Murder On The Orient Express
Milton Keynes Theatre
25th February 2025
Arguably the most well-known of Hercule Poirot’s whodunnits, ‘Murder On The Orient Express’ is now 91 years young, having been written by legendary thriller author Agatha Christie back in 1934. The moustached Belgian detective first appeared in print back in 1920, and his popularity remains strong over a century later, appearing in 33 Christie novels, film adaptations, and memorably immortalised on the small screen by David Suchet. Now he’s back on our regional stages trying to get to the bottom of another dastardly deed, with a UK tour that stops this week at Milton Keynes Theatre.
Trying to get home from the Middle East, Hercule Poirot (played by Michael Maloney) boards the opulent Orient Express, finding himself travelling amidst a range of characters from different backgrounds and cultures. The train is stopped when heavy snowfall hits, and the following morning, a murder of one of the passengers is uncovered. With no new travellers able to board prior to the murder, Poirot looks at the suspects around him, and begins to examine how they may be secretly linked to the deceased, and its connection to the murder of a young girl many years before.
‘Murder On The Orient Express’ has been done many times before, but it works because it’s quintessential Christie; mysterious characters in an intriguing setup and plenty of hooks and red herrings to keep the narrative twisting to the end. Christie knew how to tell a story, and director Lucy Bailey knows Christie (having previously worked on ‘And Then There Were None’ and ‘Witness For The Prosecution’, among others), and Bailey’s love for the source material is clear throughout this production (adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig). It has that “Sunday afternoon on the sofa with a box of chocolates” feel to it, escaping into a classic whodunnit and playing detective alongside Poirot. Th characters are fleshed out and given plenty of backstory (and motives!), and Christie’s skill at tying all of the plot strands together during Poirot’s inimitable deduction reveal leads to a satisfying twist that newcomers won’t see coming. Pace is swift and slick, and Bailey’s direction gives the piece a cinematic feel and real depth.
Opening with Poirot on an empty black stage and followed by scenes comprising of little more than chairs and a smoke machine, the production soon come alive with the reveal of the Orient Express itself, which is a truly fantastic bit of scenic design by Mike Britton, which really is the star of the show. Comprised of separate compartment pieces and utilising a floor revolve, it’s brilliantly done, allowing character movement, scene transitions and plot revelations in increasingly imaginative ways. This is further enriched by an impressive overhead video projection (Ian William Galloway) and striking lighting design (Oliver Fenwick), making the production feel as grand and elegant as the train in its title.
Christie mysteries rely heavily on strong ensemble casts to bring her characters to life, and this production certainly offers one. Performances are uniformly strong, although overall it’s the women who make the strongest impressions, from Mila Carter’s enchanting Countess Elena, Debbie Chazen’s feisty Princess Dragomiroff, and Christine Kavanagh’s vivacious Helen Hubbard. However, it must also be said that Michael Maloney leads the show brilliantly as Poirot, filling enormous shoes and playing the astute detective with precision and wit, and truly coming into his own during the plot’s ultimate reveal.
Engaging to new audiences and enjoyable to life-long Christie fans, ‘Murder On The Orient Express’ is classic mystery done as only Christie can, and delivered with affection and style. With some hugely impressive set design and a killer cast, this is one train you should definitely try and catch.
‘Murder On The Orient Express’ runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 1st March 2025 before continuing on its UK tour.
Performance runtime 2 hours 15 minutes including interval
