🎭 Murder On The Orient Express
📍 The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2TR
🗓 Tuesday 24th September 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A FULL STEAM PRODUCTION!
The touring production of the classic Agatha Christie murder mystery saga MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS has pulled into the South West where it is playing all week on The Lyric stage at Theatre Royal Plymouth and I was invited along to watch and review the show.
As a fan of the works of Christie, I always enter the theatre to see an adaptation of one of her stories with some trepidation. This is because as well as seeing some very good productions, I have also seen some bad ones! I have to say though that my worries were quickly put to rest as I witnessed what is, in my opinion, the best stage adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel I have ever seen.
Ken Ludwig has been meticulous in his adaptation and has managed to keep all the elements of the story in tact, building suspense and intregue from the very beginning. I enjoyed how the story began and ended with the fourth wall being broken and Poirot addressing the audience directly.
The story is well known but this production manages to delight audiences who know the text of old as well as newcomers to the story. The attention to detail here is incredible with subtle hints and clues scattered throughout, which causes intrigue and keeps you hooked, even before the murder has taken place!
Renowned detective Hercule Poirot is enjoying a short break after solving a case and boards the Orient Express to return to England. Guarenteed a place in the First Class carriage, on arrival it seems that there is no space avaliable in First Class - extremely unusual for the time of year. On the journey the train gets caught in a snowdrift and during the night a passenger is stabbed to death.
Have they been killed by a random assailant, or is there something more sinister behind his death? Why are there precisely 8 stab wounds and how is the death linked to a child's murder in America? Could the other passengers have links to the victim and do they each have something to hide?
The twists and turns in the story are gripping and they are only elevated by the genius production. The set design by Mike Britton is imaginative and wonderous. How the train changes with the scenes is a pure marvel and works exceptionally well. The set marries well with the video design from Ian William Galloway and the feeling of movement is glorious.
Lucy Bailey is no stranger to directing Christie adaptations and here her direction feels natural and fills the stage beautifully whilst still feeling intimate and engaging. You constantly feel drawn ever closer into the story and there were times when I was completely engrossed into the onstage action that I forgot I was watching a play, or indeed that I was there to review it!
The costumes, wigs and props here are pure perfection but the absolute clincher on what makes this production so epic was the cast. Michael Maloney was astonishing as Hercule Poirot. The way he portrayed the character felt so familiar whilst still being a completely unique take. The balance he gave between the serious detective and the characters eccentricities was an incredible feat which was endearing and joyous, making him a must-see Poirot.
Debbie Chazen gave one of my favourite performances of the entire year as the quirky Princess Dragomiroff and Bob Barrett as Monsieur Bouc was both warm and hilarious throughout.
I simply cannot name check the entire cast as they were all incredible and each gave a masterclass in acting. It is an utter privilege to see a cast deliver such high quality performances and the camaraderie between them is undeniable.
I simply cannot praise this production enough. The nuance of every character is sublime and the way the story is presented keeps you guessing until the very end. If you only see one Agatha Christie adaptation, then this is the one to see. Suspense, intrigue and humour combined with a fantastic cast and a sensational production team makes this one of the best plays I have seen all year.
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS continues performances at Theatre Royal Plymouth until Saturday 28th September and you don't want to it so climb aboard and click here to secure your tickets before the show departs.
Neill Kovacic-Clarke
All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.
My ticket for this performance of Murder On The Orient Express was gifted by the Theatre Royal Plymouth who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.
CAST LIST:
Michael Maloney as Hercule Poirot; Bob Barrett as Monsieur Bouc; Mila Carter as Countess Elena Adreyni; Debbie Chazen as Princess Dragomiroff; Rebecca Charles as Greta Ohlsson; Simon Cotton as Samuel Ratchett; Jean-Baptiste Fillon as Michel; Christine Kavanagh as Helen Hubbard; Paul Keating as Hector MacQueen; Iniki Mariano as Mary Debenham; Rishi Rian as The Colonel; Alex Stedman as Head Waiter / Ensemble; Antony Gabriel as Ensemble; Jasmine Raymond as Ensemble; Beth Tuckey
RUNNING TIME (approx):
2 hours 15 minutes, including interval
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Themes of death and murder; Gunshots
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