Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Richmond Theatre - Tour
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Agatha Christie’s greatest Poirot story, Murder on the Orient Express, has been presented in many forms since its publication in 1934. Albert Finney, Kenneth Branagh and David Suchet are perhaps the most famous incarnations of the Belgian detective in film, and many will have seen those versions so there is very little mystery left in the murder to solve. Yet the tale’s construction and sense of justice as a judicial party delivers a guilty verdict under the very nose of Poirot still makes it a compelling and entertaining story. Ken Ludwig’s adaptation closely follows the book but, frustratingly for Christie fans, reduces the jury from twelve suspects to just eight, presumably to reduce running time to around two hours and reduce cast costs.
The 2017 adaptation had a short tour with Henry Goodman playing the detective in 2022 but now producer Fiery Angel is taking a new production out on an extensive tour, which started at the Lowry in September and continues until next May. We caught the tour at Richmond Theatre last night where it is playing a sold-out week. Lucy Bailey’s direction and Mike Britton’s design have elevated the play to a new level, which is simply a joy to see.
The wonderful set design, which sees eight stage trucks slickly manoeuvred around the raised stage with a revolve, and stagehands to create the train’s exterior, the train corridor, the cabins, the dining car, the last carriage and a telegraph room creates a real sense of location and a constantly changing picture as we follow Poirot’s investigation. The playing and direction surprisingly brings out the humour in the script very effectively, not as a parody or in a satirical way which we are sure the Agatha Christie estate would not have approved of, but in an affectionate and amusing way which lifts the storytelling. There are moments too when the lighting seems to nod to the TV adaptations as Poirot is left in centre of a darkened stage in a white downlight as in the title sequences of Suchet’s version. The costumes also look sumptuously authentic for the 1934 setting, helping immensely to create the distinctive different characters.
Of course, none of this would work without a first class cast who effortlessly create the familiar central characters boarding the train, revealing just enough in glances and theatrics to suggest that there is more to them than they are saying, as we who are familiar with the story already know. Leading the suspects is a marvellous Christine Kavanagh as the flirtatious, extravagant Helen Hubbard, elegantly dressed and dominating her scenes with theatrical flourishes. The Princess Dragomiroff, the exiled Russian, is played by Debbie Chazen with a devilish line in put downs and regal air. Rebecca Charles plays the uptight religious Greta Ohlsson (combining with the book character Hildegarde Schmidt) as the Princess’s maid. The beautiful Countess Andrenyi (combined with the book character of the Count) is played by Mila Carter, a recent RADA graduate with great poise. Rishi Rian and Iniki Mariano play The Colonel and Mary Debenham hinting from the beginning that there is more to their relationship than having just met in Istanbul. Paul Keating is the nervous secretary to the murder victim, Ratchett (Simon Cotton). The eighth suspect is the train conductor, Michael (Jean-Baptiste Fillon). There is no room on the train for the characters Foscarelli, Masterman or Hardman from the novel.
The investigation is conducted by Michael Maloney as the famous Hercule Poirot, looking dapper in a grey suit with - of course - the carefully manicured moustache. He exercises his little grey cells with a little more emotion, even anger. than some of the previous versions, but it is a strong performance capturing the essence of the character. His sidekick with some of the funnier asides is Monsieur Bouc, the director of the wagon-lits, played by Bob Barrett with an officious air. At the heart of the story is a real dilemma for the master detective of the choice between the truth and justice and it is this underlying theme that makes this Agatha Christie one of the best she wrote.
This is a very fine production, with brilliant staging, a wonderful cast, a great mix of comedy and detective mystery, and whether you know the story of five-year-old Daisy Armstrong’s tragic murder and the consequent deaths or not before, it makes for a very compelling two-hour theatre visit.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne