Exclusive Interview: Hugh Fraser on playing Captain Hastings, Poirot, and Mysteries…

Exclusive Interview: Hugh Fraser on playing Captain Hastings, Poirot, and Mysteries…

AFG: Tell us about the book you’re writing now?

HF: I have just completed Threat, which was published on 23rd June, which is set in London in 1961 and concerns the continuing adventures of Rina Walker, a young contract killer who was introduced to readers in my first crime novel, Harm.

AFG: Have you always had an interest in writing?

HF: Yes. I started writing plays years ago and moved on to crime fiction after I did a short story writing course with Guardian/UEA and received encouragement from the course tutor, the novelist Bernardine Evaristo, after I showed her the beginnings of Harm.

AFG: What are your fondest memories of the Poirot series?

Exclusive Interview: Hugh Fraser on playing Captain Hastings, Poirot, and Mysteries...HF: We travelled to some very interesting locations and filmed in many beautiful art deco style houses and apartments. The whole team got on extremely well and it was a pleasure to work with the cast and crew and enjoy a lot of laughs in the process of making the series.

AFG: Do you still keep in touch with David Suchet, Philip Jackson, and Pauline Moran?

HF: Yes, we remain in touch. I last saw David when he recently played Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. He was absolutely hilarious! Phillip Jackson and his

wife Sally are coming to lunch on Sunday.

AFG: Do you think that you might reprise the role of Hastings if they brought the series back based on the Sophie Hannah books?

HF: I’d be delighted to do so if I was asked.

AFG: What would you say is your favorite episode or film of Poirot?

HF: I very much enjoyed Murder on the Links in which Hastings met his future wife and, for once, had his affections returned. My other favourite was the final film, Curtain which brought a very emotional and dramatic end to the story of Hercule Poirot.

AFG: Do you find that people will stop you in the street and call you Hastings?

HF: It does happen occasionally but people are always pleasant and friendly.

AFG: Do you have plans on writing more novels?

Harm by Hugh Fraser

Order Harm (Urbane) from the Strand today!

HF: I plan to continue Rina Walker’s story.

AFG: What are some of your projects upcoming on television?

HF: No TV plans at the moment but I have recently enjoyed playing Batman’s butler, Alfred, in a video game, and Dan Dare’s Uncle Ivor, to Ed Stoppard’s excellent Dan Dare in the audio version.

AFG: Best thing about playing Captain Hastings?

HF: I enjoyed playing the relationship that developed between Poirot and Hastings and, as I said above, being part of a great team.

This Fraser’s thriller Threat (Urbane Publications) will be available in bookstores and online.

Posted in Interviews.

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  1. Wonderful! This week, we found two Poirot episodes we’d never seen. We love the series and its characters–Fraser’s perfect Hastings, with his latest perfect, until it breaks, vehicle, Suchet’s utterly delightful Poirot, of course, and Pauline Moran’s redoubtable Miss Lemon, attempting to create order within Poirot’s chaos. Philip Jackson’s Inspector Japp makes terrific entrances and always gets an enthusiastic welcome from us that I wish he could see.

    I’m glad Mr. Fraser mentioned the art deco locations, another memorable feature of the series. The adaptation of the underlying stories is excellent, too. I have yet to hear a line that breaks the spell. Each show is like a gemstone, and much of the sparkle is Fraser’s.

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