MK Theatre Review: Death on the Nile
Summary
Rating: ★★★★★
Running Dates: 14th Oct to 18th Oct
Where to see it: MK Theatre
Duration: 63 mins, 20 mins interval, 48 mins
Keywords: funny, immersive, mystery, fiction
Review
The Empress of Murder Mystery, Agatha Christie (a personal favourite of mine), has brought Death on the Nile to the theatre and I can honestly say it’s the best whodunnit I’ve seen. And yes, I’ve seen Murder on the Orient Express.
To give a brief overview: the story begins with Agatha’s beloved detective, Hercule Poirot, played by the perfectly casted, Mark Hadfield, who opens the production with genuine humour and reminisces Christie’s brilliant stories.
Linet Ridgway is on her honeymoon with newly appointed husband, Simon and funnily enough their cruise just so happens to be cruising the Nile with the priceless Egyptian Sarcophagus. Aboard their cruise, just so happens to be a mixture of acquaintances of Ridgway and an MI5 agent, the ex-fiancé of Simon, the curator of the British Museum’s Egyptology department and Poirot himself.
Act 1 was a little slow to start, but necessarily so. It introduced the characters boarding this luxury cruise, giving the audience a chance to start guessing whodunnit before even knowing who the victim would be.
When the cruise scene arrives, you can hear whispers of “wow” and “what an incredible setting” through the audience. I was genuinely amazed by how perfectly the stage design captured the essence of a cruise ship.
The first act highlights the strong working dynamic between Poirot and MI5 agent Colonel Race, played by Bob Barrett. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine a better actor for the role, especially after Murder on The Orient Express. He brings just the right mix of charm and humour, making Colonel Race a brilliant counterpart to Poirot.
Unsurprisingly, mid-cruise, a body is discovered. With debt, lust, fraud, and emotion swirling around, there’s only one man for the job, even with limited resources, and that of course is Poirot.
This show stood out to me most because none of the scenes outstayed their welcome. Whodunnits are notoriously hard to produce as both intriguing and immersive, but this one was above and beyond. Britton’s immersive stage set was the highlight of it all and perfectly matched with the humorous yet mysterious cast, lighting, and costumes, making it a performance that held your attention every single scene, the best lighthearted mystery to see.
Other shows similar: Murder on the Orient Express
See if: You like a humorous whodunnit performance
Reviewed by Charlotte Moyle
Photography provided by MK Theatre