Death on the Nile

1^st – 4^th October

***Full of intrigue, suspense and drama***

***A magnificent Journey***

***Everyone is a suspect in this gripping adaptation***

Ken Ludwig has created a delightful spectacle in this adapted Agatha Christie classic, following on from his success of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. There are a few cuts and changes here and there for the stage transfer, all felt appropriate, leaving the true essence of the text and not overly diluting. The story is full of intrigue, suspense and drama as we embark on this magnificent Journey. Two newlyweds board the Nile steamer ‘Karnak’, a dark cloud looms over the ship. The honeymooners are joined by other passengers all bound for a Nile cruise, however, there is someone onboard who has more deadly motives.  

Mark Hadfield (Belfast; Outlander; Wallander) is everyone’s favourite Belgum detective Hercule Poirot. He had us all scratching our own little grey cells, as we all try to work through the evidence and find a motive for murder as he brings the audience gasping to its climatic finale. Mark’s take on the detective role with style and panache and embodied the character with some great little quirks of his own. Bob Barrett (Murder on the Orient Express; Holby City) stars alongside as Poirot old friend Colonel Race. Bob has a great stage presence and often acts of the straight man in a comedy double act but equally delivers the tension when needed. The pair are electric together working through the murder case to its conclusion.

Libby Alexandra-Cooper – plays Linnet Ridgeway, she is a rich heiress, who likes to do things her way and gets her way with everything that she does and is the wife to Simon Doyle (Nye Occomore). Simon is an easy-going good-looking wannabe. The pair met through Jacqueline de Bellefort (Esme Hough). Jacqueline (Jackie) was engaged to Simon when she introduced him to her best mate Linnet, only it was Linnet that ended up stealing him away and marrying him. Jackie remains obsessed with him and will do anything to get him back. This obsession has led her to stalking the couple throughout their honeymoon. The three of them form a perfect love triangle and are a believable trio. You can feel the contempt and jealousy between them. Their verbal volleys are timed wonderfully, each one bringing you further forward in your chair and their rivalry escalates.

Glynis Barber (Dempsey and Makepeace; EastEnders) is Salome Otterbourne who is the Jackie Collins of the 1930’s. She writes sexy racy romance novels and is now a wannabe actress. Glynis totters around the stage playing the aging dame perfectly. Her daughter Rosalie Otterbourne played by Camilla Anvar, tries to defend her mother’s ways and would consider all options to defend her! The Hollywood actor Septimus Troy played by Terence Wilton also ends up on the ship. He has a long-standing grudge against Linette, who withdraw funding to one of his acting projects. Terence builds some wonderful chemistry with Glynis. Their flirting brings a great light-heartedness and warmth that I haven’t seen in the characters before.

Two new characters to the story are Atticus Praed (Howard Gossington) who is a museum curator and Egyptologist. Along with his son Ramses Praed (Nicolas Prasad) a doctor. Linette’s father had told Atticus to invest his lifesaving in scheme, only the scheme fell flat, and he lost everything. Atticus is left bitter and revengeful! Both these character worked well in the reworked story, and we enjoyed how Howard and Nicolas brings them lovingly to life. Annabelle Pennington (Helen Katamba) is Linette Canadian trustee who has been looking after her Linette’s finances, Helen brings plenty of drama to the night, but is Annabelle all she seems to be?

The whole production brought everything together with its delightful costumes, atmospheric lighting and two-tiered set design. Nothing felt a miss and nothing jarred. Everyone is a suspect in this gripping adaptation. This is the perfect nights entertainment for everyone, not just for loyal Agatha Christie fans. There’s a lot of love for the book and films, but this new stage adaptation will have you equally satisfied. Grab yourself a ticket for the original whodunnits.

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Death on The Nile | What's On | Lowry