Death on the Nile (His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen) Review by Hannah Cook

Following last year’s outstanding tour of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, the team behind that success return with another of Agatha Christie’s most beloved mysteries. This time, the sands replace the snowdrifts in ‘Death on the Nile’, currently docked at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.

On board a luxurious cruise ship basking in Egyptian heat, a honeymoon curdles into something far more sinister. Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Lucy Bailey, this European premiere reunites the same creative forces who delivered such moral heft with ‘Orient Express’. Here, however, the tone feels notably lighter – and occasionally looser.

Mark Hadfield’s Hercule Poirot is logical, mischievous, and gently self-aware. There is a ropey edge to the accent, but Hadfield captures Poirot’s impish intelligence well. His dynamic with Bob Barrett’s Colonel Race, reprised as Poirot’s sidekick, offers welcome comic relief. Barrett leans confidently into the humour, grounding the Belgian detective’s meticulousness with dry wit.

At the centre of the production is the tangled love triangle between Linnet Ridgeway, Simon Doyle and Jacqueline de Bellefort, and it is here that the evening truly ignites. Libby Alexandra-Cooper’s Linnet commands the stage with icy poise and movie-star glamour, while Nye Occomore’s Simon balances charm with an undercurrent of doubt.

Esme Hough, however, is the undeniable standout. Her Jacqueline, fuelled by betrayal and revenge, brings a raw, razor-sharp intensity that cuts through the polished luxury of the setting. Together, the trio generate a palpable tension that raises the emotional stakes and anchors the entire mystery.

Camilla Anvar’s Rosalie Otterbourne and Nicholas Prasad’s Ramses Praed bring a bright warmth to the opening scenes. Prasad leans into Ramses’ endearing awkwardness, landing easy laughs, while Anvar’s Rosalie confidently nudges, and occasionally pushes, him toward romantic bravery, their dynamic both playful and sweet.

Howard Gossington’s Atticus Praed offers a satisfying emotional journey, beginning as a high-strung, disappointed father before softening in his perception of his son. Helen Katamba’s Annabelle Pennington makes herself an obvious suspect as the loud, pushy Canadian agent, her brashness cutting through the polished veneer of the cruise. Glynis Barber’s Salome Otterbourne is gloriously self-deluded, a theatrical diva whose melodrama frequently embarrasses her daughter, while Terrence Wilton’s booming Septimus Troy completes a delightfully flamboyant double act.

The ensemble; David Boyle, Max Dinnen and Nadia Shash haunt the edges of the action during transitions, gliding through scene changes as the ship’s staff. Their presence in the shadows subtly feeds our suspicions, reminding us that everyone aboard is watching and perhaps hiding something.

Ludwig’s adaptation remains largely faithful to Christie’s original, though confined within theatrical constraints. Where ‘Orient Express’ pulsed with moral weight and emotional punch, ‘Death on the Nile’ feels comparatively restrained. The first half is heavy with exposition, painstakingly laying out relationships and motives. While necessary in a whodunnit, the pacing at times feels a little flat; for a murder mystery, it takes rather a long time for anyone to actually die. Once Poirot’s investigation kicks into gear, the production sharpens considerably, intrigue tightening with welcome urgency.

There are moments where the script appears to gently poke fun at its own status as a Christie classic. While playful, this self-awareness occasionally jars, softening the darker misery one might expect from a tale of obsession and revenge.

Visually, however, the production is near flawless. Designer Mike Britton once again situates us within a single, exquisitely realised setting: the boat itself. Sliding screens across two levels transport us seamlessly from cabin to deck to saloon. The upper level cleverly allows both Poirot and the audience to overhear private conversations, heightening tension. When not in use, it is curtained off, creating a cinematic frame that focuses our gaze with precision.

Oliver Fenwick’s lighting design is particularly striking. Subtle spotlighting keeps attention tightly drawn without oversaturation, casting long, elegant shadows across the set. Most beautiful of all is the illusion of water reflecting up onto the boat during walkway scenes, a rippling reminder of the Nile lapping just beyond the hull. Mic Pool’s sound design underscores the action with grumbling bass, twisting synths and taut strings, signalling impending doom or revelation with creeping inevitability.

Movement director Liam Steel transforms scene changes into miniature spectacles. Furniture glides into place in time with the score; characters waltz, whisper, and disperse in choreographed unison. These transitions never feel indulgent but grant the audience space to sift through suspicions, reinforcing the undercurrent of intrigue.

Bailey has undoubtedly achieved something impressive: a timeless story that feels slick and theatrically inventive. Yet while ‘Death on the Nile’ is impeccably designed and confidently performed, it lacks the emotional gravity that made its predecessor so devastating. It is an elegant cruise with strong performances and technical brilliance – but one that takes its time reaching the storm.

Ultimately, ‘Death on the Nile’ is another gorgeous production from this team – lush, detailed and crafted with real theatrical flair. In a climate where musicals so often dominate large-scale touring venues, there is something particularly impressive about staging a straight play of this scale and spectacle, and doing so with such confidence. While it may not carry the same emotional weight as its predecessor, it is undeniably elegant, handsomely performed, and a testament to the enduring pull of Christie’s storytelling. A sumptuous cruise of a production and proof that a well-made play can still command the grandest of stages.