★★★★

“Each performer is in tune with the requisite balance of light and shade – humour and suspense”

Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, has become one of the most recognisable figures in detective fiction, first appearing in print over a century ago. So popular was he, that when he died from a heart attack in the 1975 novel, ‘Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case’, Poirot was the only fictional character to receive an obituary on the front page of the New York Times. It is no surprise that the dignified and diminutive detective found himself portrayed in film by the likes of such heavyweights as David Suchet, Peter Ustinov and Kenneth Branagh.

Anyone who steps into his shoes has a formidable legacy to live up to. Mark Hadfield, in Ken Ludwig’s touring stage adaptation of “Death on the Nile”, slips into them comfortably. Stylishly directed by Lucy Bailey, the assumption is that the majority of the audience will know the story, so characterisation and atmosphere take centre stage, with the mystery sidelined to the wings. Bailey still manages to keep the suspense, opening with a London street scene in which two lovers are entwined in romantic complicity. Poirot watches on as the mist swirls. We are in film noir territory before Hadfield steps out of the shadows and speaks directly to us. A glint in his eye, and subtle inflections in his accent, are a tacit and conspiratorial directive not to take things too seriously. In fact, as the play progresses, we increasingly realise how adept Ludwig is at eking out gentle humour from Christie’s story.

A glittery party at the British Museum introduces the principal characters, before the action shifts to the Nile cruise ship. Designer Mike Britton leads us from land to water with impossibly slick dexterity on his two-tiered set. Slatted panels slide and shift revealing layers and secrets. There is an undercurrent of furtive activity behind the main action downstage. Mic Pool’s sound design mixes folksy Egyptian musical motifs with the lapping waves of the Nile and nighttime cries of wildlife; while Oliver Fenwick’s lighting follows the various moods with precision. Evoking the setting, too, are the costumes with their mix of muted beiges for the men and floating, art deco chic for the women.

The play moves at quite a pace. It is no spoiler to reveal that a gunshot closes act one while the discovery of a dead body introduces the second act. From here Poirot moves towards his conclusion in breathtaking time. Unusually, not everyone is a suspect – the detective has already narrowed it down a fair bit. That doesn’t prevent us from getting to know the delightful personalities that have followed each other (unwittingly or otherwise) onto the ship. Central to the piece are newlyweds Linnet (Libby Alexandra-Cooper) and Simon (Nye Occomore). Simon, unfortunately, was hitherto engaged to the furious Jacqueline de Bellefort (Esme Hough) who seems intent on some sort of revenge (but remember, all is not what it seems). Each performer is in tune with the requisite balance of light and shade – humour and suspense. Bob Barrett, as Poirot’s old friend and sidekick Colonel Race, is a delight to watch. Glynis Barber’s hack-writer-turned-ham-actress Salome provides wonderful comic relief. The cameos and ensemble are all as important as the lead players, but it is Alexandra-Cooper’s stage debut as Linnet that shines. A natural performer and a name to look out for.

A couple of clumsy moments are in danger of tripping up the otherwise slick flow, but the tour has only just set sail, and these will be ironed out in due course. Yet the confidence of the company steers it through its choppier moments. And the sense of fun is truly infectious. The customary denouement when Poirot calls everyone together for his summing up is greeted with derision by the characters as they momentarily break out of their roles. ‘I hate this part’, says Colonel Race. ‘I love it’ retorts Poirot. An epilogue, delivered direct to the audience, neatly gives us closure.

This interpretation of “Death on the Nile” has a style all of its own. There is only one verdict, really, and it doesn’t need a Belgian detective to spell it out. Go and see it for yourself. Et, viola… Mon ami!

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre

★★★★★

“Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever”

Sometimes a good – and fun – way of gauging a show’s reception is to listen in to people’s conversations at the interval. In the plush surroundings of Richmond Theatre’s bar, a recurring comment was along the lines of ‘it’s a bit like Operation Mincemeat’. So, first things first. It isn’t. The correct comparison is ‘Operation Mincemeat’ is a lot like ‘The 39 Steps’. The latter predates the former by a couple of decades at least. The most striking comparison, though, is the implausible ability to take a fairly serious subject and turn it into comedy without losing its essence; and to do so with a very small cast that cover a multitude of characters.

Patrick Barlow’s “The 39 Steps” has just four actors playing over 150 characters. Originally written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon it premiered in 1996. Barlow rewrote the script in 2005, staying faithful to the small-scale structure but taking it on its large-scale journey to the West End where it stayed for nine years. Inevitably it travelled across the pond where, on Broadway, it was originally given the title ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps’. Barlow’s adaptation draws as much – if not more – on Hitchcock’s 1935 film as it does on John Buchan’s 1915 novel. His inspired comic treatment of the story has turned the play into a timeless classic.

Tom Byrne brilliantly plays the unwitting and hapless hero, Richard Hannay. With cut glass accent and even sharper precision in his depiction of a comedic matinee idol. Drawn into a mad, cat-and-mouse journey that takes him from London to the remote Scottish coastline and back again, he is pursued by both the police, and a band of dangerous spies who are conspiring to steal secret documents from the Foreign Office. Safeena Ladha is a delight as all three of Hannay’s love interests; the doomed Annabella (who kickstarts the whole adventure for Hannay before perishing in his arms); returning to the stage as Scottish farmer’s wife, Margaret; and also popping up throughout as Pamela, the archetypal ‘will-they-won’t-they’, ‘love-hate’ heroine. Every single other role is covered by Eugene McCoy and Maddie Rice, often playing many roles in the same scene. Their comic timing is flawless throughout and the character changes jaw-droppingly swift.

Maria Aitken’s staging is deceptively stripped back and simple. The whole show is like a conjuring trick. Sleight of hand scene changes and ingenious use of props and costume evoke mood, location; suspense and relief, all in quickfire succession. It is almost like a play within a play. Not only are we watching the story unfold, but we are also witnessing this crazy quartet of actors attempt to carry off the improbable feat (and quite rightly they bring on the formidable backstage crew at curtain call whose stress levels during the last couple of hours must have been tripping the fuse).

Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever. References to all Hitchcock’s films are scattered throughout the dialogue, the titles name-dropped and represented visually and musically. Even Hitchcock himself has a cameo role, albeit in shadow puppet form. The detail is subtle yet obvious at the same time. You can be forgiven for missing some of the jokes due to the sheer pace of the production. A pace that appears chaotic and improvised but is, in fact, precisely disciplined and choreographed. Successfully crossing the line between suspense and comedy, and between realism and parody, is a master’s skill. These four actors have it. “The 39 Steps” is a ‘must see’, whether you’re a fan of thrillers or comedies. Or both. Or even neither.

DEATH ON THE NILE

Richmond Theatre

★★★★

“Each performer is in tune with the requisite balance of light and shade – humour and suspense”

DEATH ON THE NILE

Richmond Theatre then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 9th October 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

DEATH ON THE NILE

DEATH ON THE NILE

DEATH ON THE NILE

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre

★★★★★

“Always tongue-in-cheek, the show is thrillingly funny and villainously clever”

THE 39 STEPS at Richmond Theatre as part of UK Tour

Reviewed on 4th April 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Mark Senior

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