Stage Dragon: Murder on the Orient Express – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Published on: 23 Jan, 2025
Updated on: 23 Jan, 2025

The cast of Murder on the Orient Express Manuel Harlan

By Ferenc Hepp

Now that panto season is behind us for another year, it’s all aboard for their usual programming. I strongly recommend that you grab a ticket, if you can, for the Orient Express leaving from the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre for the next few nights.

It is the winter of 1934, the Orient Express, is stopped by heavy snowfall. A murder is discovered, and Hercule Poirot’s trip home to London is interrupted to solve the case.

However, before that, we start in an Istanbul restaurant, where we meet Monsieur Bouc (Bob Barrett) and his good friend Poirot (Michael Maloney), promising him top hospitality on his train.

Michael Maloney as Hercule Poirot Manuel Harlan

Fiery Angel is on the road with Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic and we are soon presented with some of the background to the story with some clever use of projection by designer, Mike Britton.

The direction by Lucy Bailey is a mixture of natural movement and expression, and some more choreographed group formations, both of which suit the piece well.

A special mention has to go to Britton’s design once the action moves onto the train. There are a number of panels which move in numerous ways and ingeniously form various parts of the train, such as the outside and inside of compartments, and the corridor.

We are introduced to each guest as they board the train. The pace then picks up, although some of the early scenes are rather short, interrupted by the movement of the scenery, which ‘shows off’ what it is capable of.

A scene change is not always essential at that point, but it is still impressive to see how each setting is created.

Debbie Chazen as Princess Dragomiroff Manuel Harlan

Maloney as Poirot interacts with all the passengers effectively, each one with a very distinctive character, and I particularly enjoyed the humour injected throughout. It was a pleasant surprise in a murder mystery, which I didn’t expect.

The murder happens not too far into Act One, and we then really start finding out about everyone’s characters. A highlight is the tension and mutual dislike between the loud and hysterical Helen Hubbard (Christine Kavanagh) and the rather privileged Princess Dragomiroff (Debbie Chazen).

The dialogue between them is brilliantly delivered in a most amusing manner, which makes us wonder if it is really hatred, or two big personalities with jealousy. Some of the interaction between Kavanagh and Barrett also made me laugh, with my favourite lines coming in Act 2; Hubbard: “You remind me of one of my husbands.” Bouc: “Which one?” Hubbard: “The next one!”

Mila Carter as Countess Andrenyi, Rebecca Charles as Greta, Simon Cotton as Ratchett, Jean-Baptiste Fillon as Michel, Paul Keating as Macqueen, Iniki Mariano as Debenham and Rishi Rian as The Colonel complete the main cast and despite some of the accents straying slightly across the board, they all bring something unique to their characters with total focus and commitment.

The reveal by Poirot at the end is very cleverly staged, and the twist in the final scene brings a satisfactory conclusion.

I agree with Lucy Bailey’s comments in the programme that Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation is “seductive and utterly delicious” with its combination of energy, pace and physical comedy. I would highly recommend boarding this train before it leaves Guildford at the end of this week.

Murder on the Orient Express runs until Saturday, January 25 and tickets are available via
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk or 01483 440000