Murder on the Orient Express
Based on the Agatha Christie novel—Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig
Clarence Brown Theatre
Previews on Wednesday and Thursday, September 6 and 7 with opening night on Friday, September 8; Runs through Sunday, September 24.
Tickets and Information
True second chances are generally rare, but theatre-goers have just such an opportunity this month as Clarence Brown Theatre revives its production of Murder on the Orient Express that was forced to shutdown prematurely last September due to a Covid outbreak in the cast. Fortunately, however, I was able to see and review that production before it closed. Given that all of the major cast members are returning to this month’s production, as well as director John Sipes and his creative staff, theatre-goers who take up the CBT on this second chance can realistically expect to experience an even tighter, more delicious weaving of the Agatha Christie murder mystery classic—adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. As such, allow my 2022 Arts Knoxville review to act as a preview of what theatre-goers might expect from this revival. [Don’t worry, there are no spoilers!]
Of course, Murder on the Orient Express features Christie’s legendary Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.
“The classic mystery is set up when Poirot (Armando Durán) finds that he must return to London from Istanbul, but discovers the Orient Express train fully booked, despite being the off-season. Thankfully, Monsieur Bouc (John Pribyl), the head of the railway company, is an old friend, and offers his personal compartment. Poirot then finds himself in the strange company of an unusually diverse group of fellow passengers who seem to have nothing in common. But do they?”
The cast includes: Armando Durán (Hercule Poirot); John Pribyl (Monsieur Bouc); Rachel Allion (Mary Debenham); Michael Najman (Hector MacQueen); Guthrie Butler (Michel the Conductor/Head Waiter); Carol Mayo Jenkins (Princess Natalya Dragomiroff); Rachel Darden (Greta Ohlsson); Christine Sage (Countess Elena Andrenyi); Katie Cunningham (Mrs. Helen Hubbard); David Brian Alley (Colonel Arbuthnot); Jed Diamond (Samuel Ratchett); Tyler Glover (Steward/Waiter); and J. D. Joiner (Steward/Waiter/#2 Soldier).
