Theatre Royal Brighton
TUE 27 – SAT 31 MAY
Eves 7.45pm Wed, Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm
Robert Powell stars as Poirot on stage
Robert Powell, one of Britain’s most instantly recognisable actors, stars as Hercule Poirot in a new production of Agatha Christie’s first ever play, BLACK COFFEE. The play, presented by the highly respected Agatha Christie Company, runs at Theatre Royal Brighton for a week from Tue 27 – Sat 31 May.
Robert Powellhas received multiple awards and a BAFTA nomination for his portrayal of Jesus in Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth. Robert went on
to star in numerous film hits including: The 39 Steps, Four Feathers and Shaka Zulu. His extensive stage performances include: Alan Bennett’s Single Spies, Keith Waterhouse’s Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Liza Goddard
Robert is supported by a heavyweight cast including Agatha Christie Company regulars: Liza Goddard, star of such TV hits as Bergerac and the long running Give Us A Clue, Gary Mavers, who is best known for playing heart-throb doctor Andrew Attwood in Peak Practice and Ben Nealon, perhaps best loved for his role as Capt Forsythe in the ITV drama Soldier Soldier.
A quintessential English country estate is thrown into chaos following the murder of eccentric inventor Sir Claud Amory, and the theft of his new earth
shattering formula. Arriving at the estate just moments too late, one man immediately senses a potent brew of despair, treachery and deception amid the estate’s occupants. That man is Hercule Poirot.
From the pen of the great Dame Christie – (who, having sold over 4 billion books worldwide, is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare) – Poirot debuted in Christie’s 1920 novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, making his first – and only – stage outing in the mistress of murder’s debut play, BLACK COFFEE.
The Belgian investigator went on to become one of world’s most cherished and long lived fictional characters, appearing in 33 novels, one play and more than 50 short stories published between 1920 and 1975. To this day he remains the only fictitious character to receive a front-page obituary in the New York Times.
His legend has proved ripe for adaptation and Poirot has been portrayed in comics, on radio and on screen for films and television, by actors such as Albert Finney, Sir Peter Ustinov, Sir Ian Holm, Alfred Molina and David Suchet who, of course, played the eponymous hero in the ITV series since 1989, through the entire catalogue of books and dozens of short stories. He recently bid audiences an emotional farewell as series 13 of the classic series concluded with his demise in Christie’s dramatic farewell, Curtain.
Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie’s grandson and chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd, said: “I am so pleased that Robert Powell has agreed to play Poirot in the Agatha Christie Theatre Co’s production of Black Coffee starting in January. He will be the latest in a long line of distinguished actors to play the role, and a real treat lies in store in 2014 for all those around the country who go to see the play.”
Intrigue and suspense form the backbone of this classic spy thriller which follows The Agatha Christie Theatre Company’shugely successful The Hollow, The Unexpected Guest, And Then There Were None, Spider’s Web,Witness for the Prosecution, Verdict, Murder on the Nile and Go Back for Murder.
To book tickets
0844 871 7650*
*Subject to a booking fee
