Hercule Poirot is back onstage, in ‘Murder on the Links’ at Two River Theater in Red Bank

ANDY HENDERSON

Cast members of Two River Theater’s production of “Murder on the Links” include, from left, Kate Baldwin, Jason O’Connell, José Espinosa, Campbell Scott, María Bilbao, Hiram Delgado and Lauren Worsham.

“My mind can’t take this, Poirot,” says one of the characters in “Murder on the Links” to the formidable detective Hercule Poirot. And it is easy to understand why. As portrayed by Campbell Scott in this world-premiere adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1923 mystery novel “The Murder on the Links,” Poirot can make your head spin. He is not just always one step ahead of everyone else, but he perceives the significance of things so quickly, and with such certainty, that others can do little more than struggle to keep up. He is like a super-alert cat, always ready to pounce on a clue.

This Poirot — the latest incarnation of a beloved character who also appears in Christie mysteries such as “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile” — has got some very human quirks that make him sympathetic and relatable. But when it comes to solving a mystery, he seems to exist on some other plane.

ANDY HENDERSON

From left, Hiram Delgado, Campbell Scott and Jason O’Connell in “Murder on the Links.”

Scott’s performance is one of the main strengths of this production, which is directed by Darko Tresnjak (Tresnjak, who won a Tony in 2014 for directing “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” is working with his own, rather loose adaptation of the novel). Other strengths include the play’s stylish look (scenic design by Alexander Dodge; costume design by Jess Goldstein) and its abundance of colorful characters, including two rival femme fatales, Madame Renauld (Kate Baldwin) and Madame Dubois (Lauren Worsham); earthy police chief Lucien Bex (Jason O’Connell), who is in a perpetual state of wonder over Poirot’s genius; and Bex’s assistant, the young, lovestruck Sergent de Ville (Hiram Delgado).

Also, while this show is not a musical, per se, a number of sophisticated songs are incorporated into it (Oran Eldo is the music supervisor and orchestrator, and also wrote original music for the production). They are well sung, and add to the production’s impressive sense of elegance.

The play takes place mainly in Villa Geneviève, France; Poirot has been asked to come there by the wealthy Paul Renauld (represented by the voice of Patrick Page). By the time he gets there, though, Renauld has been murdered. Did Renauld somehow foresee his murder, and want Poirot to solve it?

ANDY HENDERSON

Kate Baldwin in “Murder on the Links.”

Renauld’s grieving but possibly two-faced widow Madame Renauld and his neighbor Madame Dubois are among the most obvious suspects. Renauld also has a son, Jack (José Espinosa), who is in love with Madame Dubois’ daughter Marthe (María Bilbao); Jack stands to inherit a lot of money, and Renauld had tried to prevent the relationship with Marthe, so Jack would certainly have a strong motive for the murder. But he also has an airtight alibi.

As you would expect, the story takes a lot of wild twists and turns. There are also elaborate flashback sequences that come to represent a sort of story-within-a-story, before Poirot comes to his triumphant conclusion. (Bex assists him, though, given Poirot’s vast superiority in the field of detecting, maybe “accompanies” is a more fitting word.)

My main problem with “Murder on the Links” has to do with the way the mystery itself is constructed. To me, the best mysteries are the ones in which the viewer is presented with all the relevant clues, and can try to figure everything out, in real time, just like the detective is doing. In this one, though, Poirot makes some major leaps by dredging up things from his own memory — things that audience members, of course, have no way of knowing.

So while I certainly found “Murder on the Links” enjoyable, due to the skill of Scott and the other actors, its classy production values, and the opportunity it offers to become immersed in its elaborate web of a story, I thought the mystery part of it fell a little flat.

Two River Theater in Red Bank will present “Murder on the Links” though Oct. 5; visit tworivertheater.org.

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