TEA TIME on The Orient Express
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CHARACTERS
Hercule
Poirot - A retired Belgian police
officer. Poirot is Christie's most famous detective and is known for his short
stature and long, curly moustache. Poirot is very intelligent, extremely aware
and instinctual and is a brilliant detective. The novel is generally written
from his perspective.
M.
Bouc - The director of the Compagnie
Wagon Lits and formerly worked for the Belgian police force with Poirot.
Traveling on the Orient Express, M. Bouc asks Poirot to take the case. M. Bouc
provides comic relief in the novel, constantly frustrated with the case and
confused by Poirot.
Dr.
Constantine - The coroner
aboard the Orient Express. Dr. Constantine is often Poirot or M. Bouc's
sidekick and is present for most of the evidence gathering. Dr. Constantine
examines Ratchett's body and determines when he could have been killed.
Mary
Debenham - Daisy Armstrong's
governess. Mary Debenham is a calm, cool and unruffled lady, instrumental in
the planning of Ratchett's murder. Poirot is most suspicious of Mary because of
conversation he overhears between herself and Colonel Arbuthnot on the train to
Stamboul.
Mrs.
Hubbard - Really Linda Arden,
famous actress and grandmother of Daisy Armstrong. Mrs. Hubbard provides
constant interruption and diversion on the train and is known for her stories
about her daughter. Mrs. Hubbard's compartment is next to Ratchett's.
Colonel
Arbuthnot - A friend of Colonel
Armstrong, and father of Daisy Armstrong. Like Mary Debenham, Poirot suspects
him because he called Mary by her first name on the train to Stamboul. Colonel
Arbuthnot is hard-willed, polite and very "English."
Princess
Dragomiroff - A Russian princess.
Princess Dragomiroff is a generally despicable, ugly old lady; her yellow,
toad-like face puts off Poirot. She is the owner of the famous "H"
handkerchief found in Ratchett's room and tells Poirot many lies about the
other passenger's identities.
Hector
McQueen - Ratchett's personal
secretary. Hector is truly in cahoots with the Armstrong family. McQueen tries
to hard to tell Poirot that Ratchett did not speak any French—making him an
immediate suspect in the case.
Ratchett - Real name Cassetti, kidnapped and murdered the
young Daisy Armstrong for money. The Armstrong family murders Ratchett because
he escaped punishment in the U.S. Poirot describes Ratchett as a wild animal.
Countess
Andrenyi - The sister of Sonia
Armstrong, did not murder Ratchett. Because the Countess is closest to the
Armstrong case, she attempts to conceal her identity by dropping grease on her
passport and smudging the name label on her luggage. The Countess is quite
young, dark haired and beautiful.
Count
Andrenyi - A very defensive man who
tries to conceal the true identity of his wife, Countess Andrenyi. The Count
takes his wife's place in the murder.
Cyrus
Hardman - The big flamboyant
American. Cyrus is a detective with a well-known detective service in New York City . He becomes
involved with the Armstrongs because he was in love with Daisy's French nurse
who committed suicide after Daisy was killed. Cyrus pretends to help Poirot
with the case.
Antonio
Foscanelli - M. Bouc is sure that
Antonio, a big menacing Italian man, had something to do with the murders,
primarily because M. Bouc distrusts Italians. Revealed by Poirot, Antonio was
the Armstrong's chauffer. Antonio loved dear little Daisy and tears when he
speaks of her.
Greta
Ohlsson - Greta Ohlsson weeps and
weeps and weeps. The Swedish lady was Daisy Armstrong's nurse and is a very
delicate type—not meant for murder.
Hildegarde
Schmidt - Has a kindly face set
in an expression of "placid stupidity." Hildegarde is rather
slow-minded and unquestioningly carries out the ugly Princess's orders.
Hildegarde pretends to be Princess Dragomiroff's maid, but is truly the Armstrong's
cook.
Edward
Henry Masterman - Ratchett's valet,
brought into the murder plot by Hardman. Masterman is not a terribly colorful
character, mainly referred to by his function—"the valet." Masterman
is very polite and obedient, perhaps even haughty.
Pierre Michel - Father
of the suicidal nursemaid of Daisy Armstrong, is the Conductor of the Orient
Express. Pierre ,
like the other servants does not initially receive much scrutiny—he is not a
top suspect. However, as the novel progresses, his involvement in the murder is
proven essential.
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There are lots of "he said - she saids" throughout the script. I have not excised them all, but if such a phrase feels repetitive while you are speaking, you have Cale's permission to skip over it. If it conveys any important information, please include it in an "out of character" voice before continuing. If it re-establishes who is speaking after a lengthy interchange, please read it. If you have not made such adjustments before, you will get the hang of it quickly. Just listen, listen, listen, listen ... that's the key.
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There are a number of proper names, titles, words, etc. that we want to make sure are pronounced properly and consistently:
- Wagon-Lits - Wagon "Lee" Note: the "ts", if voiced at all, is just barely tapped.
- Lieutenant Dubosc - are we saying "Lef-tenant" or "Lou-tenant"? And is the last name pronounced "Doo-BOSHE"?
- I'm assuming anytime when we see M. Hercule Poirot (or M. Bouc), that we are saying "Monsieur"? Also (and this is only because I'm a Agatha Christie groupie), his last name is pronounced "PWAH-row" CORRECT!
- Stamboul - sounds similar to Istanbul without the "I" sound? and an "n" instead of an 'm"? CORRECT!
- Mary Debenham - "DE-ben-ham" or "de-BEN-ham?
- Colonel Arbuthnot - "Ker-nel AR-booth-not"? "Kernel Art-buth-not"
- Haydapassar - "Hey-de-pass-SAR"? CORRECT!
- Galata Bridge - "Ga-LA-ta"? CORRECT!
- Tokatlian Hotel - "Toe-CAT-lee ann"? CORRECT!
- Calais - "Kal-LAY"? CORRECT!
- Lausanne - "Lo-SAWN"? "L-ou-s-ANN"
- Princess Dragomiroff - I've heard it 2 ways: "Dra-GO-mere-off" and "Dra-go-MERE-off"? Me too.
- Parrus - "Par-OOS"? Nope this is an attempt by Christie to distinguish American from English speech (it is believed - did a little poking about on this one) and should be said the same as "Paris". I think any distinction we make other than our normal speech would be distracting.
If you find anymore words or names that we can contribute to it, please speak up! What helps one, helps all!
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