Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Theatre Royal Brighton

Whilst not considered to be Agatha Christie’s best-selling novel (that accolade goes to And Then There Were None), Murder on the Orient Express is perhaps the most widely recognised.

Set in 1934, the story unfolds aboard the luxurious train, the Orient Express, which becomes stranded in a snowdrift. The next morning, an American tycoon, Samuel Ratchett, is found stabbed to death in his compartment. Renowned detective Hercule Poirot, traveling back to London from Istanbul, is called upon to investigate the crime.

This new production from director Lucy Bailey is a visual feast of delights. Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig in 2017, this is the first time there’s been a UK Tour of the infamous play and Bailey has given it the first-class treatment.

There’s a tricky balance to find between humour and horror in Ludwig’s adaptation, and Bailey has tackled this head on by leaning into the farce of it all. You’ll find more comedy here than you might expect from a typical Christie tale – which at first is rather disarming and might not be to everyone’s taste. For me, this worked well on the whole. There were moments where the sense of suspense was compromised by the lingering audience laughter from the previous scene, particularly as the scene transitions tended to be quite swift. But these perceived shortcomings are more than countered by the stunning staging.

The modular train carriages are a stunning piece of set design by Mike Britton, with their gilded interiors glistening as they rotate on the revolve. A really sophisticated use of limited stage space and one that I was excited to see on a touring production. The upstage screen projections deliver sinister visuals that also give further context to the story – a creative piece of storytelling from video designer Ian William Galloway.  And both sound and lighting (Mic Pool and Oliver Fenwick respectively) work harmoniously to create a powerful sense of shock and awe. What let all of this down were the frequent appearances of poorly-disguised stage management moving set pieces around, which was jarring – nothing jolts you out of being immersed in a story like seeing someone in a headset appear mid-scene.

Aside from the star of the show – Hercule Poirot played to perfection by Michael Maloney - this is an ensemble piece with a company of brilliantly talented actors. The characterisation of some did lack dimension and some accents here and there had questionable moments. But overall it’s a cast you’d welcome seeing again and again. Standout performances for me were Christine Kavanagh as the obnoxious flirt Helen Hubbard, and Rebecca Charles as the quivering Greta Ohlsson. Special shout out to Bob Barrett as Monsieur Bouc, who admirably handled a couple of rogue props that seemed to have a mind of their own on the night I was there. Nothing quite like live theatre to test an actor’s mettle!

Murder on the Orient Express is a thoroughly entertaining and stylish production that brings Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit to life with wit and sophisticated flair. From its smart staging to the captivating performances and brisk pacing, this is a first-rate production that with a bit of fine-tuning would-be perfection. Whether you're a longtime Christie fan or new to the story, this adaptation offers a fresh yet faithful take that’s well worth experiencing.

Murder on the Orient Express is playing at the Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday 26 April, before continuing the final leg of its UK Tour in Cheltenham. 

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