An Interview with Author, Anthony Horowitz
THE FALCON’S MALTESER – An interview with Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific and successful writers working in the UK and after a rip-roaring sell-out national tour, the New Old Friends adaption of his book, The Falcon’s Malteser, is coming to The Courtyard! Featuring slapstick, comedy songs and a cast of 4 playing 20 brilliant characters, this hilarious family adventure will have you rolling in the aisles!
A hilarious family film noir pastiche following the adventures of the hopelessly inept private detective Tim Diamond and his sharp witted brother Nick, The Falcon’s Malteser sees the Diamond Brothers Detective agency on a thrilling case to discover just what is so important about those titular Maltesers!
Read the interview with the Author himself, Anthony Horowitz…
When did the idea for the Diamond Bros Detective agency first occur to you?
I was in the bath, thinking about my favourite film – The Maltese Falcon. And suddenly the idea came to me: why not write a book called “The Falcon’s Malteser”. In that moment, the Diamond brothers were born.
How did the success of the Falcons Malteser and its sequels affect your career?
The Diamond brothers have been in print for more than thirty years and they still have a loyal following. There was even a film of The Falcon’s Malteser. But the truth was that it was Alex Rider who changed my career.
Last year the book was part of world book day how do you explain its continued appeal?
Bad jokes never die! I think it’s a great set-up: the stupid detective with the smarter younger brother. And the mysteries are fun too. I like the fact that many of the books are very short…perfect for less confident readers.
Out of all the fantastic characters you’ve created or written for, where do Nick and Tim rank?
In many ways, Nick Diamond is my favourite character…even more so than Alex. He’s so irresponsible. He just lives his life one day at a time and barely even notices when the bullets are flying. I love writing jokes for Tim too.
If you had to be one of the characters from the book for a day which character would you choose and why?
It would have to be Nick Diamond. I’d prefer to be fourteen than fifty-nine and of course I’m going to choose to be the hero. That said, Tim Diamond is the only character I ever wrote who’s based on me!
What are your thoughts about seeing the Diamond Bros on the stage?
I’m very excited. I’ve read the script and the writers have used quite a lot of my jokes and added a few of their own which are almost as good. It’s not too long. It’s fast-moving. I hate theatre when you begin to lose any sensation in your legs and wonder what day of the week it is.
What convinced you to allow New Old Friends to adapt the book?
Well, it certainly wasn’t the money. (My agent is still waiting for the cheque.) No – I met Feargus and Heather and I liked them…they were young, talented and above all enthusiastic. They’d clearly put a lot of thought into how to do the play in a way that would be funny and engaging. The moment we met, I knew I was going to let them go ahead.
Which parts of the book are you most excited about seeing live in theatres?
The last parts. Will the audience have left? Will they have enjoyed it? I might sneak in during the interval to find out what people are saying.
What’s next for Anthony Horowitz?
“Moriarty” – a book for adults – comes out in October. Then I’m going to start work on a new trilogy aimed at teenagers. It’s about a fifteen-year-old boy, living with his parents, whose life is mysteriously destroyed.
Will the Diamond Bros ever solve another case?
Yes. For years I’ve been promising a story based on the films of Steven Spielberg. It’s called The Radius of the Lost Shark and has Tim and Nick visiting their parents in Australia. I will write it one day!
The Falcon’s Malteser is at The Courtyard on Friday 2 October, 7.30pm
