Robert Gorelangton

The ‘detestable, bombastic, egocentric’ detective — Hercule Poirot lives on

Was Agatha Christie just a formulaic writer? Black Coffee, her first play with the Belgian sleuth, shows we mustn't underestimate her

On the case: Inspector Japp (Eric Carte), Poirot (Robert Powell) and Captain Hastings (Robin McCallum) [Getty Images/Shutterstock/iStock/Alamy]

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