Sometimes you fall in love with some characters. Or you fall in love with a community of actors. Or you fall in love with a theatre. Sometimes, if you’re very fortunate, you fall in love with all three at once.

Two years ago, I premiered a play called Murder on the Links (adapted from Dame Agatha Christie) here at North Coast Rep. It was enormously gratifying to have the play be so well-received (thank you, NCRT audiences), and it was transformative to work with the artists and artisans of this theatre on a new world premiere. It became my avid wish to make that situation happen again.

And here we are. Through the generosity and support of David Ellenstein, Bill Kerlin, and the entire North Coast Rep family, I’m back with a sort of sequel. Using characters from Christie’s early book of stories, “Poirot Investigates,” I’ve put Hercule Poirot, his dutiful comrade Captain Hastings, and a few of Links primary characters in a new comic mystery for the stage.

It’s said those who live in complicated times turn to mysteries for escape. Why is that? The active uncertainty of events (often beyond one’s control) must feel familiar; the fact that all will shortly be solved (in some manner) must feel comforting. The theatre can gift us with the chance to solve mysteries that are too maddeningly elusive in the real world. And in the case of Peril in the Alps, to do so with no small measure of delight.

Six actors (and some very clever designers) are about to take you on a thrill ride. It starts, of course, on the most average day imaginable. And then, all at once...nothing will ever be the same. Thank you for being the first audiences to ever see this play. We hope you enjoy the ride.

Steven Dietz