Agatha Christie is making another visit to the Quad Cities via Playcrafters Barn Theatre’s current production of Murder on the Nile directed by Karen Riffey.
Murder on the Nile is a 1944 murder mystery play adapted by Christie herself from her 1937 novel Death on the Nile which includes the iconic Hercule Poirot who solves the murder. In the adaptation, Christie chose to replace Poirot with the character of Canon Ambrose Pennefather (Gregory Braid), a cleric and uncle to the murder victim Kay.
The plot revolves the honeymoon trip of a cruise down the Nile of Kay (Leslie Day) and her new and penniless husband, Simon Mostyn (Justin Raver). Simon threw over his ex-lover – and Kay’s best friend – Jacqueline de Severac (Khalia Denise) to marry Kay and now Jackie is stalking them. Also on the cruise is the snooty and entitled Miss Ffoliot-Foulkes (Terri Nelson), her timid, anxiety ridden niece and travel companion, Christina Grant (Ashley Hoskins), Smith (Mark Garden) who is an incognito nobleman, Dr. Bessner (Kathryn Klatt), a psychologist and physician, and Kay’s maid Louise (Julia Sears).
Jealousy and vitriol erupt from the scorned Jackie and shortly after a hateful argument Kay retires for the evening and Louise later finds Kay murdered. An investigation ensues led by Pennefather which is complicated because more than one of the other characters have a motive to do Kay in. Louise is also murdered later in the action.
To my mind this muddled rendition struggles to find focus and there is absolutely no tension typical of a murder mystery. And it’s incomprehensible to me why Riffey has only some of the characters performing with an accent and others not. She also has the acting highly exaggerated and campy reducing some important scenes to farcical. I’m not sure Christie would approve. The second act devolved into more of an old-fashioned melodrama which – I must admit – did elicit laughter in several places from the audience until Pennefather finally begins to unravel the murders.
Despite the slog through some muddy waters, Raver keeps his characterization on track and far more plausible and Braid ably keeps his character firmly anchored in reality.
Big compliments are garned by Riffey and Elias Holmes for a beautifully styled set design and well executed set.
So if you would rather see a Christie classic played as a farce, this show is for you. But, if you’re a Christie purist, you might want to skip it.
Murder on the Nile continues at Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Avenue in Moline, Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m.
I’m Chris Hicks...break a leg.