Familiar faces in Christie classic on Northampton stage
Stars of stage and screen have been announced in the cast of an Agatha Christie classic coming to Northampton.
Death on the Nile is set aboard a luxurious cruise under the heat of the Egyptian sun, where a couple’s idyllic honeymoon is cut short by a brutal murder. As secrets that have been buried in the sands of time finally resurface, can the world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, untangle the web of lies and solve another crime?
Mark Hadfield will star as Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. Hadfield’s film credits include Belfast, Into the Woods, Hamlet and Frankenstein. His many TV credits include Outlander, Maigret, Trollied, Wallander, Doc Martin, People Like Us, Cracker, The All New Alexei Sayle Show and The Buddha of Suburbia. Mark’s most recent theatre credits include Dr Strangelove (West End), Accidental Death of an Anarchist (West End), Cymbeline and Tamburlaine for the RSC, Road (Royal Court), The Libertine (Bath and West End) and Richard III (Almeida).
Hadfield said of taking on the role of Poirot: “I am delighted and excited. I have no doubt that the production will be enjoyed by both those who already admire Christie’s genius and those yet to discover it.”
Joining him will be Glynis Barber as Salome Otterbourne and Bob Barrett as Poirot’s trusted friend, Colonel Race.
Glynis Barber became a household name when she starred opposite Michael Brandon in the TV series Dempsey and Makepeace. More recent TV credits include series regulars Norma Crow in Hollyoaks, Gertrusha in NBC’s The Outpost and Glenda Mitchell in EastEnders, as well as Jean McAteer in The Royal, DCI Grace Barraclough in Emmerdale, Fiona Brake in Night & Day and Soolin in Blake’s 7. Her previous brushes with Agatha Christie were when she starred as Cora van Stuyvesant in Agatha Christie’s Marple: Endless Night and as Lola Brewster in Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side. Her most recent theatre credits include The Best Man (West End), Stalking the Bogeyman (Southwark Playhouse), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (West End) and The Graduate (UK Tour).
Barber said: “I couldn't be more excited to be returning to the stage and working with the brilliant team. This iconic play from Agatha Christie's phenomenal body of work keeps audiences on the edge of their seat and I can't wait to be part of the cast.”
Bob Barrett is best known as Sacha Levy in the long-running Holby City, a role he played from 2010 to 2022. On film, he played George Bryan in John Madden’s Shakespeare in Love. On stage, he most recently appeared in the UK & Ireland Tour of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and the UK Tour of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.
Death on the Nile will be directed by Lucy Bailey and adapted by Ken Ludwig. The pair have worked on various acclaimed Christie productions.
The play runs at the Royal & Derngate from Tuesday November 4 to Saturday November 8. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.