Why Didn't They Ask Evans?: Trailer for Agatha Christie series

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Lucy Boynton portrayed aristocrat Frankie Derwent on Britbox’s three-part series, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? After the series was released the actress reflected on her character and detailed the major differences between herself in the series and the novel.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is the onscreen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1934 detective novel. 

It told the story of a vicar’s son Bobby Jones (played by Will Poulter) who discovered the body of a man who had fallen off a cliff. 

As Bobby paused his game of golf and rushed over to the body, the man was on his deathbed and barely breathing. 

He used his last words to ask Bobby, “Why didn’t they ask Evans?”

Bobby then asked his longtime friend Frankie Derwent (Lucy Boynton) to go on an adventure to figure out who Evans was. 

The curious friends travelled across England and Wales to investigate the murder mystery after Bobby believed the death was sinister. 

The novel was adapted by Hugh Laurie who was credited as writer and director, he also appeared on screen as psychologist Dr James Nicholson. 

In order to make the TV series current, a number of adjustments were made to the characters.

In an interview with Deadline, Frankie star detailed the changes made to her character for the show. 

The actress “really loved” the adaptation of Frankie for a major reason only readers would have been aware of. 

She revealed: “In the book, I feel like there’s a bit of more of a dark cloud that hangs over her at the very beginning.”

Lucy noted Frankie became “animated and acerbic” only after she reunited with Bobby and they went on the adventure.

Speaking on the TV series, she disclosed: “What I loved about Hugh’s adaptation was that we meet that version of Frankie much earlier.”

This was expressed in her character description as Britbox labelled Frankie as “a clever, unflappable woman with a flair for adventure.”

During the interview, Laurie shared his reasons for adapting the novel for screens. 

He shared: “I was just motivated by a sort of almost childish enthusiasm for the story for the character that Lucy plays for the deviant puzzle at the centre of the novel.”

Laurie added: “The world that Agatha Christie created, I happen to think this novel is unusual and unique.”

This series wasn’t the only adaptation of the acclaimed novel, as it was first made into a TV show in 1980. 

The show which was directed by John Davies and Tony Wharmby also starred Fawlty Towers star, Connie Booth who played Sylvia Bassington-ffrench.

This character highlighted another difference for the most recent adaptation as Sylvia Bassington-ffrench wasn’t portrayed.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is available on Britbox

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