Everyone is a suspect on The Lotus (Little Colonel Players)

Murder on the Nile

By Agatha Christie

Directed by Martin French

Review by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved.

Is there a name more synonymous with murder mystery than Agatha Christie? Her works broke ground throughout the 20^th Century. Her characters, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot have become as iconic as Sherlock Holmes, Columbo and Jessica Fletcher. The Little Colonel Players take a noteworthy stab at Christie’s Murder on the Nile for their season opener. And this is one play that will keep you guessing.

The action centers on a cruise taking a tour of the Nile as the title suggests. The play focuses on several passengers and staff who are taking their holiday from all walks of life. Unlike other Christie novels, her beloved recurring characters do not appear in the script itself. Director Martin French’s choice to include a host for the production is a smart move for interaction and involvement. For opening night, Marc McHone appears as Hercule Poirot. Nicole Greenwood appears as the host for other performances. This engaging element provides a welcome respite between acts and breaks the fourth wall for audience participation. McHone’s Poirot urges his audience to consider who the killer is and who will be killed. And his proclamation of “we finally have a murder, isn’t it wonderful” was a perfect moment of levity after a ghastly deed.

Murder on the Nile centers on a newlywed couple, Kay and Simon Mostyn, played with youthful energy by Lindsay Stratton and Jacob Norman. Stratton and Norman convincingly portray the throes of honeymoon as they suffer the presence of Simon’s former fiancée, Jacqueline de Severac (a superb turn by Jesse Pavlovic). A love triangle forms as greed and status are on the line. Stratton’s Kay is a burdened socialite with a genuine love for her new husband. As Simon, Norman brings clever misdirects as he falls victim to a bullet in the leg. His performance leaves you guessing until the final scene.

As the murder occurs, Canon Pennefather takes it upon himself to measure the ethics and actions of the events. A man of faith played by Geoffrey Rommel, the performance felt overly rigid and stoic at times. Rommel does well to remain present as Pennefather finds the conflicting morals of possible suspects. Through his time on stage, Rommel is able to guide the audience through red herrings, finding clues and eventually seeking the truth.

Jesse Pavlovic’s Jacqueline begins as a betrayed woman which slowly begins to unravel with excellent aplomb. Her performance sheds light on hidden agendas and true motives. In a pivotal scene surrounding one of the many shootings, Pavlovic’s sincere and heightened emotions were met with inappropriate laughter from the audience. For that, I extend extra kudos to Pavlovic’s misunderstood Jacqueline.

Supporting cast members brought exceptional work as well. Rena Cherry Brown’s Miss Ffoliot-Ffoulkes was delightfully unlikable with perfectly measured snootiness from her very first scene. Judgmental and selfish, she plays a nice foil for her obedient niece, Christina played by Abigail Harden. Harden brings a soft touch with stars in her eyes as the young ingénue. Christina finds a potential suitor with Smith, a cynical communist played by Brian Engard. While some of Smith’s wit fell flat throughout the production, Engard earns well deserved laughter as Brown’s Miss Ffoliot-Ffoulkes laments “I could have been killed,” to which he replies “A mistake was made.”

Murder on the Nile played to a large crowd on opening night. With intrigue and lots of clues along the way, this play is satisfying for any fan of Agatha Christie. And like any good murder mystery, the killer could be anyone on The Lotus.

Murder on the Nile

The Little Colonel Players September 26-27 at 7:30pm

October 2-4 at 7:30 pm

September 28 at 2 pm

October 5 at 2 pm

The Little Colonel Playhouse

302 Mount Mercy Dr

Pewee Valley, KY 40056 www.littlecolonel.net