Ken Ludwig’s Glamorous Stage Adaption of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile Appeals to Murder Mystery Buffs
Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile
Arena Stage
Jordan Wright
December 12, 2024
Eric Hissom (Septimus Troy), Nancy Robinette (Salomé Otterbourne), Sumié Yotsukura (Rosalie Otterbourne), Katie Kleiger (Jacqueline de Bellefort), Armando Durán (Hercule Poirot), Felicia Curry (Annabelle Pennington), and Jamil A.C. Mangan (Colonel Race) (Photo/Charles Erickson Photography)
Two lovers, Jacqueline de Bellefort (Kate Kleiger) and Simon Doyle (Travis Van Winkle), ooze passion in the opening scene of Ken Ludwig’s stage adaption of Death on the Nile. They have just gotten engaged. Jacqueline is an old friend of femme fatale and museum benefactress, Linnet Ridgeway (Olivia Cygan), and she is eager to renew her friendship that evening at a gala reception in the Egyptian rooms at the British Museum where museum curator, Atticus Praed (Robert Stanton), will be revealing the sarcophagus of Amun-Ra to the assembled guests.
The glittering crowd includes Linnet Ridgeway; Salomé Otterbourne (Nancy Robinette), an erstwhile author and aspiring actress and her beautiful daughter, Rosalie (Sumié Yotsukura). Salomé meets Septimus Troy, (Eric Hissom) a debonair gentleman whose former Shakespearean acting career has been reduced to playing American cowboys and somehow the two hit it off.
Armando Durán (Hercule Poirot) (Photo/Charles Erickson Photography)
Also in attendance is Hercule Poirot (Armando Durán), Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective; Colonel Race (Jamil A. C. Mangan), Poirot’s dear friend and former collaborator; Ramses Praed (Ryan Michael Neely), Atticus’s son, a handsome, young doctor who begins a love affair with Rosalie Otterbourne. A late arrival is Linnet’s attorney, Annabelle Pennington (Felicia Curry) who urges Linnet to sign a sheaf of contracts relating to her estate.
A voyage along the Nile to Karnak to return the sarcophagus to Egypt is planned for the guests and all gather on the ship. At this point you’ll need to brush up on your sleuthing powers, because this is a whodunnit with plenty of motives for murder, clues that lead nowhere, red herrings and leads that fall flat. “Wherever you go, a dead body shows up,” Colonel Race quips presciently to Poirot. And as the ship leaves the port, the plot thickens.
Travis Van Winkle (Simon Doyle) and Olivia Cygan (Linnet Ridgeway) (Photo/Charles Erickson Photography)
It will soon be revealed that there are suspects and a slew of motives for murder when Linnet is murdered in her bed. Linnet, who has hired Simon at Jacqueline’s suggestion, has married Simon and Jacqueline’s jealousy and retribution at both Simon and Linnet knows no bounds. Could it be her? Or Atticus, who was left in a financial lurch when Linnet’s father pulled his major donation to the museum? Perhaps it’s Annabelle who continues to press Linnet to sign some dubious contracts or Septimus who has a beef with Linnet’s father who pulled his funding out of film he was to star in.
This mystery has all the drama of the sinking of the Titanic – the glitter, the glamour and the dénouement. Alexander Dodge’s breathtaking set design (the ship’s elegantly appointed lounge and the massive sarcophagus) combined with Brittany Bland’s evocative video projections of Egypt’s history and atmospheric images of the Nile, and Karen Perry’s fabulous costume designs (Linnet’s gowns are jaw-dropping!) serve to elevate the entire production in which you will note a cast that is clearly up to the task.
A triumph and challenge for mystery buffs everywhere.
Jamil A.C. Mangan (Colonel Race), Travis Van Winkle (Simon Doyle), and Olivia Cygan (Linnet Ridgeway) (Photo/Charles Erickson Photography)
Directed by Hana S. Sharif, Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner, Original Music and Sound Design by Charles Coes and Nathan A. Roberts, Hair and Wig Design by LaShawn Melton, Fight Director Sordelet Inc. – Rick Sordelet, Dramaturg Otis Ramsey-Zöe, Dialect and Vocal Coach Lisa Nathans.
Through December 29th at Arena Stage in the Kreeger Theater – 1101 Sixth Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information contact the box office at 202.488.3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.