Author: Adapted from Agatha Christie by Ken Ludwig
Director: Lucy Bailey
Produced by: Fiery Angel in assoc with Agatha Christie Limited
Venue: Arts Theatre Cambridge
Performance: 12 May 2026
Another five-star production in this fantastically curated season at the Arts Theatre.
This is a beautifully produced show with huge attention to detail, from sumptuous set and magnificent costumes to characterisation and technical effects. I wasn’t surprised to learn afterwards that Lucy Bailey also directed Witness for the Prosecution, another hugely successful Christie adaptation. Christie herself wrote from her direct experience of Egypt and its treasures, having accompanied her archaeologist husband on several expeditions.
If, like me, you’ve seen the film and read the book, this stage version is light years better. Equally telling, my guest had never read any Christie novels nor seen the film adaptation and still thoroughly enjoyed it. The production is gripping from the moment the curtain rises until the final denouement. The cast is hugely talented, bringing each character vividly to life and making every twist and turn land with real impact.
Death on the Nile opens on a foggy street scene where our hero, Hercule Poirot, observes two young lovers excitedly reuniting – Jackie de Bellefort (Esme Hough) and her fiancé Simon Doyle (Nye Occomore).
We then move to a museum reception where the wider cast of characters is introduced as they admire an Egyptian sarcophagus loaned to curator Atticus Praed, funded by glamorous heiress Linette Ridgeway (Libby Alexander-Cooper in her debut role). Jackie persuades Linette to find Simon employment, while Poirot laments to his friend Colonel Race that the situation can only end badly. Meanwhile, aspiring actress Salome Otterbourne (Glynis Barber is magnificently OTT and has some of the best lines) and her daughter Rosalind set their sights on famous actor Septimus Troy and newly qualified doctor Ramses Praed.
Poirot is played to perfection by Mark Hadfield, and it is no easy role to inherit given the long line of famous actors who have donned those neat Belgian shoes. From his first appearance, Hadfield captures the intriguing yet infuriating detective perfectly, bringing warmth, wit and razor-sharp “little grey cells” to the role.
We next encounter the characters aboard an Egyptian steamship as they travel to return the sarcophagus to its rightful owners. Linette and Simon are now married, while Jackie – the spurned woman – unnerves them by appearing on board after pursuing them throughout their honeymoon. Also joining the voyage is Linette’s business associate Annabelle, eager for contracts to be signed but rather less eager for Linette to read them carefully. By now, the audience understands the tangled backstories, and it becomes clear that Linette has good reason to seek Poirot’s protection, as Jackie is far from the only passenger harbouring a grudge.
At this point, I have to mention Mike Britton’s extraordinary set design. A two-storey structure of louvred wooden doors cleverly evokes the steamship, while projections, lighting and soundscape create the convincing illusion of movement across water. Doors swing open and shut to reveal lounges, cabins and decks, allowing the audience tantalising glimpses into private conversations and hidden tensions. Scene changes are seamlessly choreographed into the action itself, a current trend in theatre, and especially effective here. Characters appear and disappear behind the doors or linger silently in the background, heightening the atmosphere of intrigue and suspicion.
The costumes are equally stunning and richly detailed. Jackie’s striking red dress immediately signals danger and passion, while Salome’s flamboyant outfits provide both glamour and comic flourish. Linette, meanwhile, dazzles throughout in a succession of elegant costumes – from a shimmering gold gown to a chic white trouser suit and elaborate Egyptian-inspired party attire. The men are impeccably dressed in period-appropriate travel and dinner suits, while the ship’s staff wear traditional Egyptian garments, further immersing the audience in the world of the play.
What makes this production particularly successful is the balance between glamour and tension. Beneath the elegance, cocktails and witty exchanges lies an ever-present sense of menace. Lucy Bailey keeps the pacing taut throughout, allowing moments of humour to punctuate the growing unease before the inevitable murder finally occurs. Once it does, the production shifts effortlessly into full detective mode, with Poirot methodically unravelling secrets, lies and hidden motives in his inimitable way.
The result is a sumptuous, intelligent and thoroughly entertaining production that proves exactly why Christie’s work continues to endure. Stylish, atmospheric and brilliantly acted, this Death on the Nile is a theatrical voyage well worth taking.
