Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Photo: AFP

Ticket sales for the highly anticipated English-language adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic mystery novel And Then There Were None officially started in Beijing on Tuesday. The show is set to tour China from May to July.

The first-ever performance of the original London West End version in China, the play will also tour other major cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Directed by Lucy Bailey, who is known for her acclaimed productions of Tennessee Williams' Baby Doll and several Shakespearean works, the production features a cast of British actors, including Joseph Beatty and Jeffrey Kissoon.

Celebrated as one of Christie's most acclaimed works, And Then There Were None has been translated into more than 50 languages since its publication in 1939, with sales exceeding 100 million copies worldwide. 

The story has inspired numerous adaptations across various mediums, including film, television, comics and games. The book also pioneered the sub-genres of "nursery rhyme murder" and "island mode" in detective novels.

The plot follows 10 strangers, each with a secret, who are invited to a remote island under mysterious circumstances. As they gather on the island, they are accused of crimes by a mysterious voice. Soon, they begin to die one by one, following the prophecy of an old nursery rhyme.