Stage Directions
by Richard Lane
Robert Powell to star as
Poirot at The Regent Theatre
he Agatha Christie Theatre Company has
announced one of Britain’s most instantly
recognisable actors, Robert Powell, is to
star as Hercule Poirot in a new production
of her first ever play Black Coffee which will visit
The Regent Theatre between Monday 17 –
Saturday 22 February.
Robert Powell has received multiple awards
and a BAFTA nomination for his portrayal of
‘Jesus’ in Franco Zefferelli’s Jesus of Nazareth.
Robert went on to star in numerous film hits
including 39 Steps, Four Feathers and Shaka
Zulu
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 2 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 frontpage obituary in the New York Times.
Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie's
grandson and chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd,
said: “I am so pleased that Robert Powell has
T
30 February/March 2014
agreed to play Poirot in the Agatha Christie
Theatre Co's production of Black Coffee starting
in January. His appearance will be the icing on
the cake of a real treat that lies in store in 2014
for all those around the country who go to see
the play.”
Tickets for Black Coffee are available now in
person from The Regent Theatre Box Office, by
calling
0844
871
7649
or
visiting
www.atgtickets/com/stoke.