Pennsylvania Playhouse has staged a taut, riveting and well-executed production of the Agatha Christie murder mystery “Murder of the Orient Express,” which continues through Oct. 25 at the playhouse, at 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem.
Led by the outstanding Shaun Hayes as the poised, unflappable detective Hercule Poirot, the ensemble cast does an excellent job of portraying a cast of slightly off-the-wall characters, all with very different accents and bold personalities.
Hayes keeps the show grounded with his cool, perceptive but fastidious Poirot, who has his vacation interrupted with a murder when the famed Orient Express gets stranded in a snowdrift in the mountains of Europe.
Keith Moser is chummy and a bit overwrought as the manager of the train and a good friend of Poirot’s. He walks the line between concern for his passengers and concern for the bottom line.
Travis J. Nugent oozes mobster vibes as the blustery unlikable Samuel Ratchett and then spends most of the show dead in his bed as the murder victim.
Joemichael Luciano is the picture of efficiency as the conscientious conductor Michel.
Kate Hayes is a standout as the loud, pushy Minnesotan Helen Hubbard, who shamelessly flirts with Michel and belts show tunes in her room.
Mariel Letourneau is mysterious and timid as anxious English governess Mary Debenham, while her paramour Colonel Arbunthnot is played with a short fuse and a hint of danger by Doug Ace.
Jill Bormann is regal and imperious as arrogant exiled Russian Princess Dragomiroff, who is accompanied by Jen Rarick’s pious, naive Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson.
Bryanna Pye is elegant and efficient as the charming Hungarian Countess Andrenyi who matches wits with Poirot (and catches his eye).
Joey Troiano is anxious and hesitant as Ratchett’s nervous gofer Hector McQueen.
Director Mark Stutz ably pulls all these disparate characters together for a seamless narrative that leads up to the unexpected conclusion.
Set designer Brett Oliveira has designed a creative set that cleverly opens up to reveal three first class sleeping berths. Add in some pantomime among the cast members to mimic walking through narrow corridors and the train environment becomes impressively effective.
Costume designer Todd Burkel has assembled a very attractive wardrobe of 1930s era clothing from elegant gowns to spats.
Tickets are $25 for adults; $22 for seniors and $15 for students.
The Oct. 17 performance is pay-what-you-are-able.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, 17, 23 and 24; and 3 p.m. Oct. 11, 18 and 25.
For information, call 610-865-6665, or go to www.paplayhouse.org/.