★★★★ Death on the Nile: England or Egypt, No Secret Hides from Poirot

Down the streets of Sheffield and into the heart of the Lyceum, we find ourselves cruising through the Nile this fine night. With a motley crew aboard, we follow one of the most famous detectives in the world, Hercule Poirot, as he takes us along to solve another mystery. Or two. 

Death on the Nile, based on Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name, unravels a web of lies on a luxurious cruise across Egypt. When a rich heiress is found dead, everyone’s a suspect with a motive. Romance and tragedy reign as lives are taken and betrayals exposed. 

As someone who read the book before watching this on stage, I was not only happy with the adaptation but also glad for some of the changes. You don’t hear that too often, especially not from me, an avid Christie fan. 

The show began with an introduction to the characters at a party at the British Museum, a contrast to the individual introductions across regions in the novel. Using fewer characters to contain the story was something I was glad for, as it kept it digestible, and audiences could try to work out the mystery better without forgetting any of the characters. 

The characterisations of the included characters was interesting, each bringing something different and dynamic to the scenes. Glynis Barber as Salome Otterbourne was iconic, hilarious, and a favourite. Of course, seeing Mark Hadfield as Poirot was a pleasure. He embodied the clever man very well, from the large mustache and French/Belgian accent to the perfectly timed comedic moments. His dynamic with Bob Barrett as Colonel Race was incredibly amusing, keeping the show lighthearted at its undercurrent despite the chaos. From witty quips to improvisations, the friendship and chemistry between the duo, alongside Dr Praed’s awkwardness and Mrs Otterbourne’s eccentricity, made the humour a staple, which I think Agatha Christie would’ve loved. 

From the sinister slow motion scene at the beginning foreshadowing Linnet’s fate, to the hooded figures representing the mystery and her paranoia just before she died, the techniques used to depict her psyche were both creepy and effective. Libby Alexandra-Cooper did a brilliant job showing Linnet Ridgeway becoming more and more unhinged as time passed, from plastered smiles to shaking and screaming. 

Though there were only really two settings, the museum and the cruise ship, the staging was utilised well. The outside area behind the Egyptian coffin was effective in displaying the progression of the relationship between Jackie, Simon and Linnet, while using cross-cutting to continue the conversations of the characters inside. On the cruise, the cabins were both individual spaces unfolding personal insights to the characters, while also contributing to the wider exterior and situation. 

When Hercule Poirot usually comes to his conclusions, he invites everyone to spectate as he explains how everything took place, in the order it did. I was excited to see this on stage, where instead of just telling us, they used flashbacks to show how each scene unfolded. It added an extra element of immersion, and each actor did a great job recreating their earlier scenes. 

Whether or not you’ve read an Agatha Christie novel, this show is for all audiences who enjoy a mystery with heart and soul. It was funny, it was immersive, it made me jump, gasp, and laugh aloud. I had a fun night watching it and am excited for the next adaptation by Ken Ludwig.