We enjoyed a night at the theater last weekend seeing Murder on the Orient Express at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. Running now through May 1, the show beautifully portrays the popular Agatha Christie whodunit story in this intimate theater in downtown Pittsburgh.

The audience was transported on board the most luxurious train in the world when a suspicious businessman unexpectedly turns up murdered in his cabin. We followed along this classic story as it transformed into a thrilling ride on stage. Playwright Ken Ludwig twists Agatha Christie’s timeless plot with his signature comic flair.

The story begins with its suspenseful punches, its entertaining characters and the mysterious murder – which all engaged the audience right from the start. In this theater, every view is a great look at the stage. I sat in the middle section yet felt close enough to hear the actors and see their facial expressions. I hadn’t read the book previously, so this entire show was edge-of-my-seat exciting.

I also enjoyed learning about the characters throughout the show, but I’ll admit, I was shocked to see the final scenes about who committed the murder of one of the passengers. Really, I would not have even guessed! The actors played their roles spectacularly and brought to life these interesting (and some over-the-top) characters.

The story is set in the early twentieth century, so forensic science wasn’t so advanced yet. Seeing how Detective Hercule Poirot solves the case was intriguing — recalling on his past experience of solving crimes, his wits and overall skepticism of the passengers.

Dates

Tickets

Location