Bitter rivals. Buried secrets. A love to die for.
On board a luxurious cruise under the heat of the Egyptian sun, 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?
Following the sell-out tour of Murder on the Orient Express, the European premiere of this thrilling production reunites writer Ken Ludwig, director Lucy Bailey (Witness for the Prosecution) and Fiery Angel.
Starring as Poirot is Mark Hadfield (Belfast; Outlander; Wallander) who will be joined on stage by Glynis Barber (Dempsey and Makepeace; EastEnders) and Bob Barrett (Murder on the Orient Express; Holby City). Libby Alexandra-Cooper as Linnet Ridgeway, Camilla Anvar as Rosalie Otterbourne, Howard Gossington as Atticus Praed, Esme Hough as Jacqueline de Bellefort, Helen Katamba as Annabelle Pennington, Nye Occomore as Simon Doyle, Nicholas Prasad as Ramses Praed and Terence Wilton as Septimus Troy, with David Boyle, Max Dinnen and Nadia Shash in the ensemble.
We sat down with Howard Gossington who plays Atticus Praed in the touring production.
What can you say about how your role of Atticus Praed fits into Death on the Nile?
Atticus doesn’t appear in Christie’s original. In this version, the writer Ken Ludwig starts the story in the British Museum, assembling the various VIP patrons who will travel to Egypt to return a priceless sarcophagus to its homeland. Atticus is the curator of the Egyptian collection and organiser of the trip up the Nile. Later, of course, like everyone else on board, he becomes a suspect when events take a deadly turn!
Can you remember when you first encountered this story?
I remember watching the 1970s film as a child, starring the wonderful Peter Ustinov as Poirot – so probably one Christmas in the late seventies!
How have you approached building your version of the role?
Well, as Atticus is not in the book or film adaptations, I’ve had a blank canvas! I read the novel to try to soak up the atmosphere of Christie’s original – plus for some useful background on the other original characters. For me, the voice and physicality are the keys into a character, so I’ve tried to tap into some of the mannerisms of various academics I’ve either met or seen on TV, and then build the intentions and relationships from there in the rehearsal room.
Why do you think this story has remained so popular?
I think we’re all intrigued by the darker side of human nature – why people are driven to extreme acts, whether through love, jealousy, desperation, self-preservation, whatever. The idea of ancient Egypt is also exotic and evocative to modern audiences, I think. And we love a whodunnit with a twist! Poirot is a captivating figure – this genius mind inside this eccentric little man, three steps ahead of everyone else, figuring it all out.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a performance?
I have a rather boring routine of always speed-running my lines before getting to the theatre! Then I do a physical and vocal warm-up on the stage. I think it’s really important to remove as much unnecessary tension from your body as you can –that ensures you can breathe more fully, which in turn supports your voice. I always aim to play with ‘soft hands’ (to borrow from cricket) – even if the character is full of tension in places. Then, essentially, it’s a case of trusting the work you’ve done in the rehearsal room.
What was the first piece of theatre you remember having a big impact on you?
I was blown away by Mr Puntilla and His Man Mattiby The Right Size at the Almeida in London in the late 1990s. It was funny, moving and brilliantly physically inventive. That really inspired me to apply to drama school.
What gives you inspiration?
Watching great work that delights me! And being part of that shared experience in the audience. Seeing great performers or productions – and how they move audiences to laughter or tears – inspires me to keep working as an actor and to try to be better in what I do.
What do you hope someone takes away from seeing this production of Death on the Nile?
I hope they’ll enjoy immersing themselves in this fascinating story and evocative world that the creative team have so brilliantly created – escaping from day-to-day life for a couple of hours. I hope they laugh, cry and jump in shock! And hopefully be inspired to go and see more theatre!
Death On The Nile tours with dates booking through until May 2026. For tour venues and dates visit https://deathonthenileplay.com/
Post a Comment