragic and shocking secret, involving a troubled family past that was to blight her mental health. Andrina Carroll, cast as The Spinster, both narrates and leads the story, while bearing a certain resemblance to the legendary sleuth Miss Marple.

"I'm so passionate about the story that I always felt there was more to be said, particularly as there were similarities between Agatha and Margaret as they both had dark secrets, and this new version allows me to focus more on that relationships, now that I have separated the roles for two actors," says Philip.

"It will always be performed by a cast of three from now on."

Welcoming his play's presence in the Of Women Born season with a female focus at the Theatre Royal, Philip says: "The season says a lot about York Theatre Royal, and about women of a certain age needing really good parts to play, and what I'm really proud about is that this is a play about women, a play written for women."

Tickets for Murder, Margaret And Me are on sale on 01904 623568, at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk and in person from the Theatre Royal box office.