The famed locomotive made a station stop at U of T this year with the Trinity College Dramatic Society (TCDS) production of Murder on the Orient Express, directed by Kit Dixon and adapted by Ken Ludwig from Agatha Christie’s classic novel of the same name.
Noah Rudder leads the ensemble cast as Hercule Poirot — Belgian, not French! — mustachioed detective extraordinaire. En route to London from Istanbul in the 1930s, Poirot encounters his old friend M. Bouc (Juan Parra) who works with the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, the company that operates the Orient Express.
Also aboard is a diverse cast of characters that make up the rest of the ensemble. After a tumultuous night, the train wakes to the murder of businessman Samuel Ratchett (James Higgins). However, there seems to be no clear culprit, as everyone has an alibi. Poirot takes on the case and begins his investigation to uncover whodunnit.
Precision and personalities
Simple lighting choices effectively translated a complicated script with time jumps and flashbacks for the stage. The sound effects were crisp, and scene transitions seamless. While a couple of the suit pants could’ve used some quick ironing, the costumes were period-accurate and embodied the characters’ personalities.
Before delving into the performances in more detail, I must note that some thoroughly competent performances were severely diminished by the various accents the actors were asked to put on.
Despite the talented cast, this decision ultimately harmed each portrayal. This is a play centred on an extravagant ensemble, where the eccentricity of the characters relies on their exaggerated personalities, as reflected in their mannerisms and dialogue — not their accents. Half the job of an actor is to speak effectively to an audience, and anything that interferes with immersion should be avoided. Even Rudder’s Poirot, I felt, was held back. A potentially unforgettable performance from a charismatic actor playing a beloved character began to feel like a parody. Camp is part of the appeal; artificiality is not.
That said, Rudder’s performance was otherwise excellent. He captured the detective’s meticulous cadence and embodied the spirit of the character through his physicality. Some of his best work occurred in the background, as he snooped around the train car, peeking out from behind newspapers. Rudder provided a solid anchor for the rest of the cast, with Parra’s Bouc serving as the perfect lieutenant. Parra particularly excelled in pacing his dialogue, seamlessly navigating the audience’s chuckles, where others struggled.
Dorothea Unwin’s commanding portrayal of hardened Scottish veteran Arbuthnot, scarred by the trenches of WWI, was formidable, and definitely one of the standout performances. Their scenes opposite Mollie Guest’s adequate portrayal of the neurotic Ms. Debenham did justice to what was arguably the most significant subplot in the show. The steamy interactions on the steam engine displayed real chemistry, which is crucial — especially considering that a lack of chemistry was a flaw in one of TCDS’s biggest productions last spring.
Aliyah Kashkari’s Mrs. Hubbard felt quite authentic, skillfully balancing a bombastic American demeanour with melancholic undertones. Though, I’d say the character was presented as far too youthful for someone in her mid-50s. With her somewhat anachronistic valley-girl voice and ageless attire, it might’ve been helpful to age her up through costuming. This is particularly important since Hubbard’s age is central to one of the story’s major reveals and could confuse those unfamiliar with the plot.
Yana Shamis and Alyssa Santoro played off each other well as Princess Dragomiroff and Greta Ohlsson, matching the energy expected from a Russian heiress and a nervous missionary in her temporary employ. However, it was hard to hear Shamis at times, and her delicate coo would have benefitted from a stage mic or from being placed closer to the front of the stage. In Ludwig’s abridgment of the story, Greta takes on the role of two characters from the book. Santoro did well with what she was given, offering an energetic portrayal of a daughter of God who is surprisingly cool with murder.
Perhaps it was easier for us in the audience to accept Ratchett’s murder, because Higgins played such a real bastard. Impressively Boston, and convincingly Mafioso, Higgins was just over the top enough to suit the script without ever feeling like a cartoon. Kieran Ramos as Hector MacQueen took a mostly inconsequential character in Ludwig’s script and made him a charming presence, while Emi Sunahara-Meadows brought an appropriate awkwardness to head waiter Michel. The stunning Taylor French played Countess Andrenyi, and her performance certainly enraptured the audience, just as she did Poirot. French’s monotonous, straight-to-the-point delivery worked for the disenchanted character, and her monologue during the emotional interrogation scene was perfectly adroit.
A first-class production
Placing Poirot’s final speech offstage, in the middle of the audience under a dim light, was a brilliant directorial choice, and Rudder’s delivery was utterly dignified. The production gave the play’s central ethical theme the respect it deserved. Even among the cast and crew, according to Dixon, Poirot’s ultimate decision was contentious — and Rudder’s awareness of this came through in his nuanced portrayal of the inspector.
About 40 people, including cast, crew, and the TCDS producers were involved in the staging of Murder on the Orient Express at U of T. “I won’t say I bit off more than I could chew because I did pull it off,” said Dixon in an interview with The Varsity. “But it was very ambitious of me to choose this play, especially for my first time directing.”
But the ambition paid off. The show was not to be missed, and it’s clear why. Much like the first-class coach — the play was nearly always sold out.
