DIRECTOR’S NOTES
It is not surprising that Agatha Christie’s iconic novel, Murder on the Orient Express has enjoyed so many film adaptations. We can’t help but be seduced by the sumptuous world of 1930’s art deco, or the glamourous array of characters who’ve come aboard the world’s most luxurious train. We are irresistibly drawn into the author’s magnificent puzzle and to the eccentric Belgium detective who must solve this intriguing mystery.
Simply put the world that Agatha Christie has conceived is delicious. But theatre is a different beast than film. What the camera can do in storytelling is vastly different than how a playwright must tackle the same material. Happily, we are in the masterful hands of Ken Ludwig, whose sharp wit, theatrical energy and sudden gripping terror has lifted Christie’s brilliant novel off the page and evolved it into a heart racing whodunnit for a live audience.
As the famous Belgium detective Hercule Poirot weighs the evidence, deliciously dissecting each clue, we are enveloped in a world of suspense. But at the heart of Christie’s novel is a more existential crisis. The play examines the nature of justice, both as a principle of the legal system but also as a broader ethical ideal. What drew me so deeply to this story is its moral dilemma, where a man must confront everything he has known to be true, where his moral code comes face to face with the realization that the legal system is not infallible. Hercule has been described as a psychological detective, and indeed Orient Express is a powerful lesson in human behaviour, including his own.
I salute this incredible team of players, who have worked tirelessly to capture the claustrophobic tension of a snowbound train, while letting Ken Ludwig’s fast-paced humour shine through. And to my designers who have created a stunning visual feast. Bringing this legendary train to life on our stage has been a thrilling ride.
Our production saw its first iteration at Royal MTC in January of this year, and I am thrilled to now bring it to the Citadel Theatre, and to share it with Edmonton audiences.
I hope you enjoy the ride!
– Kelly Thornton | Director
