A Murder Is Announced | Theatre Review

Show: A Murder Is Announced
Venue: Perth Theatre
Date: 9th October 2019
Writer: Agatha Christie, adapted for the stage by Leslie Darbon
Director: Michael Lunney
Principal cast: Sarah Thomas (Miss Marple), Kazia Pelka (Letitia Blacklock), Tom Butcher (Inspector Craddock), & Jenny Funnell (Dora Bunner)

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I read the book this is based on a few weeks ago, and though it wasn’t my favourite of Christie’s work, it was actually surprisingly fun being able to watch this adaptation knowing the final outcome. Doing so allowed me to pick up on all the little clues that eventually add up to help Miss Marple figure out whodunnit. It was a great way to appreciate just how meticulous Christie’s approach to plotting was.

Reading the novel beforehand is certainly not a requirement, but given that it is one of Christie’s more convoluted yarns, I do think prior knowledge of the plot’s intricacies helped me follow the increasingly complicated dynamic between the fairly large cast of characters as various secrets were unravelled.

The adaptation itself is a largely faithful one, though it has been scaled back somewhat to accommodate the show’s run time and production requirements. Taking place across a few days, and all set within the same room, it’s a show scant on action (with the body count reduced to just two). Instead, it’s packed with wry humour, red herrings, and fast wordplay that hides the truth.

The cast included a number of recognisable faces from British stage and screen. Sarah Thomas was suitably charming and witty as Marple, but Lydia Piechowiak’s eccentric, paranoid, and hilarious Mitzi was definitely the scene stealer. As my first taste of Christie on the stage, this served as a good introduction. Well aware that she’s produced smarter, more thrilling plots, however, I’m excited to see how more of her work translates to a live setting.

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A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie | Book Review

A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie
Published by HarperCollins, 2002 (first published in 1950)
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

When an ad boldly announces an upcoming murder in the local newspaper, nosy neighbours flock to the appointed location expecting a silly parlour game or an elaborate prank. Rather, the lights cut out, a gun is fired, and someone drops down dead. In typical Christie fashion, we quickly begin to unravel a complex, tangled web of secrets and lies in pursuit of the killer amongst them.

This is a prime example of needing to know what you’re getting into before you pick it up. Lovers of sinister modern thrillers with subtle twists peppered throughout will likely roll their eyes at the numerous huge coincidences, the many flirtations with farce, and a conclusion that comes off suspiciously like an info-dump. In that respect, it’s not one of Christie’s best offerings, nor one I’d recommend starting with if you’re new to her work.

That said, the trademark charm of the golden era of crime lives on, making this a fun, easy read nonetheless. Consistently intrigued, the outcome alluded me throughout, as it so often does when I reach for Christie’s fiction. Despite thinking on several instances that I had it all figured out, she was always one step ahead; once again in great control over her many characters, plot threads, and red herrings. Even a lack of plausibility when it all came together wasn’t enough to dampen the enjoyment of watching Christie lead the reader down many a wrong path.

Though I felt this one failed to deliver the brilliantly punchy dialogue that elevates much of Christie’s work, I did very much enjoy the way it captured the social landscape of post-war Britain, with a particular focus on the sense of fear and mistrust levied at foreigners.

So, whilst there are better examples of what Christie and the genre can do out there, if you’re already a fan of either, this is well worth the read.

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If you’d like to give A Murder Is Announced a go, you can pick up a copy with free shipping from Book Depository by clicking here.

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Agatha Christie and Katherine Mansfield | Two Mini Reviews

Here are some brief thoughts on a couple of recent reads that didn’t necessitate full posts of their own, but which I enjoyed reading nonetheless.

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Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Published by Harper, 2016 (first published in 1930)
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Another thoroughly readable yet deceptively intricate yarn from the queen of mystery. This one captures the gossip fuelled nature of life in small, rural towns with characteristically wry humour and whip-sharp dialogue. I also enjoyed the brief though interesting commentary on society’s dismissiveness of older people’s worth, and the psychology of criminals (with characters questioning whether illicit behaviour is learned or inherited; free choice or an affliction of the mind).

With Christie always one step ahead, and everything planned out with meticulous care, she managed once again to bring her many plot threads together in a satisfactory and surprising way.

You can pick up a copy of Murder at the Vicarage by clicking here.

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Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield
Published by Penguin, 2015 (first published in 1922)
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

One of Penguin’s Little Black Classics, this slim volume brings together three short stories by Katherine Mansfield, who is often considered a master of the form. The selected stories compliment each other well in both theme and tone. Each captures a character’s sense of loneliness and longing, and a quiet moment of realisation which sees their illusion of contentment shattered. There’s a couple who realise they have drifted apart; a woman who spends her Sundays people watching in the park; and a man who craves his wife’s exclusive attention.

They’re definitely understated, but shrewdly observant. And though there’s nothing earth shattering about them, they are united by an effective air of melancholy, and some lovely prose. It made for a nice taster of Mansfield’s style, and I would certainly be open to trying more of her work.

You can pick up the full collection the stories were taken from by clicking here.

