Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted for film, TV - and now, the stage. Should you get on board?
More than 90 years after it was first published, Murder on the Orient Expressremains one of the best-known Agatha Christie novels.
The Hercule Poirot classic has been adapted multiple times for television, and twice on the big screen, but the enduring legacy of the novel has now seen it brought alive on stage.
The story begins in Istanbul, where Poirot (Cameron Rhodes) has just finished his latest case, and has now been called back to England by Scotland Yard. His friend Monsieur Bouc insists on him traveling via his company’s train, the Orient Express, and Poirot joins an odd assembly of first class passengers.
Shortly after the train passes through Yugoslavia, it becomes stuck in the snow, at the same time as one of the passengers is unsurprisingly murdered – and thus, chaos ensues.
Murder on the Orient Expressis a story that can easily be done in a grim and serious manner, but Ludwig’s adaptation is light and breezy, packed with humour and all the more engrossing for it. Director Shane Bosher keeps things moving at a tight pace, and coupled with the accomplished ensemble, you can’t help but be pulled along for the ride.
Like the many big screen adaptations, the cast is a real who’s who of New Zealand acting greats. Rhodes keeps a steady hand on the ship but finds the fun in his stoic character in one of the more playful interpretations of Poirot. The ensemble deserves high praise for committing to their outrageous accents for the entire play without slipping up, and the over-the-top performances only add to the experience.
The ensemble cast of Auckland Theatre Company's production of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Photo / Supplied.
Jennifer Ludlam and Rima Te Wiata are given the most to play with of the supporting characters and command attention every time they are on stage – and particularly shine in a moment in the second act where their fiery characters get to trade barbs. Brownyn Ensor as the uptight Greta Ohlsson also convincingly sells one of the most melodramatic moments of the whole show.
The real star here is the set, designed by John Verryt. The opening scene in an Istanbul restaurant is deceptively simple, before it’s all swept away and replaced by a multi-functional train carriage that is seamlessly changed between scenes. There are multi ascending walls and rolling carriage fronts, and it adds to the harmonious feel through the production.
Elizabeth Whiting’s costumes bring the period alive, and Paul McLaney’s sound design works wonders during the tense moments. Bosher and the cast also manage to bring a flashback alive on stage in a way I’ve never seen before, which is the cherry on top as the story reaches its climax. The only missing feature was the LED screens above the stage, which added little and only stood out during Saturday night’s performance when they briefly turned off.
The only time when the fun, frothy nature of the production doesn’t feel right is during the climax, with some big laughs still coming even as the killer is revealed, and it dulls the impact of the final monologue. Yet that doesn’t detract from the fact that Murder on the Orient Express is a delightful piece of entertainment, two hours of pure escapism produced to the highest quality, and the exact type of blockbuster-esque theatre it would be great to see more of.
What: Murder on the Orient Express
Where: Auckland’s ASB Waterfront Theatre.
When: This year’s production ends on May 10, but due to ticket demand, ATC has confirmed a return season for next year, from February 7 to 15. Tickets are on sale now.
