David Suchet Poirot and More, A Retrospective – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Dominic Corr

January 29

Created by David Suchet, in Collaboration with Liza McLean, and Sheila Suchet

Hosted by Geoffrey Wansell

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Dig out your perfectly preened moustaches and nothing but the sharpest and finest of gear for the man himself as the Festival Theatre, and Edinburgh at large, are thrilled to spend an evening in the company of tremendous talent on UK screens, world stages and a firm place within our cultural hearts: David Suchet.

The scene is set from the off, cleanly and simply: two armchairs, a side table, the large projector screen, and one mysterious object – though any budding sleuth may have figured out what it is beforehand. Audiences are first welcomed, not by Suchet, but by their long-time friend, journalist and author Geoffrey Wansell, as this evening's principal chair. Peppering Suchet's deservedly pride in their achievements with some facts about the stage on which they stand, quickly the warmth of the pair is stoked and brought to a more natural light following Suchet's introduction and pleasantries.

A touch formulaic (to start), the magic of the experience comes with Suchet's natural talents as a storyteller – possessing an authentically engaging presence which emanates beyond his character performances. Accompanied by familial anecdotes, growing up, and the sparks of a love of acting, and eventually settling into the quarter-century role Suchet undertook, playing Agatha Christie's Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Wansell guides the initial structure, which follows a straight-forward path without interruption or much in the way of innovation, kept engaging by the pair's chemistry and Suchet's storytelling. But the real magic, the true brilliance of this evening, awaits audiences in the second act.

In a manner only befitting the world's greatest detective, David Suchet: Poirot and More, A Retrospective subverts expectations with its second act. Opening to Suchet, not where we had left him with Poirot's cane and trademark visage, but something inherently different. In an intricate way to avoid spoiling the surprise for audiences, what follows is a blistering demonstration of Suchet's talents away from the mainstream – and a brief sliver of something grand, and honourable to see. A true treat, one many audiences will carry with them for years to come. Armed with a spotlight, a dark stage, a black suit, and their prestige talent – Suchet conjures as fine an evening at the theatre as any full-length production.

Returning, briefly, to the traditional format, Suchet and Wansell explore the artistry and craft of performance - the beauty in, and understanding of, Shakespeare's language in a demonstration which opens even the most experienced thespians, and yes, critics, to a dynamic understanding of the bard's intricacies and unparalleled command of emotion. From Iago and Oberon to Shakespeare's sonnets, closing out with a masterful Macbeth, the evening with Suchet not only re-affirms the national adoration, but the depths of sublime theatrical performance they have brought to the world for decades.

The long-awaited diagnosis of Suchet's most famous role doesn't feel last-minute or a hook, indeed, much of the preceding information about Suchet's life has been investing and gripping, all culminating in this exploration of the techniques, history, and impact of the role. To see the gradual evolution of the character, the choices in costume and mentality, and how Suchet 'finds' the voice and role are all that audiences have likely been waiting for: nothing disappoints. David Suchet: Poirot and More, A Retrospective is the perfect demonstration of a conversational piece of event theatre, burnished to the deserving calibre of its titular star, filled with plenty of Poirot, but much, much more to keep those little grey cells firing.

Burnished to a Deserving Calibre

Performed at the Festival Theatre on January 27th.
Running time - Two hours and twenty minutes with one interval.
Photo credit - Ash Koek

Review by Dominic Corr

Editor for Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected publications such as The Skinny, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a panel member and judge of the Critic's Award for Theatre Scotland and a member of the UK Film Critics.

contact@corrblimey.uk