Murder on the Orient Express – Milton Keynes Theatre

Writer: Agatha Christie

Adapter: Ken Ludwig

Director: Lucy Bailey

There is no doubting the pulling power of crime drama, whether on television, in the cinema, or on stage. And Agatha Christie continues to be the Queen of Crime nearly fifty years after her death. Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted many times since it was first published in 1934, but it took until 2017 for it to appear on stage.

Part of the reason for this is very much the challenge of how to bring a train journey and snowstorm to life on stage. Lucy Bailey’s production works very hard to overcome these difficulties and there are some inventive design solutions from Mike Britton. But in seeking to represent a train as literally as possible, the first half of the play is overly fussy with too many distracting scene changes. In the second half, the staging becomes more impressionistic and events unfold more effectively as we hurtle towards the final revelations. One can absolutely admire the ambition but also feel a little frustrated at the rather clunky elements.

Ken Ludwig’s script is similarly ambitious and rather clunky. This is particularly evident in the slow start to the first act where we have to encounter the various passengers and crew. It is unnecessary for this to happen twice – first in a hotel dining room and then on the train platform before departure. It delays the real start of the plot for no gain in terms of depth of understanding of the characters and their backstories.

The performances themselves are entertaining and it is clear from the audience reaction is one of engagement and enjoyment. However, there are some rather wandering accents that do not stay consistent through the play and that is not something one would expect from a high-profile tour.

Lack of consistency is also an issue in terms of the acting styles used for the various characters. There is always a delicate balance to be struck when playing the archetypes that Christie created. One can be earnest and strive for realism, one can seek for emotional truth or one can embrace the high camp that lurks beneath the surface of these stories. What you should not do is seek to employ all three styles in the same production. This creates a jarring effect that can baffle audiences.

Michael Maloney is a quality choice for Poirot. He is more Suchet than Ustinov, Finney or Branagh. His dialogue is peppered with Hamlet references which is appropriate given his great success in that role. He wins over the audience and it is clear that he is relishing the character. Debbie Chazen has a whale of a time as the Princess. She absolutely embraces the full camp inherent in the role and steals every scene as a result. Similarly, Christine Kavanagh revels in every moment as the extravagant Mrs Hubbard – again turning in a memorable interpretation. Iniki Mariano captures the clipped restraint of Mary Debenham to good effect.

Thankfully the flaws in the production are not fatal to the overall success of it as a piece of entertainment for the many fans of this genre. Theatregoers can look forward to a new stage version of Death on the Nile later this year as well as tours of adaptations of Inspector Morse and Midsomer Murders. Murder most foul is clearly good box office and that is what our regional theatres need to keep going.

Runs until 1 March 2024 and on tour