‘Murder on the Orient Express’ @ Theatre Arlington
Photos by Dani Holway
—Jan Farrington
A great cast brings energy and life to Theatre Arlington’s production of Agatha Christie’s vintage Murder on the Orient Express—but a train and a turntable almost steal the show.
Come for David Coffee’s terrific, multi-layered portrait of Christie’s French detective Hercule Poirot—faced with an unexpected mystery aboard the legendary cross-Europe train—for Randy Pearlman’s sidekick turn as the uber-distressed owner of the train line (he and Coffee are wonderful together), and for Shannon McGrann’s wisecracking, annoying American passenger Mrs. Hubbard, who may (like everyone onstage) be hiding something.
Then stay for the “wow” staging and scenic design by Bryan Stevenson and Steven Morris, who co-direct this show to great effect. Building a train car onstage is one thing. But make it “go round”—circling from outside views (with projected snow falling out the windows) to multiple inside locations (lovely Deco dining car, row of “sleeping car” staterooms), plus a long, dark hallway that’s the scene of much running around…and you don’t just add set pieces. You give extra spark and urgency to this story of passengers, secrets, a bloody murder, and one self-doubting detective who doesn’t want anything to do with it.
The rest of the creative team adds a lot to the mix: Stevenson lights his own set very effectively (love the dining car’s dimmed lights), Ryan Simon’s sound adds atmosphere, and Hope Cox’s varied costumes (props from Robin Dotson) are elegantly period for the mid-1930s setting. Poirot/Coffee’s distinguished-gentleman suit is perfect, as is Monsieur Bouc’s (Pearlman) jazzy burgundy ensemble, very apropos for a stylish Frenchman.
Poirot, in self-doubting mood after an earlier mystery was solved (but caused another death), is traveling from Istanbul to London, and unwillingly dragged into the mystery of a murder onboard. “There are too many clues!” he shouts after interviewing the first-class passengers who shared the “murder car” overnight. But that’s the fun of it, Hercule—do your thing, please!
Deborah Brown, imperious and styling in a green-satin cape, is a wonderfully stiff-spined Russian princess exiled by “the Bolsheviks”—who she sees under every tablecloth. (1917 is recent history for her.) She’s seen plenty, and we wonder what she knows. Her companion, timid Miss Ohlsson (Natalie Hines in a subtly watchable turn), is deeply religious and small in stature (a clue, or not?); she confides in Mary Debenham (Olivia Cinquepalmi), a young Englishwoman who didn’t board the train with the young man she spoke to in the station. But “aha!” (just one of many): he (Daniel Ruelas) got on alone.
Ratchett, a rude and intimidating American businessman (Luke Longacre), makes a horrible impression on the fellow passengers, though his young associate Hector (Joseph Tully) is pleasant enough. Adia Best is mysterious as a countess with a surprising background as a doctor, while Mason Bowling (the Orient Express head waiter) chimes in helpfully with a few clues and comments. And bringing up the caboose (wait, that’s not quite right) is Kalumbu Tshibangu as Michel the train conductor, who makes agitated calls for help from his little booth on the train. He couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the murder or the mystery…could he?
Murder has Agatha Christie’s signature stuffed-suitcase of plot threads to sort through, but we have faith in our man Poirot. This is playwright Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Christie’s nearly 90-year-old novel, and he does well adding a fresh layer of just-enough banter and comedy to brighten up the scenes. What’s possibly more important, he also maintains Christie’s nuanced but important infusion of Poirot’s deep commitment to morality and justice. And in David Coffee, Theatre Arlington has an actor who can pull off it off: the comedy, the frustration, zee French accent (kudos to dialogue coach Megan Noble), the sharp intelligence, and his spiritual distress—without missing a beat or striking a false note.
WHEN: May 1-17, 2026
WHERE: TA, 305 W. Main Street, Arlington TX
WEB: theatrearlington.org