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Have you read either of these? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Book to Film | Ordeal by Innocence

Ordeal by Innocence’s book cover (left) and film poster (right)

Okay, this adaptation isn’t technically a film, it’s a three-part BBC mini-series. BUT, it has pretty lavish production values, and I binge watched it, which gave it the feel of a film. So, I’m going to bend the rules slightly so I can talk about it here.

I was instantly drawn in by the stylish design and direction, which were very successful in capturing the moody tone of intrigue, and the idea of something sinister lurking beneath the surface, that pervade much of Christie’s work.

The ensemble cast; led by Bill Nighy, Anna Chancellor, Luke Treadaway, Morven Christie & Eleanor Tomlinson.

I thought it was well acted by all, and the implementation of flashbacks did well to deliberately confuse. It reflected the complexity of the family dynamic, and the disorientating feeling of not knowing who you can trust. As such, it confuses in a way that gets its hooks into you, making you all the more determined to see how everything plays out, and how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. This makes the final reveals all the more satisfying.

Speaking of reveals, however, it’s certainly not an entirely faithful adaptation, and Christie purists may be disgruntled to learn that the identity of whodunnit has been changed. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this decision. In some respects, it seems odd, as whodunnit is kind of the whole point of stories in this genre. But in other ways, I felt some changes to the narrative, particularly the climax and conclusion, worked better in a visual context, and it did make me admire the production team for their boldness. They did, indeed, play off reader expectations in clever ways throughout, striking an interesting balance between familiarity and surprises; just when you think you know where something is going, they catch you off guard. It can be argued that it’s a valid way of putting a fresh spin on a classic story, whilst still honouring the source material’s concept and tone.

All-in-all, I think it’s well worth checking out if you’re a Christie fan; albeit with the prior knowledge that things won’t necessarily play out as you’d expect. Think of it like an homage, more than an adaptation, and you may well get drawn in.

Book to Film | Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express’s book cover (left) and film poster (right).

Having very recently read and loved Murder on the Orient Express, the book was fresh in my mind when I went to see the new film version earlier this week, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Agatha Christie’s iconic detective, Hercule Poirot.

I suppose the first and most important thing to say is that whilst definitely not a perfect adaptation, it was one that I feel was clearly made with deep respect and affection for the source material. Though there has been a definite attempt to add some theatrical flair in a few scenes (no doubt to mix things up a little for those already familiar with the story, and to make the pacing etc. more suited to modern cinema-goers), the integrity of the core story remained very much intact.

I thought Branagh made a great Poirot. I’m sure those already invested in previous Poirot actors may struggle to get over their loyalty, but thankfully I could go into this open-minded. He captures his wise if somewhat pedantic ways well, and manages to bring a lot of warmth and humour to the character without pushing it too far, so we can still take him seriously when we need to. There is a short sequence added to the beginning of the film that sees the world-famous detective wrapping up another case before he boards the Orient Express. I thought it was a clever addition, as it establishes the character’s quirks and methods for those who aren’t yet familiar with him, making the new adaptation accessible for existing and first-time Christie fans alike, before we delve into the proper story. Without spoilers, there’s also a small moment at the end of the film that not only sets up the potential for a sequel, but also serves as a nice little inside joke that will no doubt get a few chuckles from long-standing Christie readers – as it did in my local theatre.

The majority of the film’s ensemble cast, left to right: Olivia Colman, Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, Tom Bateman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Derek Jacobi, Kenneth Branagh, Leslie Odom Jr., Penélope Cruz and Johnny Depp.

As for the rest of the cast, it’s an impressive list of well-known actors. Pretty much all do a good job, though it is worth pointing out that the one downside of a large ensemble cast made up almost entirely of huge stars means that some big names get fairly little to actually say and do. Judi Dench and Olivia Colman are both as enigmatic as ever as a grand Russian Princess and her loyal maid, for example, though I found myself wishing we could have seen more of them. Daisy Ridley and Penélope Cruz also both stood out as highlights, but the real scene-stealer for me was Michelle Pfeiffer, who is given a little more time to flesh out her character than some of the others and does a great job of doing so.

Visually, the film is stunning, both in terms of the exterior shots of snowy mountain tops, and with regards to the sense of old-school Hollywood glamour in the design of the costumes and the eponymous train itself. Aesthetically, the film definitely captures the era in which the story was written and set.

Having fallen in love with the book so recently, the film could easily have proven a disappointment, so I’m very glad to say that it didn’t. Perhaps the aforementioned sections of added drama and action will rub a few Christie purists up the wrong way, but for me they were acceptable efforts to shake things up a little and add a fresh spin to what could otherwise have felt like a stale and unnecessary rehashing of a beloved tale. The timeless, cosy-crime vibes, the brilliant twist, and the touches of humour that have seen the book’s popularity endure over the decades were all maintained, and so for me, it’s a conversion to screen that worked overall, and I’d be happy to see Branagh and co. take on more of Christie’s tales. I think the fact that the author’s own great-grandson, who is now head of her estate, has shown a desire to work with the production team again on future adaptations of her work shows that if nothing else, the project was made with love and admiration for the book, which should hopefully please and reassure readers.

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Have you seen the new film version of Murder on the Orient Express yet? Did you think it was a successful adaptation?