Black Coffee at Milton Keynes Theatre Review

Black Coffee
Milton Keynes Theatre

28 April to 3 May 2014

www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Reviewed by Hilary Whates

 

 

‘Get your coat Mr T we’re off to the theatre’.

‘What now?’

‘Yep’.

‘What about food – I’m starving?’

‘Luckily it’s surrounded by restaurants and bars – bring your wallet too!’

Easy parking around Milton Keynes Theatre meant we arrived stress free and in good time to find a table at a very nearby (and yummy) Chinese restaurant, thus ensuring that Mr T’s hunger was eased before heading into the theatre.

We dallied for a while in the excellent theatre Piano Bar, listening to the music and where you can order interval drinks, and then made our way to the auditorium – Mr T remarking on how surprising it was to see so many people at the theatre on a Monday evening… he doesn’t get out much…

Although the theatre is actually very large with a capacity of 1400, once seated you are immediately drawn to the stage and it feels quite intimate. For those in the circle in need of a closer peak, glasses are available for hire/use and are placed in the seats. Mr T pretended he didn’t need them.

Having all been warned to switch off phones the lights were dimmed, the curtains opened and the drama began.

Black Coffee, set in the late 1920s, was Agatha Christie’s first stage play and a precursor to her eponymous ‘The Mouse Trap’.  It features the enigmatic Hercule Poirot – a personal favourite of mine – an admirer as I am of ‘the little grey cells’. Could anyone match David Suchet’s brilliant interpretation of the character? I had my doubts. However – I must stand corrected. Robert Powell – much respected for his roles as Jesus of Nazareth; secret agent Richard Hannay in The Thirty-nine Steps and of course David Briggs alongside Jasper Carrot in the hilarious The Detectives – delivered an outstanding interpretation of the Belgium detective.

The drama centres around the sudden death of a famous scientist, Sir Claud Amory, who had called upon Poirot to protect his latest development – a deadly formula capable of destruction on a major scale. Arriving at the country estate just too late to prevent the scientists’ demise, Poirot and his erstwhile and long-time companion, Captain Hastings, played to perfection as a slightly gormless and naïve sidekick by Robin McCallum, turn their attention to the assembled gathering of somewhat eccentric and earnest family, staff and house guest – each with a reason to kill or a secret to hide. All portrayed in a beautifully designed art deco set – I would love to have doors like those!

By the second interval we were totally caught up in the drama and it was clear from the many conversations around us that others felt the same. We easily found our pre-ordered drinks and sat on comfy sofas mulling over the various clues we had been given and attempting to use our own ‘little grey cells’ to good effect. Convinced we had identified the culprit we returned to our seats for the finale.

We were wrong. But I won’t spoil it by revealing ‘whodunit’. I suggest you go and see this play for yourself and enjoy an evening of escapism and laughter. Watch especially when Miss Caroline Amory, played beautifully by the wonderful Liza Goddard is invited by Poirot to ‘throw herself back’. Mr. T drove us home and observed ‘Well I never’ and ‘shall we stop for a nightcap at The Mitre?’

All in all a spiffing evening mon amies!

Rating: 4/5

Ticket prices cost from £16.90 – £37.90 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).

To book tickets call 0844 8717652 or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes.

Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK9 3NZ