“MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS”: A SPECTACULAR TREAT FOR SAN DIEGO AUDIENCES

 First Sherlock Holmes, now Agatha Christie. What or whose next? Blake Edwards and the bumbling French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau? James Bond? 

I do love me a good detective story. That’s why I was so tickled when The Globe announced Christie’s  “Murder On The Orient Express” with Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of the 1934 short story of the same name. 

No spoilers here. You will not get me to indulge the whodunit in the whodunit mostly because next to the stylish and flawless sets by Paul Tate de Poo III (‘In the details’) with some art deco influence, projection designs (Greg Emetaz) with sliding panels, separate compartments, individual bedrooms for the so called group of unrelated guests along with an engineer’s room, a rotating set, surround sound ( Matthew Parker), mood lighting trickling in (JAX Messenger), a long hallway, and exquisite period costumes (Tracy Dorman), the story almost gets lost with all the red herrings to throw us off course. But! You will never forget production values that make it look like we are watching the movie version. Yes, there were movies.

Cast

At the center of Christie’s most noted short story is Hercule Poirot played to perfection by Andrew Sellon.  He is a ‘funny little Belgian’ with a wonderful moustache and distinctive accent and a penchant for solving unsolvable mysteries. He happens to be one of the passengers on the Orient Express headed to Paris from Istanbul when it is suddenly stopped dead in its tracks because of a snow drift. Here is where the fun begins, and I say fun because Ludwick always manages to toss in some throw away lines, perhaps even farce, that will make you chuckle.

Andrew Sellon

Over the course of 2 ½ hours, staged on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, there is a murder, an attempted one, a multitude of alibi's and a variety of standout characters, all pointing fingers and then denying any wrongdoing. 

Cast

Mylinda Hull is a hoot as the American divorcee who breaks out into song “Lullaby of Broadway” stealing scenes from everyone; Karol Foreman is the aging Russian Princess Dragomiroff and Ariella Kvashny is the Hungarian Princess, Andrenyi. Everyone has a key role but some more (if you will) air time than others. There are 13 characters in all; some drop off the wayside or are murdered, but don’t let that bother you. In the end “All’s well that ends well” so to speak. You be the judge.

Andrew Sellon (center) Mylinda Hull (With red hair) and other cast members

In 2020 the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Fla. (“Cabaret”) with the same Peter Amster directing, same scenery and costumes with Ludwig’s (“Robin and the Seven Hoods”, “Lend Me A Tenor”) script ran to rave reviews. This reviewer had fun with it but, of course, it might have been a bit shorter. 

Have fun.

See you at the theatre.

Sept. Runs through Oct. 13. 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park

Photo: Jim Cox

Tickets: $47 and up

Phone: (619) 234-5623

Online: theoldglobe.org