Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

NEW Available: Thursday14 April Genre: Crime drama Season: 1 Episodes: 3

A STAR-STUDDED cast travels back to the 1930s in Britbox’s three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

It’s directed by Hugh Laurie, who also plays one of the suspects, while Jim Broadbent and Dame Emma Thompson play aristocrats Lord and Lady Marcham, the parents of socialite Lady Frances, aka Frankie (Lucy Boynton).

When Frankie and her childhood friend Bobby Jones (Dopesick’s Will Poulter) come across the body of a dying man at the bottom of a cliff, they hear his cryptic last words – ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’ – and find a photograph of a beautiful young woman in his pocket.

With the photograph their only clue, they are drawn into a dark web of secrets as they set about solving the mystery behind his death.

Tv&satellite Week chatted to Poulter, 29, to find out more…

TELL US ABOUT BOBBY… He’s studious but directionless. But when he finds the man, he turns amateur sleuth and finds his true calling.

WHAT INTRIGUES HIM ABOUT THIS MAN’S DEATH? When the man utters, ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’, Bobby feels you can’t leave the question of a dying man unanswered.

HOW DO YOU SEE BOBBY AND FRANKIE’S RELATIONSHIP? Frankie brings out the best in Bobby; she draws the ambition, optimism and sense of adventure out of him. She’s fearless and very smart and causes him to raise his game.

DID YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH HUGH LAURIE? Agatha Christie’s such a well-loved name in literature and Hugh delivers on the things that people love about her work, while also giving it a contemporary energy and humour. He also preserves the mystery right up until the end.

WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE SCENES? Bobby helps to run a fairground waltzer, so that was good fun to film. It did require some acting because it was stomach-churning.

THE 1930S IS A BEAUTIFUL PERIOD. HOW DID YOU FIND THE COSTUMES? I don’t know if I’ll be wearing my trousers that high again and it’s quite a ‘woolly’ period so it was pretty hot!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM THE SHOW? I hope they fall in love with the characters like we did and enjoy the ride.