Review: MURDER ON THE NILE at the Masque Theatre Is a Voyage of Love, Loss, Revenge

Agatha Christie’s hit novel, DEATH ON THE NILE, has spawned multiple film adaptations, most recently Kenneth Branagh’s 2022 take on the modern classic. Of lesser knowledge, however, is that Christie personally adapted DEATH ON THE NILE for the stage, renaming it MURDER ON THE NILE. One of the most notable changes is that beloved detective, Hercule Poirot, is absent from the play adaptation. As a huge Christie fan, I’m disappointed at the author’s decision to axe my favourite literary detective from one of my favourite Christie stories, but that’s neither here nor there.

Christie fans should thus be warned that MURDER ON THE NILE, while similar in content to the novel of similar name, is not an exact replica. It should thus be enjoyed in its own right, as its own distinct piece.

Directed by Barbara Basel, this whodunit is set entirely on a barge traversing the Nile River. The cast of 13 did a solid job and delivered some really stand-out performances. As always, an Agatha Christie piece is an ensemble-work and requires a solid team effort to be successful.

My problems with the production lie not with the acting or directing but with the text itself. I find Christie’s choice to place the murder at the end of Act One strange in that the action drags a  bit in the first act. This then leaves the limited time in Act Two to speed through the detective-work required to crack the case.

Like I said, the acting is strong. Lara Fouche is excellent as Kay Ridgeway, an alluring if slightly entitled heiress. Everything about Fouche’s performance is convincing – from her languid mannerisms to her polished tone. She proves herself to be a versatile actress, delivering a completely different performance to her role in RAPUNZEL at the beginning of the year.

Sarah-Kate Bergstedt is superb – a firecracker from the moment she enters the stage, she plays Jacqueline de Severac, former fiancée of Simon Mostyn, now married to her former best friend, Kay. Bergstedt’s performance sizzles, and the malice that she feels towards Kay and Simon is immediately apparent. I was equally impressed by her ability to portray intoxication, which is really tricky – her portrayal was believable without being overdone. She is excellent and her range is impressive.

Simon Mostyn plays Timothy Wolfaardt, Kay’s husband and Jacqueline’s former fiancé. Wolfaardt plays the devoted newlywed well, and commands many of his scenes from the confines of his lounge chair. Despite this, his performance does not feel static.

And what would a whodunit be without its brilliant detective? Wayne Ronné plays the judicious Canon Pennefather, a clergyman and Kay’s uncle. Ronné’s deftly portrays the detective. His performance is measured, with restraint and a good range. He knows how to bring the drama, and how to build the tension slowly.

There is a lot of great accent work in this production. In particular, Kendal Conradie‘s performance as German Dr Ludwig Bessner is fantastic. His German accent is flawless and the little quirks he provides in his characterisation are hilarious. I really enjoyed watching him. He’s just needs to work on his volume sometimes.

Likewise, I enjoyed Christine Swanepoel’s performance as sassy Louise, Kay’s maid. Her French accent is fun and mostly very good.

Su Cunningham as the nightmarish Helen ffoliot-ffoulkes is hilarious. A bossy, class-obsessed snob, Cunningham provides a stellar delivery that has us rolling our eyes at how entitled the character is. This is the character who we ‘love to hate’ in the show.

Roux Nel makes a lovely Christina Grant, Helen’s competent and compliant niece. Her portrayal is subtle and endearing.

William Smith, played by Matthew dos Santos, is a character I can’t quite grasp. Dos Santos’ performance is good if a little uneven. The character is testy, sometimes unnecessarily aggressive, like an angsty teenage boy. But I think the unevenness comes down to the exaggerated churlishness with which Christie has written this character and not with Smith’s interpretation thereof. Despite Smith’s surliness, we root for him (at least, I did). 

I loved Sfiso Nkosi as the nonchalant Captain McNaught. His deadpan delivery of one-liners makes for some hilarious moments and does a great job of breaking the tension.

The show also features singing by Nawaal Howa and belly dancing by Zia Kingwell-Cloete and Julia Nowichi. I really enjoyed Howa’s singing which captures the time period as well as the atmosphere of live singing on a barge. It’s atmospheric, as is the dancing which opens the show.

The staging is effective in that no set-changes are required; this ensures that there aren’t any dips in pace. We are situated within the lounge of the luxury yacht on which our travellers find themselves. I particularly like the side section of the stage which features part of the deck – every piece set on a ship needs a deck; where else would characters be able to stare off dramatically into the distance? Kudos to stage designer Daniella Mizrachi.

I also really enjoyed Faeron Wheeler’s visual effects that cleverly display at the back of the stage, providing the illusion that we are on a moving boat, passing through Egypt.

Lastly, I must comment on the costumes – they are absolutely gorgeous. Well done to Nicky Enticott – she has done a superb job on all the lavish outfits.

If you’re a fan of the whodunit, come aboard MURDER ON THE NILE. As long as you’re expecting some deviations from the plot of DEATH ON THE NILE you’re sure to have a killer time.

MURDER ON THE NILE runs from 23 to 31 August 2024 at the Masque Theatre. Tickets range from R120 to R150.

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