ROBERT Powell’s a brave actor. On accepting the role in Black Coffee, he had to play Agatha’s Christie’s much-loved Belgian sleuth, portrayed on TV so memorably by David Suchet.

Well Powell, the talented actor best known for Jesus of Nazareth, has shown he can work miracles.

He walked the very thin tightrope perfectly of taking the best bits of Suchet – the hand gestures, some of the facial expressions and tones of voice – but leaving out other bits that would have tipped his performance into parody.

His little grey cells got it spot on.

The production is the 11th by the Agatha Christie Theatre Company.

The story is textbook Christie – a quintessential English country estate is thrown into chaos following the murder of eccentric inventor Sir Claud Amory.

Arriving at the estate just moments too late, Poirot senses a potent brew of despair, treachery, and deception amid the motley crew of occupants.

Apart from Powell, the cast is a solid line-up that could be titled Best of British TV – Liza Goddard, star of such TV hits as Bergerac, plays the delighfully scatty Aunt Caroline, Gary Mavers (Peak Practice) is Dr Carelli, and there is also the dependable Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier).

However my favourite performance was by Robin McCallum (yes, the ITV weatherman!) as the sweet, shy, old fashioned, bumbling sidekick Captain Hastings, who made me chuckle.

All in all the whole night was as comfortable, familiar and thoroughly enjoyable as slipping into a pair of slippers on the sofa and snuggling down under the duvet.

Tracy Jones

Black Coffee is at the Southend Palace Theatre, London Road, until Saturday.