Walking in My Shoes

Saturday afternoon, I was back at the Mayflower Theatre [https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/] for Murder on the Orient Express.

I love books by Agatha Christie. I love movies based on her books, some more than others. For me, there was never a better Hercule Poirot than Peter Ustinov. So I had high expectations for this play, and I was not disappointed.

The play, adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig, premiered in 2017 in New Jersey and has since been staged many times in the US. It was out at Chichester Festival Theatre for a couple of years, but this production, directed by Lucy Bailey, marks the first time it has toured in the UK.

I am sure most people know the story through the book or various movies. It is very dramatic, and the way it was staged is just mind-blowing, showing on stage different angles of the train carriage with amazing special effects. Murder on the Orient Express is not just a story of murder and revenge. It is also a story of how one action can affect the lives of so many people. It is one of the most difficult cases in Poirot’s career, mainly because it shrouds his belief system of right and wrong and the law. It is a moral dilemma.

I truly enjoyed this play, performed by a group of extremely talented actors. And I was so happy that Mayflower Theatre was fully busy, showing that many people prefer theatre over Saturday shopping.

Interesting fact – it is not the first time Agatha Christie used her knowledge of the Russian language as a plot point. The Cyrillic alphabet plays a critical role in explaining an important clue at the murder scene.

With love as always,
Yana De Lilac