Chagrin Valley Little Theatre’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is firmly on track

Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie (1890-1976) is known as “The Queen of Mystery” and for good reason. She is the best selling fiction writer of all time with sales of over two billion copies. In total she wrote 66 detective novels, 14 short story collections, the play “The Mousetrap” (that has been running continuously in London’s West End since 1952) and six additional books under the pen name of Mary Westmacott. She was made a Dame in 1971 by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature.

Fame and fortune did not come easy as her first six books were rejected. It was only with the introduction of Detective Hercule Poirot in the 1920 novel “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” that her writing career took off. Her most well known novel featuring the Belgian Detective is “Murder on the Orient Express” that was the eighth Poirot featured novel from her first 16 published books.

Being from a well to do family, Christie was able to afford travel with her family that included excursions on the Orient Express. The train was created in 1883 by the Belgian company “Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits” and operated until 2009. The service ran from Paris, France to Istanbul, Turkey routing through over a dozen countries at a distance of over 1,700 miles with additional lines venturing into Italy and Greece. Passengers traveled in the lap of luxury. It was during these extended excursions that Christie met and befriended various interesting passengers that she later incorporated into the various characters for her novels.

In 2015 The Agatha Christie family commissioned Ken Ludwig to adapt the novel “Murder on the Orient Express” to the stage. The work debuted on March 14, 2017 at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey and was an instant hit and has been performed by countless community theaters around the world since.

It is 1934 with the world teetering on the verge of war as Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot (Adam V. Young) is on a much needed vacation in Istanbul, Turkey. While staying in the luxurious Tokatlian Hotel he runs into his friend and fellow Belgian Monsieur Bouc (John-Paul “JP” Whitman) who is the director of the famed Orient Express train. After receiving a telegram desperately requesting his presence in London, Poirot instructs the hotel concierge to book him a first class compartment on the train but is told that all first class compartments are fully booked. His friend Bouc gives up his first class berth taking a second class accommodation for himself.

Arriving at the Istanbul train station, Poirot becomes acquainted with the other first class passengers that he will be sharing the train with. Mary Debenham (Alex Petsche) is and English governess who is secretly traveling with Colonel Arbuthnot (Michael R. Aveni). Samuel Ratchett (Bill D. Kosteas) is a shady American businessman and is traveling with his male secretary and translator Hector MacQueen (Julian Kruyne). Princess Natalia Dragomiroff (Mim Goloboff) is of former Russian royalty traveling with Greta Ohlsson (Lisa Georges) a Swedish Missionary. Countess Helena Andrenyi (Michelle Unger) is traveling alone as she and her husband are estranged. The outspoken American widow Helen Hubbard (Lisa Freebairn Tarr) is also traveling solo. Lastly, there is Michel, the conductor and head waiter (Douglas R. Vanek) who sees to the comfort of his charges. All nine passengers are not who they appear to be as will be revealed later on in the play.

Ratchett (who left America in a cloud of suspicion) has been receiving death threats. He attempts to hire Poirot but is rebuked because Hercules “does not like his face”. After Poirot and Bouc change compartments the detective begins to observe a collection of seemingly random occurrences.

Early in the morning, Poirot is awakened by a cry from Ratchett’s compartment. The train’s conductor responds knocking on Ratchett’s door only to hear "Ce n'est rien. Je me suis trompé." ("It is nothing. I was mistaken."). Helen Hubbard rings for Michael to tell him that she thinks a man passed through her room. That morning all are awakened to a quiet train as it has become stuck in a snow drift between Vinkovci and Brod in what is now Croatia.

It is also found that Samuel Ratchett has been murdered in his sleep. Poirot takes the case and upon examination finds the victim to have been stabbed eight times. The compartment window is open, a handkerchief with the initial “H” is found along with a pipe cleaner, a flat match different from what Ratchett used and a charred piece of paper with the words “member little Daisy Armstrong” written on it. There is also a pocket watch in the pocket of his pajama top that is stopped at 1:00 indicating the time of death. Poirot has a mere 48 hours to solve the case before help arrives from the next station. He is stymied by conflicting clues, conflicting identities and conflicting motives.

To say the least, “Murder on the Orient Express” is one of the most challenging productions that any theater group can produce. You have multiple characters with varying accents and mannerisms, 30s era costuming and of course “THE TRAIN”. Most of all is the finding of the actor to play the lead character of Hercule Poirot.

“The little theater that can” has done it again. Celebrating their 95th anniversary this small community theater group manages to punch way above their weight class. Of prime example is their current production of “Murder on the Orient Express”. For starters, the stage set is nothing short of magnificent. Steve Savanyu (set and technical coordinator) and Mark Kobak (scenic painting) have teamed up with 20 volunteers to create a truly awesome set-up. There is a train car exterior, a dining car (that serves as a backdrop with the tables removed) and a sleeper car all of which move seamlessly during scene breaks. The 30s era costuming Hayley Whitman with assistance by Elyse Whitman is spot on authentic. Marcus Dana’s lighting design sets the proper mood throughout. The entire works is skillfully directed by Don Bernardo.

As for the actors, they are superb. The accents are noticeable without sounding fake or contrived. Adam V. Young as Hercule Poirot teams up splendidly with John-Paul “JP” Whitman to solve the mysterious conundrum. Lisa Freebairn Tarr stands out as the irrepressible widow Helen Hubbard who is the comic relief for the entire show but to be honest everyone in the cast is super with nary a flubbed line in the entire proceedings.

There is a good reason why CVLT has kept the stage lit for 95 years. Great people with great works attract great audiences. It is a partnership that is bound to succeed. Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” comes alive in all its glory in spite of the small venue. Well worth checking it out.

Chagrin Valley Little Theatre’s production of Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” will be on stage at 40 River Street, Chagrin Falls, Ohio through February 8, 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets go to http://www.cvlt.org or call (440) 247-8955.