Let’s start off by making two things clear: nailing a tried and true classic well is no mean feat and, two, fans are very precious when it comes to adaptation – Murder on the Orient Express at The Lowry, rather fittingly, barrelled through those obstacles not like a luxury liner but like a freight train.
Yes, the iconic Agatha Christie tale and quintessential ‘whodunnit’ may have ironically been done to death at this point (most recently resurrected on the big screen by director and Hollywood’s Hercule Poirot, Kenneth Branagh), but this new stage production felt much more refreshing than the blockbuster.
Put simply, merely going where many have gone before and expecting results or similar success isn’t a given. Written and adapted by Ken Ludwig and directed by Lucy Bailey, this latest Murder on the Orient Express now on at the legendary Lowry Theatre is a must-see as far as we’re concerned.
What the creators, along with the whole cast and crew, have done with this treasured text is elevate it not just to a play that will leave any theatre-goer walking away satisfied but also restore the true light and shade to the textbook murder mystery that has more high points than we can squeeze into 1000 words.
Credit: Manuel Harlan (press images supplied)
A small but stunning and dynamic set
First and foremost, we can’t begin anywhere else other than applauding what they’ve managed to achieve with the set alone.
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It was one of our first big questions going into the performance. How are they going to pull this off and create that sense of motion around the actors on stage? Is it going to look any good? Turns out we had nothing to worry about whatsoever.
Combining nothing more than three movable train cars donned in full Edwardian decor, a few tables for breakaway scenes and clever use of an overhead screen to portray elements like snowdrift weather and even wheels chugging along the tracks, much like the plot, it always felt like things were on the move.
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Twinned with excellent use of music and sound effects – both ambient and authentic in the case of Christine Kavanagh as the delightfully devilish Mrs Helen Hubbard, whose late-night sing-song felt like genuinely peaking into someone’s cabin after a few tipples – the whole surround just works so well.
They did a great job of creating these little vignettes within each train window, almost like sitting across from an apartment block and peaking into the living rooms of each flat, people-watching as their stories play out, only with the bonus of these strangers being mic’d up so you don’t have to fill in the blanks.
But let’s not beat around the bush here: even if you’ve seen it a dozen times before, you come for the murder mystery and you stay to see the moustachioed “magician” at work.
The entire supporting cast was wonderful, in truth – we particularly loved the aforementioned Kavanagh and her ‘just the right amount of chaos’; Bob Barrett’s energy as Monsieur Bouc and the permanently frantic Greta Ohlsson, done so well by Rebecca Charles – but Maloney is absolutely masterful as Poirot.
To be honest, besides a couple of accent slips here and there (podody’s nerfect), everyone up on that stage was a joy to watch embody these timeless characters and made for a well-balanced ensemble, but this might be our favourite portrayal of the talented detective since the almighty David Suchet himself.
Whether it be in the expertly delivering lengthy monologues, the many moments of self-deprecation, mourning his youth and always remaining the wittiest player on stage, or breaking up those moments of levity with rare but sudden flashes of frustration that actually catch you off-guard, he was flawless.
Similar to how he keeps every one of the suspects in his pocket from minute one, he had the audience in the palm of his hand for the entire duration and the timbre of that French—sorry, Belgian* dialect barely dips for even a second.
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Michael Maloney is the pure embodiment of everything Poirot is and should be. (Credit: Press Image/Manuel Harlan)
The drama is great but where it truly shines is in the laughs
Lastly, speaking of that levity, perhaps the thing we loved most about the whole approach to this version of Murder on the Orient Express is that it isn’t so much a tense tragedy as it is a dramatic comedy.
The chances are that almost everyone in that theatre knows the synopsis of this long-loved tale virtually inside and out, so it was always going to be hard to build really pulse-raising suspense and intrigue, but they manage it by lulling you into those lighter moments and letting the performances shine.
