Review: Death On The Nile (UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It would be a real understatement to say there is a huge demand for stage adaptations of Agatha Christie’s classic stories, with The Mousetrap continuing its stake on the title of the world’s longest-running play, celebrating its 30,000th performance earlier this year. Following the success of a stage adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express, the creative team have reunited to bring us another Agatha Christie classic to the stage, for the European premiere of Death On The Nile, but would they once again be able to solve the mystery in how to bring this story to life on stage, or would the original story be brutally murdered?

Originally written by Agatha Christie in 1937, Death On The Nile has thrilled audiences in the decades since, with adaptations across all media, most recently made into a major Hollywood movie in 2022. Part of Christie’s series featuring the world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, it is set on board a luxurious cruise under the heat of the Egyptian sun as a couple’s idyllic honeymoon is cut short by, you guessed it, a murder. With seemingly everyone on the ship having a motive for the murder, can Poirot untangle the web of lies and figure out who the killer was, and why they did it?

Christie’s writing remains timeless, and Ken Ludwig’s adaptation beautifully translates this for the stage, making necessary changes while never losing the essence of the story and the original distinct writing. No stranger to Agatha Christie adaptations, Ludwig has mastered the art of tension and suspense while keeping a relatively lighthearted nature, even when there is a corpse on the stage. It’s a winning formula that ensures Death On The Nile is a thrilling ride from start to finish. A testament to the skill of this adaptation is that it makes no difference how familiar you are with the story - whether you know whodunnit or if this is your first time experiencing this particular tale, it is the journey to get there that makes this play so riveting, not the inevitable revelation near the play’s climax.

Ludwig reunites with director Lucy Bailey to once again bring us a winning team when it comes to adapting Christie for the stage. Bailey's direction is continually thrilling, with a series of inspired choices keeping the stage visually thrilling, and having a lot of fun playing with Mike Britton’s stunning and elaborate set design. Oliver Fenwick’s lighting is used to brilliant effect, making the stage come alive and revealing details behind closed doors to give us a grander sense and spread our focus even when characters are seemingly out of sight. One such moment where the direction and design come together beautifully sees characters Linnet and Jacqueline on two separate parts of the ship, illuminated to give the sense of a sun and a moon, matching the dialogue and showcasing how magical and perfect theatre can be when all these elements align.

Though it is perhaps necessary, given the limits of the stage time and to prevent this from being a five-hour play, Death On The Nile does suffer slightly from being a bit rushed. Act One is a masterclass in building up the tension as we wait to see the murder that leads into the interval. Act Two never quite matches this somehow, with a rushed pacing, meaning Poirot has solved the case before the body is even cold. A testament to his own talents, no doubt, but an extra five minutes or so in this second Act wouldn’t have gone amiss. That said, the play whizzes past quickly, never allowing you to feel bored for even a second, which can only be a good thing.

Taking on the role of the world-famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is Mark Hadfield. A strong performer with a real cheeky element to him, filling his Poirot with life and laughter. Though he handles his take on the iconic character admirably, for some reason, he did seem to suffer from muddling over his lines at this particular performance, resulting in a lot of fumbled words that seemed to increase as the play roared towards its climax, taking away a bit of the power from his final speech. Though this is live theatre and may just have been an issue on this particular performance, it did impact in the confidence we were supposed to be instilled in the person who was steering this ship (not literally, I’m sure the actual ship had a captain, though who knows?)

Elsewhere, Libby Alexandra-Cooper is wildly captivating as Linnet, with Esme Hough delivering a fascinatingly erratic portrayal as Jacqueline. Glynis Barber is fabulously over-the-top as Salome Otterbourne, creating a humorous double act with Terence Wilton as Septimus Troy. Bob Barrett is another highlight as Colonel Race, with Nye Occomore bringing a sense of intrigue to his turn as Simon Doyle.

Whether you are a die-hard (perhaps not the best phrase) fan of Agatha Christie or not, there is something for everyone in this fantastic adaptation of Death On The Nile. Wonderful direction alongside a striking and stylish design brought a sense of suitable grandeur to the gorgeous Richmond Theatre, as I’m sure it will for every other stop on the tour. Ken Ludwig has once again cracked the case in how to bring an Agatha Christie classic to the stage in a production that really is dead good.

Death On The Nile tours the UK until May 2026. Tickets available here

Photos by Manuel Harlan