[Ad-gifted] Agatha Christie‘s Death on the Nile Tout opened at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays last night and what an opening night it was!
There is something irresistible about walking into theatre knowing that murder, romance, jealousy and betrayal are mingling in the air. Couple this with the setting of the lush heat of the Nile in midsummer onboard the luxury steamer and Hercule Poirot and you know it is a winning formula.
Lucy Bailey’s new production of Death on the Nile, adapted by Ken Ludwig, revives one of Agatha Christie’s most passion‑driven thrillers with high ambitions. With Mark Hadfield taking the role of Hercule Poirot. The question is whether it delivers both in equal measure.
Keep on reading to find out more …
What Did I Think of Death on the Nile Tour ?
As I was heading to the theatre and especially as a fan of Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot, there were many questions in my mind, such as how has the production been adapted for the theatre. Will it have the same elements of glamour, suspense and drama? Would the team be able to bring the feel of the luxurious Nile river cruise ship in Egypt to The Lowry Theatre?
With an open mind which was filled with curiosity, I was prepared for anything and boy was I blown away from the the opening scene where Hercule Poirot (Mark Hadfield) segments the scene of the two lovers, to the dramatic end. Don’t let Hadfield‘s diminutive stature fool you as he embodies Poirot to a tee with his quite demeanor, half-muted argument as well as his believable Belgian accent which includes French influences and he carries the character with charm.
Casting Director Helena Palmer, did a magnificent job in selecting the best cast for the play. Every actor seemed like they had been meticulously chosen for the part and they carried it well. Both Esme Hough who plays Jacqueline De Bellefort and Nye Occomore who plays Simon Doyle made us believe how much they were both in love with each other. They were then later able to transform from lovers to encompass deep animosity for each other. Hough transformed into a revengeful lover while Occomore from docile to cocky, and it all seemed so effortlessly.
Everyone was in awe of Libby Alexandra-Cooper soon as she walked on stage with her gold simmering dress as Linnet Ridgeway. She brought glamour, style and sophistication coupled with a sense of privilege on stage with her every move.
I adored both Camilla Anvar (Rosalie Otterbourne) and the flamboyant Glynis Barber (Salome Otterbourne) who brought joy and comedy to their characters with their antics. Rosalie’s love interest Ramses Praed is played by Nicholas Prasad who was both serious and playful at the same time. While Egyptologist Howard Gossington (Atticus Praed) and Bob Barrett (Monsieur Bouc) as well as Helen Katamba (Annabelle Pennington) threw a magnificent performance.
The stage design by Mike Britton evokes the sumptuousness and stifling glamour of 1930s river travel, coupled with the glamorous period costumes by Sarah Holland made me feel like I wanted to be onboard S.S. Karnak. Smooth and movements of the cast between the two decks, as well as each cabin was flawless thanks to Movement Director Liam Steel coupled with the assistance of the Lighting Director Oliver Fenwick and Sound Designer Mic Pool.
Audiences will be taken on a wonderful journey onboard the luxury steamer to Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs but be warned, quietly simmering in the background, there is envy, grief and guilt. Expect moments of uncomfortable confrontations, paused silences, the unspoken accusations as well as the occasional gasps. Hidden within the play is also the theme of colonialism, class distinctions and the often unseen hypocrisy of privilege. Allowing the audience to also play along and make their judgement. The weight of secrets is not just about who killed who, but about the burdens people carry under social guises.
Death on the Nile is one show to watch no matter if you are a Christie purist and know the story by heart or a Christie virgin and have only been introduced to storyline for the first time. With strong leads, atmospheric staging, grand costumes and thoughtful direction, it is a production that will satisfy mystery lovers and those who appreciate well‑crafted ensemble performance. It will be one cruise you would want to take again and again.
