Review: Ken Ludwig's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS at Stageworks Theatre

"If you break the law you must pay the price..." -A Philosophy of Hercule Poirot

Murder on the Orient Express, a stage adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, was written and adapted by Ken Ludwig and premiered in New Jersey in 2017. Based on the Christie novel that was first published in the United States in February 1934, it was originally published under the name Murder on the Calais Coach.

The twisted plot is full of a wild cast of characters. As Poirot puts it, "It was like a painting by Pablo Picasso." We open the play in Istanbul at the Tokatlian Hotel. As we meet Poirot, we understand that he is due in London in three days from the delivery of a telegram. He runs into his old friend, Bouc, who arranges a trip on the Orient Express, which he owns. The two climb aboard with Poirot, hoping he makes it to London on schedule. Upon boarding the Orient Express, one by one Poirot meets an oddity of characters, much like boarding a train to Carnival. As the train departs the station amidst the snowy conditions, like an onion we see the layers of each of the passengers peeled back one by one.

The passengers are a crochet of misfits all with their own reasons for being on the train. Outside of Monsieur Bouc and Poirot, we meet the following: Helen Hubbard, a widow; Mary Debenham, an English Governess; Greta Ohlsson, a Swedish Missionary; Samuel Ratchett, an American Businessman; Ratchett's Secretary/Translator Hector MacQueen; Natalia Dragomiroff, a Russian Princess; the Countess of Hungary Elena Andrenyi; and an English Colonel by the name of John Arbuthnot.

Upon arrival on the Orient Express, Ratchett discovers threatening letters that have been sent to him, and upon meeting Poirot he asks for his protection. There is something not quite right about Ratchett, so our esteemed detective refuses to help him.

During the ascent up the mountain on the way to London, the train is struck by a snowdrift, and without warning, the train becomes stuck in its tracks. Shortly following the abrupt stop in the late hours of the evening, a murder occurs. Without the help of the Police (as there are none on board), Hercule Poirot assumes responsibility for solving the case. The game is truly afoot now.

Leading the front of the case is none other than the incomparable Matthew McGee as Hercule Poirot. Donning a double-breasted suit and an outlandish mustache, which is quintessential Poirot, Matthew has never been better. He is masterful in his craft and on top of his game here. Every line delivery, every mannerism that Poirot is known for, is delivered with exceptional gravitas. McGee is one of the finest bay area performers, and his work is no exception here. He weaves the plot so intricately that every twist and turn will make your head spin. He is a true detective, and you believe everything he says. His comedic timing is spot-on and he is simply made for this role.

Monsieur Bouc played by T.R. Butler is wonderful. Having seen T.R. in other productions, most recently Romeo & Juliet with Jobsite Theater, his performance is exceptional. You sense the camaraderie between him and Poirot. Bouc does everything he can to hold this fateful train excursion in his grasp without anything slipping away. T.R. is always a joy to watch onstage.

The Widow Helen Hubbard, played with all exuberance by Susan Haldeman, is a joy to watch. Her comedic timing and moments of song and dance are a great addition to the cast of characters. Nothing forced, her Mrs. Hubbard is real every moment to moment. The widow has a flirtatious side, and it's fun to watch Susan in this arena. There is a moment towards the end where your heart breaks for her, and it needs to be seen. Susan is always a joy to watch and takes the stage with so much gusto.

As the Swedish Missionary Greta Ohlsson, Katrina Stevenson is exceptional. Having last seen her onstage as Tybalt in Jobsite's Romeo & Juliet, Katrina is no stranger to challenging roles. I find this role to be a little more complicated than most in this ensemble. As a performer there is a grey area when it comes to religion: You have to be believable without producing a caricature. Katrina does outstanding work here, and she is believable every second.

Princess Natalia Dragomiroff played by Donna Delonay is all business. Having last seen her on stage in her exquisite performance as Kitty in Topher Payne's Perfect Arrangement, she is just as splendid here. She tends to waver on the rude side, and it's a striking portrayal. She's conniving and cold-hearted and only cares about her needs. The only struggle I had, albeit a minor one, is that each time she stomped the cane down on someone's foot it didn't seem real. Her presence on stage is steely and a wonderful addition to the players. I felt at times she should have been petting a white cat, or doting a little dog around.

