Invited| Review by Aaron Whittington
14.01.2025 Newcastle Theatre Royal
Happy New Year firstly readers, and I’m happy to see a show that isn’t a panto now that Christmas time has passed. However January must bring on some mystery as Agatha Christie is the subject of two productions this week. One at The Peoples Theatre, and one here at the Newcastle Theatre Royal, with Murder On The Orient Express.
I’ve never actually watched the tv shows of this famous Belgian detective, made famous by David Suchet over 24 years, or its alternative film versions, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was familiar with the character but not the storylines.

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Lucy Bailey we are transported to Winter 1934. Poirot introduces himself in present tense and talks of his most famous case, and it is here we then enter into a memory, and where the murder mystery starts. We are also shown the ensemble of cast gathered, with a video backdrop which is to set to be the trigger for events to unfold.
It’s Winter 1934 and Hercule Poirot is on his way home from Istanbul. An interrupted rest and break for him due to his requested presence by Scotland Yard to return imminently. To do so he decides to travel on the Orient Express, of whom a close friend runs the operating company and duly accompanies him. Upon entry to the train we are introduced to our accompanying cast and characters of whom will soon be under the spotlight.
Later an avalanche stops the Orient Express dead in its tracks. A scream later and we discover an American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, His door locked from the inside. Trapped in the snow with a killer still on board, Hercule Poirot seeks to solve this who dunnit mystery.





Much credit goes to Mike Britton (Designer) Oliver Fenwick (Lighting Design) Mic Pool (Sound Designer) Ian William Galloway (Video Designer) Leah Hausman (Movement Director) for the staging of this show. I really liked how the train carriage took centre stage and the design of the two sided cabins which enabled us to view scenes on both sides inside and out and across the length of the carriage. From seeing a row of doors, to individual rooms it felt like we were being invited in with the cast. The stopping of the train and additional video background helped create atmosphere. The restaurant scene at the beginning also is well worked with the rotating floor, moving us around this dining room.

Our accompanying cast are brilliant in that each brings a distinct personality to their roles and for this I cant really pick a stand out performer. I liked each for very different reasons. Simon Cotton as our murdered passenger Samuel Ratchett was quick to show us why I quickly disliked him and could see why on behaviour alone it would have been enough to see why he ended up dead. (alas, there was yet another reason for his bloody death).
Our main character Michael Maloney as Hercule Poirot was exactly as I expected with my knowledge of the character. A great bit of casting for this role I thought. An investigative mind, deduction through questioning, analysis of answers provided – you can see the mind working to solve this case. With lies told to distract he notices the detail to deduce the outcome and who carried out this murder. If you don’t know the story you will learn there is more to the story that unravels, triggered by events years before impacting many people, and while seeking one suspect we find others that may have just reason to be the suspect. The final outcome leaves Poirot with an moral dilemma however, questioning his long held belief of what justice is.

One thing however I am unsure on in this play was its humour. While executed and integrated brilliantly to laughs, the moments of tension were what I really engaged with. I felt we could have had more tension throughout, rather than the laughs. I acknowledge this gave some of the characters personality or certain scenes humour, but left me wondering if it was needed. I would like of liked a more straight laced retelling personally.
Overall the play as enjoyable, and left entertained. If you are a fan of a murder mystery this is an adaptation worth seeing, and made for a lovely evening. Murder on the Orient Express plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 14 – Sat 18 Jan 2025. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on
0191 232 7010.