Murder on the Orient Express
Reviewed by Jenny Wood
Ken Ludwig's adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express is perhaps best known for being one of the first contemporary stage adaptations of Christie's novels, and the first in many decades to include her most famous detective, Hercule Poirot.
As presented by McKinney Repertory Theatre, the end result is a quick paced, classic whodunnit which provides a suspenseful escape on a warm summer evening.
McKinney Repertory Theatre performs in the historic Courtroom Theater at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, located in the heart of Downtown McKinney.
This space lends an authentic, immersive feel to their production of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, as Dave Tenney’s cage-like set establishes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the subject train car within the large, open room.
Juxtaposed against the minimalist set pieces, Teresa Miller’s period accurate costumes add a grounding realism to the mystery about to unfold.
Doug Latham (Sound Design) and Emory Calhoun (Sound Tech) have done a masterful job of managing sound in a space that might otherwise pull all the sound immediately into the sky, never to be heard by the audience.
Director Lindsey Humphries meets the challenge of showing big action in a tiny space by carefully staging tableaus within various compartments of the train car to highlight key moments. This approach, together with Jack Piland’s lighting choices, is particularly effective during the classic Christie act three reveal.
This solid technical foundation allows the cohesive ensemble cast to settle in and excel at the greater task at hand: moving through the text of Ken Ludwig’s adaptation quickly, clearly and with at least seven different accents called for within the story - Jane Talbert's Helen Hubbard of Minnesota and Erik Ho's French train conductor Marcel were a particular treat for the ears.
In his portrayal of Hercule Poirot, Dale G. Gutt sets the tone for the evening, adeptly establishing the Detective as a person rather than a caricature, a choice of which Ms. Christie herself would approve.
This choice establishes Poirot as a reliable narrator for the audience trust to guide them through such adventure, and sets up the remainder of the cast to shine as a diverse and dynamic group of suspects.
The end result is a lovely balance of organic presentation against the farcical rhythm of the text. The cast subtly serves up smaller clues and punchlines throughout, then crescendos into the big ones in a manner that mirrors the quiet thrill of reading the novel without sacrificing the energy or spectacle of live performance.
That said, prepare to listen closely to the dialogue as almost every line presents a clue. The venue offers open seating for this production, so those with less acute hearing will want to arrive early and secure a seat closer to the front. If you are sensitive to smoke or fog effects, you will want to avoid the front few rows of the house-left section.
Audience Rating: PG-13 - Suggested Violence & Thematic Elements
Running Time: Two hours and 10 minutes including a fifteen minute intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Not Available
Sensory Friendly Showing: Not Available
ASL Showing: Available, Aug 5 at 2pm
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