And then BANG: suddenly a big twist, a volta; the crescendo after a period of precisely paced and carefully crafted conversation. It hits you like a gunshot echoing throughout the carriages, a sudden stab to the gut stifled in a quiet train compartment yet still somehow felt from the comfort of your seat.
Everyone gets their handful of one-liners, those comic pauses that dwell just a half-second too long and then some, but it never feels forced or overdone. The full spectrum of emotions is packed into just under two hours and it’s nothing short of a triumph from start to finish.
Without spoiling too much, there is one sound – not even an actual line of dialogue per se – from Maloney when conversing with the Countess (Mila Carter) that we’re still chuckling about now.
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We won’t be sold bold as to give this a star rating but let’s just say we wholly recommend visiting what is without a doubt the best thing on at Salford Quays right now.
The applause following Murder on the Orient Express was rapturous and we dare say there’ll be a fair few returning customers.
Featured Images — Press Images/Manuel Harlan (supplied)/The Manc Group
Theatre
Come From Away at The Lowry – a 9/11 musical full of heart and hope
Oli Lowe
Let’s start with a summary of Come From Away – this is a theatre show about a small town on the coast of Canada, that when disaster shook the world on September 11th 2001, offered accommodation to over 7,000 passengers whose flights had been diverted due to the American airspace being closed.
On the surface, you wouldn’t read the above summary of events and think ‘Let’s turn that cheery story into a musical’ but you simply have to believe me when I tell you that it just works.
Come From Away isn’t a story about disaster or tragedy (although both do feature heavily for obvious reasons) – it’s a story about community, hope and how when faced with the toughest of circumstances people are capable of extraordinary things.
The show opens in the unsuspecting town of Gander, Canada on the morning of 9/11. Gander was once home to the world’s largest airport, in a time gone by, when planes used to have to stop immediately after crossing the Atlantic.
This meant that Gander was the first place in North America that people such as The Beatles or even The Queen, ever landed. However, as we begin our story, Gander is now a small town with a population of about 11,000 and a derelict Airport, barely fit for purpose.
These circumstances changed very quickly when at 8:46am on September 11th 2001, a terrorist attack was committed on the World Trade Centre, New York. With the US airspace immediately closed, with all airborne planes now suspected to be terrorist weapons, all flights crossing the Atlantic had to be diverted to the nearest Canadian airport… Gander.
Come From Away at The Lowry – a 9/11 musical full of heart and hope
This creates a scenario whereby within minutes a quiet unassuming town on the coast of Canada is expected to welcome over 7000 passengers from 38 different flights, without warning, without proper preparation and without any indication as to how long they’ll be staying.
When this tale is brought to life, it’s one that will bring you to tears. I have never in my life cried so much at a musical, which I know might not sound like the most resounding endorsement but it’s truly meant to be. There were of course sad tears, heartbreaking tears and sorrowful tears but there were also tears of joy, tears of quiet happiness and tears of hope.
When you think of the horrific events of 9/11, your thoughts immediately turn to the epicentre, to New York. I’d never considered the wider implications of that day, how thousands of people flying must have had their lives turned upside down, how panicked loved ones all across the world must have been, how communities globally were affected and how a small town in a completely different country was called into action.
I don’t want to give too much away in regards to the actual characters within this story or how their journeys play out through what must of been an incredibly tough time, but what I will say is that the characters in this story, all of whom are directly based on real people (more on that later), are some of the most inspirational human beings I’ve ever come across.
Come From Away is at The Lowry until 5 January
The show stars an extraordinary ensemble performance, with no leads or ‘main characters’, instead each of the twelve actors play a multitude of characters, whose stories inevitably intertwine with one and others.
The staging and choreography for this show are also fantastic, very minimalist with the set mainly being made up of just chairs and small props, leading the audience to use their imaginations to fill in blanks.
I sadly can’t guarantee this at every performance of Come From Away but at the curtain call the night we watched, the real residents of Gander from whom the story is based on, came onto stage and gave a speech about how ‘none of them are heroes but instead just people who decided to do the right thing’… Which inevitably led to more tears from me and an even deeper appreciation of the show.
