• Marking 50 years since her death, the British Library opens a new landmark exhibition on crime writer Agatha Christie on Friday. Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery, which has been developed with support from Agatha Christie Ltd and The Christie Archive Trust, takes visitors on a journey through locations related to Christie’s life and books including ‘The country house’, ‘The dispensary’, ‘The train’, ‘The dig’ and ‘The theatre’. It examines the creation of key characters like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple as well as explores Christie’s own life, travels and her wide-ranging interests spanning everything from archaeology to pharmacology. Highlights of the display, which includes Christie’s notebooks, personal letters, family photographs and early drafts, include her Remington typewriter from 1937 (believed to have been used to write And Then There Were None), the typescript of House of Beauty (Agatha Christie’s first short story written when she was just a teenager), Christie’s notes for the Witness for the Prosecution theatre adaptation, and Christie’s study notes for her pharmaceutical exam taken in 1917. The exhibition has also been salted with clues and “Easter eggs” for visitors to discover and figure out. Admission charge applies. Runs until 20th June. For more, see bl.uk/agathachristie.
• London’s oldest restaurant, Rules, has been donated to the National Trust. The property at 34-35 Maiden Lane, which was donated by JP Mayhew, has been a key aspect of London’s cultural life since 1798. Beginning life as an oyster house when opened by Thomas Rule, it has survived the reign of 10 monarchs and the tenure of more than 40 Prime Ministers. The National Trust said in a statement that Rules is a “rare example of living heritage where both the historic structure and its original use remain intact”. “The interior is exceptionally well preserved and has seen more than two centuries of continuous restaurant operation.” Diners at the establishment have included everyone from King Edward VII (who rendezvoused with his mistress there), actors Charlie Chaplin and Laurence Olivier, writers William Makepeace Thackeray and Charles Dickens, singers Dame Vera Lynn and Liza Minnelli and, more recently, Harrison Ford, Madonna and David Bowie. The rooms are named after poet John Betjeman, who gave an impassioned speech in defence of the restaurant when Maiden Lane was at risk of redevelopment, and Graham Greene, who ate there every year on his birthday and featured it in his novel The End of the Affair. Ricky McMenemy, the business owner, will now become a commercial tenant of the National Trust. For more, see nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/London/34-35-maiden-lane. To book a table, head to Rules.co.uk.
• The first UK exhibition focused on the work of best-selling author and illustrator Charlie Mackesy opens at the Dulwich Picture Gallery next Tuesday. Charlie Mackesy: The Boy, the Fox, the Mole, the Horse…And You features rarely displayed preparatory sketches alongside finished illustrations from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm. Visitors are invited to make their own drawings in response to the works on display. An original drawing created for the exhibition will feature Mackesy’s beloved characters, and visitors can also listen to a ‘soft monologue’ audio guide by the artist, sharing insights into his technique and approach. A programme of events accompanies the exhibition. Admission charge applies. Runs until 7th February. For more, see https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk.
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