Displaying items by tag: Ken Ludwig
Drury Lane’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ Delivers A Fine Whodunit the Leaves Us Guessing to the End
Ken Ludwig has adapted the beloved Agath Christie whodunit 'Murder on the Orient Express' in a rich and wonderful way. The play revolves around the murder of a wealthy businessman aboard a luxurious train. Detective Hurcule Poirot is on the case and there is no shortage of suspects aboard the Orient Express.
I know a murder mystery by Christie is done really well when I can not remember how it ends even though I may have seen the play countless times, and that is exactly how Drury Lane's production had me - on the edge of my seat desperately trying to guess who the murderer was the entire time!
Going in, I had concerns about how the train and its movement would be represented, but all were dismissed the minute Andrew Boyce’s scenic design was revealed in a series of spectacularly luxurious and well lit projections by Anthony Churchill in train compartments that started revolving on the stage. The audience gasped and applauded for each one and the projections of snow and other movement in the windows of the train was really a fun and exciting way to recreate the movement and style of the sumptuous Orient Express for a live audience.
This was a true ensemble cast with solid performances all around.
Of course Larry Yando (Poirot), a mainstay of Chicago theater, was the heartbeat of this classic production and the audience hung on his every word. Yando's parting speech wherein he ponders the philosophical correctness of his part in solving the mystery was Tony worthy, and though brief, really ended the play on a genuine note of sympathy with all of the depth and emotional honesty one would expect from such an accomplished actor.
Janet Ulrich Brooks as Helen Hubbard was pure delight in this show as she plays a brassy American with such great physical comedy and impeccable comedic timing that every scene she appears in draws laughs and comparisons to great comedians like Lucille Ball and Phyllis Diller.
I also thought Sean Blake as the young lover with a thick scottish brogue was very funny and got laughs out of lines that otherwise would have been throwaways to a less talented actor.
Yes, there was a bit of a slow start in getting the action and dialogue moving but I think the actors were trying to wring every bit of humor out of each moment onstage and the whole flow of the show got going at a nice pace once the opening night jitters were quelled by the enthusiastic audience response.
I can highly recommend this exciting and suspenseful production to audiences of all ages to enjoy a real night at the theater with beautiful costumes, ingenius stage settings and the ensemble of mature and very gifted actors all giving their best performances at the lovely Drury Lane Theater.
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is being performed at Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook through October 23rd. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.
Celebrate Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian Heritage Month with Asian American Arts' EVOLUTION: ASIAN AMERICAN ARTS FESTIVAL, May 2 and 3
06 March 2026 in Theatre in ReviewAsian American Arts Chicago (AAAC) announces the Festival schedule and that tickets are now on sale for EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival, Saturday, May 2 from 12…
Filament Theatre announces world premiere of Farewell Opportunity
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TimeLine Theatre Company announces inaugural season at new Uptown home
05 March 2026 in Theatre BuzzTimeLine Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its 2026–27 Inaugural Season in the company’s first permanent home at 5035 N. Broadway…
Her Story Theatre's World Premiere "THE OFFICAL BIOGRAPHY" - Wednesday, April 1 at 7:30 pm at The Den Theatre
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Steppenwolf Theatre Company Announces 2026/27 Season
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Three Plays to See This Weekend - Shattered Globe Theatre, The Story Theatre and American Blues Theater Should Be High On Your List!
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TIN DRUM THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF SOUTHERN RAPTURE, JUNE 11 - 28, AT THEATER WIT
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In Timeless ‘Come Back, Little Sheba,’ American Blues Theater Speaks for Today, as Well
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Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents The Golden Girls: The Cheese Pyramid A Lost Episodes Parody – May 8 – June 21, 2026 at The Clutch
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Celebrate Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian Heritage Month with Asian American Arts' EVOLUTION: ASIAN AMERICAN ARTS FESTIVAL, May 2 and 3
Written by Buzz Center StageAsian American Arts Chicago (AAAC) announces the Festival schedule and that tickets are now on sale for EVOLUTION: Asian American Arts Festival, Saturday, May 2 from 12 - 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the historic Lookingglass Theatre’s Water Tower Water Works, 163 E. Pearson… -
Filament Theatre announces world premiere of Farewell Opportunity
Written by Buzz Center StageFilament Theatre, the Northwest Side's premier theater for young audiences, is delighted to present the world premiere of Farewell Opportunity from May 2-17, 2026. Commissioned by Filament Theatre in 2019 and written by local Chicago playwright Georgette Kelly, Farewell Opportunity tells the story of Halley, who visits the…
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Her Story Theatre's World Premiere "THE OFFICAL BIOGRAPHY" - Wednesday, April 1 at 7:30 pm at The Den Theatre
Written by Buzz Center StageHer Story Theatre has announced the World Premiere of Kurt McGinnis Brown's two-hander THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY, to play March 28 – April 19 at The Den Theatre in Chicago. When young black journalist Xan Smith is assigned to interview the once successful, now…
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TimeLine Theatre Company announces inaugural season at new Uptown home
Written by Buzz Center StageTimeLine Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its 2026–27 Inaugural Season in the company’s first permanent home at 5035 N. Broadway in Uptown. This long‑awaited milestone launches a bold new era for TimeLine, inviting audiences to experience the company’s work in…
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