I think this story is truly needed in the world we’re living in at the moment, with global tensions high, an economy that doesn’t favour most of us, and a lot of the world feeling more separated than ever before. This story, this beautiful, heartwarming and inspirational story shows us how even through the toughest of circumstances, we can work together for the betterment of everyone.
Please go and watch Come From Away. It’s one of the most beautiful stories I’ve seen brought to the stage and it deserves endless support from us Mancs whilst here in Salford.
It’s running throughout the festive season till 5 January and I guarantee you’ll walk away from it feeling just that little bit more hopeful about the world we live in.
Wicked at the Palace Theatre – the magical musical EVERYONE is talking about arrives in Manchester
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
It seems everywhere you turn right now, everything is pink and green – Wicked has hit the cinemas and everyone is well and truly drinking the green elixir.
Coincidentally, the touring theatre show of Wicked, celebrating 21 years since the first Broadway show and 18 years since debuting in the West End, has landed in town. While everyone else is following the yellow brick road to the big screen, I followed it to the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
Now we all think we know the story of Dorothy, poor girl whipped away from home in a tornado and crushing an evil witch with her house – we’ve all been there. This story however, tells the story from the “Wicked” Witch of the West’s perspective, filled with mind-blowing vocal acrobatics from a cast that just won’t let up.
Floating in on a giant mechanical bubble enters Glinda, or “Garlinda” as she prefers to be called, Sarah Pickford sets the standard for the show. An operatic entrance, the audience is in absolute awe. A well known character, Sarah makes the Good Witch of the North her own with a comical kindness.
Laura Pick, who has played the role of Elphaba at the Apollo Victoria before, takes opening night in her green stride – her love for the character shines through and her voice. Her VOICE. Her rendition of Defying Gravity had me in tears. I knew the song was good, but not this good. The audience is electrified by her performance.
The storytelling of the show is sublime, with every cast member pulling you deeper and deeper in through gravity-defying dance numbers and the set is absolutely jaw-dropping. The mechanical Wizard of Oz (voiced and played by the fantastic Simeon Truby) is something to behold.
Wicked is in Manchester at the Palace Theatre. Credit: Supplied
Other notable performances come from Carl Man (who plays love interest Fiyero), Donna Berlin (the surprisingly cruel Madame Morrible), Jed Berry (the googly-eyed Munchkin Boq) and Megan Gardiner. Megan plays Elhpaba’s sister Nessarose, another character desperate for love but sadly becomes quite sinister.
Like the cogs in the Wizard’s head, the presence of each cast member keeps the show running like a well oiled machine.
The story itself is one of an outsider, desperate to be loved and accepted for her difference, who finds friendship in unlikely places and how two people can change for the better. Of course, like often in life, a man tries to ruin it (surprise surprise).
Wicked is back at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. Credit: Mark Senior
A light is shone on how easily society can be whipped into a frenzy to protect their own beliefs and how love can withstand so much.
The absolute star of the show however, is the iconic soundtrack and how awe-inspiring everyone is at singing. Genuinely, it was nearly impossible to not provide a standing ovation after every song. It was just that good. I’m even listening to the soundtrack right now as I write this on the tram home. I can’t (and don’t want to) get it out of my head.
Wicked is the 10th longest running West End show in British history and has won over 100 global awards. It has been seen by 65 million people worldwide (65 million and one now if you include me) and it isn’t hard to see why. Now a cinematic phenomenon, with Act 1 in cinemas now and Act 2 to hit the screen in November 2025.
Wicked is in Manchester for a six week season and is the tenth and final date after kicking off their tour in Edinburgh in December 2023.
The show closes on Sunday 12 January and remaining tickets are incredibly limited, so if you have one short day, spend it in Oz and book now while you can.
Follow the yellow brick road all the way to the theatre.
Book your tickets to Wicked at the Palace Theatre Manchester HERE.
Danny Jones -
11th September 2024 
