Murder On The Nile

I have always been an Agatha Christie fan and this production was just the ticket for a relaxing afternoon’s entertainment.  There was a ‘wow factor’ about this production as soon as I entered the auditorium and saw the set.  The backdrop with its beautiful Egyptian scene took us magically to the observation saloon of the paddle steamer Lotus, on the Nile.  Wicker furniture was strategically placed as the set on its own invited us on board to enjoy the Agatha Christie experience.  The set was the same throughout the play with just the appropriate props added and removed as each scene progressed.  Lighting played a large part in setting the scenes and was cleverly altered with the changes from day to evening scenes.

The cast for production contained a wealth of very talented players and each member knew what their task was.  All the passengers entered from the rear of the auditorium and boarded the Lotus paddle steamer.

Judith Williams was cast as the wealthy snob Miss Ffoliot-Foulkes, not enjoying being jostled by the beadseller, as she pushed her way up the gangway.  Judith maintained her posh accent throughout the piece.  Lorna Hughes, gave a solid performance as Christina Grant, the long-suffering niece of Miss Ffoliot-Foulkes, who attended to her aunt’s every whim.  Jonathan Hughes was full of confidence in the role of Smith, the Socialist whilst Ian Wilson was believable as the typical psychologist and physician Dr Bessner, always on hand at the right time with his well rehearsed accent.

Donna Williams never faltered as the very wealthy, glamorous spoilt Kay Mostyn who stole her best friend’s fiancé.  Her portrayal of this character was convincing to say the least.  Martyn Wickens was perfectly cast as Simon Mostyn, Kay’s husband who wormed his way into the situation as the play progressed, having his eye on the prize.  Richard Williams’s characterisation of Canon Pennefather, Kay’s uncle and guardian was excellent.  There were some long speeches from the Canon during the piece, which Richard carried off with aplomb, a sterling performance.

Alysia Dyke rose up to the challenge with a polished performance as Jacqueline de Severac the rejected fiancé of Simon Mostyn.  This was a role with many different facets and Alysia dealt with each situation with ease and composure as she followed the Mostyns on their honeymoon.  A thoughtful yet sometimes dynamic characterization of this important role.

Karen Shepherd was spot on in the role of Louise, the conniving  maid, never giving anything away as she plotted her next move.   

Minor roles were well performed with Ben Trafford as Beadseller and later on McNaught ship’s Captain, together with Eamonn Murphy as a very efficient Steward.

Script was well rehearsed and pacey from start to finish.  Scene changes were slick and I liked the choice of music to cover the changes of scenes and well-chosen costumes.  

A production that the director and crew can be very proud of which was evident from the accolade the company received. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all involved and thank you once again PSTC for your invitation.

The views in this report are solely of the author.

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