As Countess Andreyni, Nicole Jeannine Smith is a knockout. Having never been privy to her previous work, she is exceptional. She catches the eye of Hercule Poirot and turning over clues left and right as a Medically Trained Professional (Not Practicing). She bears an uncanny resemblance to Gal Gadot, who was more recently featured in the film Death on the Nile, another Poirot mystery. I look forward to seeing more of her exceptional work in the future.

Jaryn McCann is wonderful as Michel/Head Waiter. His moments on the phone exclaiming emergency are hilarious, and it was great to see him back on stage at Stageworks following his great performance in Evil Dead the Musical earlier in the season.

Aaron Castle as Hector MacQueen is a welcomed addition to the mysterious plot. He is nerdy in all the right ways, and each time he takes the stage, I always wanted to look and see where and what he was up to next. It's his welcome performance back to the Tampa area following some time in Nashville. I still recall his exceptional turns as Emcee in Cabaret and Saint Jimmy in American Idiot, both with MAD Theatre of Tampa. His performance here as Hector is a welcomed debut with Stageworks, and we are glad he is back.

Laura Fleming as Mary Debenham is strong here. Also making her Stageworks debut, and having more recently directed Murder on the Nile for Carrollwood Players, she delivers fine work here. She started the show a little hard to understand with some moments where the delivery was too fast, but, nonetheless, her turn as the Governess Mary is a wonderful role for her.

Brian Shea is no stranger to the many companies in the bay area having performed with Hat Trick, Jobsite, Stageworks, and TampaRep. He takes on an interesting turn here as Colonel Arbuthnot and Samuel Ratchett. Having last seen Brian in Jobsite's Romeo & Juliet it's always wonderful to see his name in the program, for we know we will have a good show. For me, this turn, however, delivered well is a struggle for me. I do not know if this is a Playwright's decision, or a directorial decision but casting a single actor to play both Colonel Arbuthnot and Samuel Ratchett seemed puzzling. Normally staged as two different performers, it took a little of the believability out of the moment for me here. Not to mention, even a seasoned actor could have potential moments of struggle with such a daunting task. Samuel Ratchett is very seedy and unable to be trusted, its almost as if the con-man could be smelled miles away. To pair that with a man such as Arbuthnot is a polar situation, especially in times when coming on-stage as one character and running off to be back on instantly as the other. Both different in demeanor and presence made this doubled option troubling for me. I commend Brian on the exceptional task laid at his feet, and his performance here is one that should not be missed.

Directed by the exceptional Clareann Despain, Murder on the Orient Express is a fun tour-de force ride that will make your head-spin. It's a whodunit, and the cast is having an exceptional time, displayed in the amount of heart each and every one of them allows themselves to give. That is what truly makes this production spectacular, as they each give it all and leave it all on the stage. Clareann should be exceptionally proud of her team. Like a strong conductor she steered this train straight onto the finish and did so with a firm hand and beautiful vision.

Technically speaking, Murder on the Orient Express is outstanding. Set Design by Gabrielle Lutz, Lighting Design by Celest Silsby Mannerud, Costume Design by Frank Chavez, Sound/Video Design by Clareann Despain, and Scenic Artistry by Tea Roberts. All tied together at the exceptional hands of Techincal Director Paul McColgan, Ludwig's Murder is a feast for the eyes on all counts. Beautifully designed, and technically executed this is the show you need to see. The moving compartments' idea as guests were checking in was exceptional in concept and in design. I use the word moving "loosely" here as the stage is fixed. However, as one guest would check-in, another would enter from the opposite side, it was a great concept for an almost "revolve" motion and perfectly executed. In true Ludwig fashion, the action before the curtain call is an entire retelling of the show boiled down to just a few minutes, and the execution behind this is exquisite. One would think an entire retelling would be a daunting task but the timing here is perfect, and its almost a welcome joy to watch as your head is spinning with so many clues that you try to find your way right side up again. This all boils down to one question. "Who committed the murder and why?" For that, you will have to purchase an all expense paid trip on the Orient Express to find out just for yourself, the shocking conclusion.

If you are a lover of mysteries and even film noir, then Murder on the Orient Express has just the ticket for you! Word on the street is that compartment 7 is always vacant. You never know who you'll meet on the next excursion, but if it's anything like the company here, then it's fine company to keep. The show is onstage at Stageworks Theatre in the Channel District until April 10, 2022. Visit stageworkstheatre.org for tickets, but hurry, the Orient Express will leave the station. This is one ticket you absolutely must not miss!!

PHOTO CREDIT: STAGEWORKS THEATRE

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