Cast
Mark Hadfield Hercule Poirot
Libby Alexandra-Cooper Linnet Ridgeway
Camilla Anvar Rosalie Otterbourne
Glynis Barber Salome Otterbourne
Bob Barrett Monsieur Bouc
David Boyle Ensemble
James Camp Off Stage Cover
Max Dinnen Ensemble
Howard Gossington Atticus Praed
Esme Hough Jacqueline De Bellefort
Helen Katamba Annabelle Pennington
Nye Occomore Simon Doyle
Nicholas Prasad Ramses Praed
Nadia Sash Ensemble
Terence Wilton Septimus Troy
Creatives
Adapted for the Stage by Ken Ludwig
Director Lucy Bailey
Designer Mike Britton
Lighting Director Oliver Fenwick
Sound Designer Mic Pool
Movement Director Liam Steel
Casting Director Helena Palmer
Creative Associate Ashley D Polasek
Associate Director Lucy Waterhouse
Costume Supervisor Sarah Holland
Props Supervisor Sharon Foley
Wigs, Hair and Make-up Supervisor Elizabeth Marini
Fight Director Philip D’Orleans
Dialect Coach Edda Sharpe
How much are the tickets?
Tickets are priced from £24-£48. Age recommendations: 12+, Content Warnings: Loud bangs (gun shots), Depiction of smoking, Fire, Haze.
How do I book tickets to watch Death on the Nile?
To book tickets please call The Lowry at 08432086000 or via their website here.
When is the show?
The show will be running until Saturday, 4 October 2025. Show starts at 7.30pm with a matinee performance on Saturday at 2pm.
Where will the performance be held?
The Lowry
The Quays
Salford
M50 3AZ
Manchester
Tel: 0843208 6000
Notes:
- The Lowry welcomes all visitors regardless of their disability and strives to meet all individuals needs where possible.
- They welcome assistance dogs.
- The Lowry website is fully accessible and features BrowseAloud. Browsealoud adds speech, reading and translation support, facilitating access and participation for those people who need support reading print, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. To use this feature, simply click on the grey ear logo located in the footer.
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If you are driving to the show, we would recommend for you to park at The Lowry Outlet which is opposite the theatre, but be aware as there is lack of signage from the car park area to the theatre, so best to ask someone or use google maps to find your way.Pre paid car parking tickets can be purchased up to 24 hours prior to your performance. Please note they are unable to sell pre paid tickets on your performance date, and you will need to pay at the ticket machines in the car park. The tickets can be booked at the same time as your seats via their website, or over the phone on freephone 0343 208 6000. The cost is £6.50. This allows you to park for the day.
About The Lowry Theatre
The Lowry is a registered charity committed to using visual and performing arts to enrich people’s lives. They present audiences with a diverse programme of theatre, opera, musicals, dance, music, comedy and visual art as well as events and activities to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike. At the heart of their work is a commitment to the local communities and young people. Tapping into the work on their stages and in their galleries, they offer thousands of free creative participation opportunities each year. They are passionate about nurturing talent, developing creative professionals of the future and raising aspirations.
About Agatha Christie
Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time. She was an extraordinary woman with a remarkable mind. She wrote her first mystery novel in 1916 when she was just 26, following a bet with her sister. It was published four years later as The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Her prolific writing career spanning five decades, with 66 crime novels, 6 non-crime novels and 150 short stories. Her work includes Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and the genre-defining And Then There Were None.
She created Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, two of the most famous detectives of all time as well as wrote over 25 plays, of which the most famous, The Mousetrap, is the longest running play in the world, having debuted in 1952. With more than 2 billion books published, she is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her works have been widely adapted and produced across most media platforms around the world, including TV, film, radio, publishing, stage, games and digital. Her books are easily translatable, her books have been published in over 100 languages, making her the most translated writer of all time.
You may also want to read this:
Review: Sir Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell at The Lowry Theatre
Review: Murder on the Orient Express at The Lowry Theatre
Review: Cavalleria rusticana and Aleko at The Lowry Theatre
Production Photo Credit: The Lowry Theatre/Manuel Harlan
10 comments
A classic production, I would love to see this on stage as do love a good Agatha Christie. I have decided that next year I am going to start going to the theatre more
How wonderful to hear that, I bet you will enjoy the trip to the theatre
I would LOVE to see this! Death on the Nile is such a classic, and from the photos and your description, I can tell they did it justice.
It certainly is and the theatre show was as good as the movie
This looks like a stylish, suspense-rich production! I’m intrigued to see how it plays live.
It was such a fabulous production and one worth watching!
I need to first read Agatha Christie‘s Death on the Nile. Thanks for the recommendation.
Yes, the book is amazing and there is a movie as well, which you can watch
It is so great to hear they did such a good job transporting it to the stage! What a fantastic sounding performance.
It absolutely was, I was blown away