Agatha Christie spoof in Guildford

Inspired by Christie, Coward and classic Ealing comedies, multi award-winning theatre company New Old Friends return to Guildford this week with another of their hilariously inventive comedy thrillers, Crimes in Egypt (September 8 and 9).
Crimes in Egypt - Pamela Raith PhotographyCrimes in Egypt - Pamela Raith Photography
Crimes in Egypt - Pamela Raith Photography

It’s 1935 and celebrated Belgian detective extraordinaire, Artemis Arinae, is enjoying a cruise along the Nile when tragedy strikes again. All passengers and staff are suspects, and the body count is growing. Will Arinae’s little grey cells identify the murderer in time?

A cast of just four brings to life lascivious lawyers, crocked captains, fastidious physicians, ardently amorous authors, feuding femme fatales, plodding paramours, colossal kids, friendly first mates and attractive Americans, who all get swept along by the driving narrative and inventive set-pieces.

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Crimes in Egypt toured in 2019 as Crimes on the Nile, playing to more than 17,000 people across 23 venues, including multiple sell-out performances.

Heather Westwell, co-artistic director, said: “Touring is such a huge part of who we are as a company and we love taking shows to different theatres up and down the country. So we’re over the moon to finally be touring again with this brilliantly bonkers show. We’re so grateful theatre is coming back and as well as this tour we’ve got some really exciting projects on the go: Crimes, Camera, Action at Theatre Royal Bath, our Comedy Whodunnits For Your Ears podcast and a brand-new Christmas show A Christmas Getaway happening in December/January.”

New Old Friends are an award-winning theatre company dedicated to creating original comedy theatre, founded in 2008 and run by husband-and-wife team Feargus Woods Dunlop and Heather Westwell.

Last year saw New Old Friends release the first in a new audio drama series Comedy Whodunnits For Your Ears, with Crimes Against Christmas (OnComm Award winner) charting at number two in the Apple iTunes Fiction chart and inside the top 200 overall podcast charts as well as featuring on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.

Recent instalments also include Crimes on Centre Court and Crimes of a Country Garden, both released earlier this year.