Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile has been adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Lucy Bailey. It is one of the most famous novels written by one of the world's most famous mystery writers and features one of the world's most famous fiction sleuths, Hercule Poirot. It is set in Egypt, with most of the action taking place on the River Nile. There have been many film adaptations of this book, with the most recent, Kenneth Branagh's 2022 offering, receiving mixed reviews.
From the opening scene with two lovers meeting on the misty Lyceum stage and ‘third wheel’ Hercule Poirot skulking in the background, it was clear this was going to be a well-scripted and well-acted production. With the creative team of Sarah Holland and Elizabeth Marino, in charge of the costumes and hair, respectively, we were transported into the company of an eclectic and affluent cross-section of 1930’s society for a leisurely jaunt on the mighty river Nile.
The decadent environment was reinforced with excellent use of staging and props, which was for the most part, set on a luxury cruise ship. The high Lyceum stage accommodated two levels on the ship, which worked extremely well for switches between conversations, as a tool for eavesdropping, or for using silhouettes behind louvred screens to visualise the live dialogue. The coordinated manner in which the ship’s railings and other parts of the set vanished and reappeared when needed was the height of slickness.
It was an impressive cast headed by experienced stage and screen actor Mark Hadfield as the handlebar moustachioed Belgian sleuth. It was a role he clearly enjoyed playing and this showed with a portrayal of style and humour. Linnet Ridgeway (Libby Alexandra Cooper) and Jasmine de Bellefont (Esme Hough) had the right chemistry to form the key ménage à trois alongside Simon Doyle (Nye Occomore). Another successful relationship was the quirky love interest between Rosalie Otterbourne (Camilla Anvar) and Ramses Praed (Nicholas Prasad). Glynis Barber often dipped in and stole the limelight as the exuberant Salome Otterbourne.
The characters and relationships are established in the first half, but with Hercule on board, it was obvious someone had to die before the interval. The gunshot that rang around the theatre as the lights dipped signalled that Poirot was back on duty.
Death on the Nile is classy and beautifully produced, with the stage setting and costumes operating in perfect harmony. It is well cast, with Mark Hadfield having fun with his playful portrayal of Poirot. The experienced actors contribute to the on-stage chemistry, bringing to life the characters and their relationships. Stylish Productions like these are what nights at the theatre are all about.
Production run (The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield): Tuesday 10th March –Saturday 14th March 2026.
Running Time: around 2 hours 20 minutes, including an interval.
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/agatha-christie-death-on-the-nile/dates
Reviewer: Matthew Burgin
On: 10th March 2026
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