A still photo of the play Witness for the Prosecution. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The veteran actors read the story while seated onstage. The first 47 performances were sold out within two weeks. The translation will be staged in the National Center for the Performing Arts in October.

The Shanghai director, Liu Fangqi, is among the young Chinese theater directors and producers, who has been influenced and adapted Christie's works into Chinese dramas.

Liu, 33, became enamored with Christie's detective stories when he was at university, after coming across the script of the writer's Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of Western theater, in the library of Shanghai Theater Academy when he was studying there.

"The murder mystery is so vivid and it contains all the kinds of exciting details you can imagine, such as conflict, a sharp twist and strong portrayal of characters," says Liu, who with classmates would later present the drama on campus.

After graduating he went to France for further studies in 2007.

On returning to Shanghai, Liu focused on adapting classic Western novels and scripts into Chinese plays. Of all the adaptations, Christie's works, including Towards Zero and Black Coffee, are among his favorites.

In celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Mousetrap, 60 productions were performed in different languages around the world. Liu, working with Shanghai Modern Theater, directed the Chinese production of The Mousetrap, which made its UK debut at St. Martin's Theater in London in October 2012.

"I will never forget the experience of staging a Mandarin version of The Mousetrap in London," says Liu. "I was so proud."

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn