Theatre Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles delivers: Poirot, Poison, and Plenty of Suspicion
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
The Driftwood Players
May 15-June 7, 2026
- Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm,
- Sundays at 2pm.
Review by Kindle Carpp
Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles, adapted by Kate Danley from Christie’s beloved novel, brings audiences back to the very first case of the iconic detective Hercule Poirot.
Set in 1916 during World War I, the story follows the recovering Hastings as he arrives at Styles Manor, the home of his friend John Cavendish.
What begins as a quiet stay quickly spirals into chaos when John’s mother dies suddenly from poisoning in the middle of the night. With suspicion falling on nearly everyone in the household, Poirot must untangle a web of secrets, lies, and motives before the killer strikes again.
Christie’s mastery of misdirection remains as entertaining as ever. Red herrings, shifting suspicions, and carefully planted clues keep the audience constantly reevaluating every character and every interaction. Even knowing the story beforehand does little to lessen the suspense.
Christie’s mastery of misdirection remains as entertaining as ever. Red herrings, shifting suspicions, and carefully planted clues keep the audience constantly reevaluating every character and every interaction. Even knowing the story beforehand does little to lessen the suspense.
Watching the production becomes an interactive experience, inviting the audience to play detective alongside Poirot. Throughout the performance, I found myself repeatedly changing my mind about who the murderer might be, only to discover once again that Christie is always several steps ahead.
Danley’s adaptation remains faithful to the original novel while skillfully modernizing the dialogue and pacing for contemporary audiences. The updated cadence allows the story to move briskly without losing its early twentieth century atmosphere or charm.
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| Else Buckley (Lawrence Cavendish), Chris Ensweiler (Hercule Poirot), Amit Rosenberg (Alfred Inglethorp). Photo by Dale Sutton |
Danley’s adaptation remains faithful to the original novel while skillfully modernizing the dialogue and pacing for contemporary audiences. The updated cadence allows the story to move briskly without losing its early twentieth century atmosphere or charm.
The regular fourth wall breaks add an especially playful touch, creating moments where the audience feels personally invited into the mystery. These moments enhance the humor and warmth of the production while preserving the intrigue at the heart of Christie’s story.
The cast embraces both the comedy and tension of the material with enthusiasm and precision. Seamus Smith gives John Cavendish a grounded and steady presence that helps anchor the increasingly chaotic events unfolding around him. Smith captures John’s growing unease well, balancing familial loyalty with mounting suspicion as the mystery deepens.
Else Buckley shines as Lawrence Cavendish, perfectly embodying the role of the overlooked second son. Buckley balances quiet resentment with weary acceptance, giving Lawrence an emotional depth that makes him especially compelling to watch. Their performance subtly reveals the frustrations simmering beneath Lawrence’s reserved exterior while still maintaining the character’s understated charm.
As Dorcas, Nina McKinstry brings warmth and heart to the production. McKinstry makes Dorcas instantly endearing through expressive reactions and impeccable timing. Her performance captures exactly the right balance of horror, concern, curiosity, and fascination as the events at Styles Manor unfold around her.
Duncan Thorvilson is delightfully personable as Hastings, bringing an affable charm that makes him easy to root for throughout the story. Thorvilson captures Hastings’ earnestness and occasional distraction beautifully, creating a character who feels both relatable and sincere. His chemistry with the rest of the cast helps maintain the lively rhythm of the production.
The cast embraces both the comedy and tension of the material with enthusiasm and precision. Seamus Smith gives John Cavendish a grounded and steady presence that helps anchor the increasingly chaotic events unfolding around him. Smith captures John’s growing unease well, balancing familial loyalty with mounting suspicion as the mystery deepens.
Else Buckley shines as Lawrence Cavendish, perfectly embodying the role of the overlooked second son. Buckley balances quiet resentment with weary acceptance, giving Lawrence an emotional depth that makes him especially compelling to watch. Their performance subtly reveals the frustrations simmering beneath Lawrence’s reserved exterior while still maintaining the character’s understated charm.
As Dorcas, Nina McKinstry brings warmth and heart to the production. McKinstry makes Dorcas instantly endearing through expressive reactions and impeccable timing. Her performance captures exactly the right balance of horror, concern, curiosity, and fascination as the events at Styles Manor unfold around her.
Duncan Thorvilson is delightfully personable as Hastings, bringing an affable charm that makes him easy to root for throughout the story. Thorvilson captures Hastings’ earnestness and occasional distraction beautifully, creating a character who feels both relatable and sincere. His chemistry with the rest of the cast helps maintain the lively rhythm of the production.
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| Chris Ensweiler (Hercule Poirot) and Nina McKinstry (Dorcas) Photo by Dale Sutton |
In the pivotal role of Poirot, Chris Ensweiler delivers a standout performance that elevates the entire production. Ensweiler fully embodies the famous detective, from Poirot’s precise physicality and brisk movements to his constant straightening of ties and rearranging of objects. His light French accent feels natural and restrained, never overpowering the performance. More importantly, Ensweiler captures Poirot’s intelligence, theatricality, and quiet confidence in a way that keeps the audience captivated from beginning to end. It is a performance filled with detail, discipline, and undeniable charisma.
The ensemble as a whole is exceptionally well cast, with each performer fully committing to the distinct personalities, secrets, and emotional undercurrents of their characters. The production succeeds because every actor contributes to the atmosphere of uncertainty while still creating believable and engaging relationships onstage.
Visually, the production is equally impressive. The lighting design cleverly simulates lighting pouring through windows using only stage lighting, helping establish both mood and location with elegance and creativity. These lighting choices subtly heighten the tension of the mystery while adding visual depth to the scenes.
Set designer Thomas “Rex” Goulding creates an inventive and highly functional set that transforms fluidly between multiple locations within Styles Manor. Rotating furniture pieces and cleverly mobile set elements allow the production to shift seamlessly between rooms while maintaining the momentum of the story. The result is a visually dynamic staging that keeps the audience immersed in the world of the play.
Costume designer Diane Johnston also deserves recognition for creating costumes that are both period appropriate and visually striking. The flattering tailoring and rich color choices add sophistication and personality to each character while helping reinforce the elegance of Christie’s world.
Filled with humor, intrigue, strong performances, and inventive staging, The Mysterious Affair at Styles proves that a classic mystery never goes out of style. By the time Poirot gathers everyone together for the final reveal, the audience is happily swept along for one last twist in a thoroughly entertaining evening of theater.
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