What: Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Nile  
When: August 21-31, 2024
Where: The Masque, Cape Town
Tickets: R120-R150
Bookings: Quicket
Discounted tickets:  Block bookings of more than 10 tickets, manager@themasque.co.za  
Box office:  Masque Box office open three days a week – Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays between 9am and 2pm
Age restriction: No under 13s  
 
Director: Barbara Basel
Performers: Serene Fouche, Timothy Wolfaardt, Sarah-Kate Bergstedt, Wayne Ronné, Matthew dos Santos, Su Cunningham, Roux Nel, Kendal Conradie, Christine Swanepoel and Sfiso Nkosi
Costumes: Nicky Enticott
Set design: Daniella Mizrachi
Lighting design: Gary and Gail Fargher
Sound design: Wim Kenis
Props: Savannah Steyn
Producer and visual effects: Faeron Wheeler    

Nicky Enticott won the CATA for best costume award (Cape Amateur Award) for Twelfth Night at the Masque in 2022, directed by Barbara Basel. The production received a whopping nine CATA awards, including Best Director and Best Play. After the triumph of Twelfth Night (one of the best stagings that I have seen of the play), there is tremendous excitement for the latest production, directed by Basel, with costumes designed by Enticott: Agatha Christie’s play Murder on the Nile will be on at the Masque from August 21-31, 2024, with what looks like a sumptuous production with gorgeous costumes, set and all the bells and whistles for a lavish production. Enticott talks about designing the costumes and her love of theatre which she juggles with numerous day jobs and mothering her young son:

TCR: Can you tell us about the costumes for Murder on the Nile at The Masque The play was first staged 1944. It was wartime so fashion was quite austere?

Nicky Enticott: The costumes for Murder on the Nile are set in the wartime era. The costumes have that classic style with pops of colour, especially the red. It is also set in the summertime, so they are wearing lots of summer hats with light shaded clothing. As the show progresses into the evening time, they then change into evening attire, which means beautiful evening gowns, suits and tails.

TCR: Does your costume design include red Victory lipstick for the women?

NE: The choice of makeup sat with the director, Barbara Basel. The victory red lipstick would definitely go perfectly with the costuming and the era. You can see from the photographs that some of the ladies used it.

TCR: How did you go about designing the costumes for Murder on the Nile? Did Barbara brief you in terms what she wanted or did you come up with the designs. Or was it a bit of both?

NE: Barbara came to me and asked if I would like to do costuming for Murder on the Nile and, of course, I agreed. She gave me a brief for the era and the look and feel for the production, and I went along to the wardrobe at the Masque and selected a few items which I thought would be right for the production. At the Masque, we’ve built up a good selection of costumes from different eras and different styles. This means we have plenty to choose from for our plays.

After sourcing, I met with Barbara at a rehearsal and we both decided on what each character would wear and what best suited them. I then went back to the wardrobe and sourced the last few costumes I needed to finish off this production. I have really enjoyed working with Barbara again.

TCR: How you got involved in community theatre and costumes in particular? Did you study drama or fashion design?

NE: I first heard about The Masque through my father when I was in my teens. I was an usher to start off with. Many years later, I met my husband. He was involved in a production, and I came to watch him. I could see how much he enjoyed the process, and I was hooked. I have been in the arts whilst I was at school and wanted to continue my love of theatre.

I then joined The Masque family and started working as backstage crew and then decided to start helping in the wardrobe and never left. I have not studied drama or fashion design. I love fashion and creating costuming ideas for productions. I have worked on many productions and have won a few CATA awards, which I appreciate.

TCR: Do you have a day job and what is it?

NE: I have my own business from home as a massage practitioner, which I do in the mornings. In the afternoons, I am an au pair and look after two teenage girls. I also work for the au pair company that I got my first job through. I do all their admin work. In amongst all of this, I have a four-year-old son, so my days are very busy.

TCR: Can you talk about being a volunteer at The Masque – working for the love of theatre?

NE: I love being a part of The Masque. It’s a wonderful place and you feel like part of a family. You don’t have to be a budding actor to enjoy it. I have worked as an usher, front of house as well as backstage. Being a volunteer as part of The Masque’s network encourages social interaction, instils confidence and builds community and skills training through the power of theatre. Hopefully, my son will be interested in being a part of this when he grows up.

Designing for stage: Award winning Nicky Enticott is designing the costumes for Agatha Christie’s play, Murder on the Nile, which will be on in Cape Town at The Masque, Muizenberg, August 21-31, 2024. She explains “The costumes for Murder on the Nile are set in the wartime era [1944]. The costumes have that classic style with pops of colour, especially the red. It is also set in the summertime, so they are wearing lots of summer hats with light shaded clothing. As the show progresses into the evening time, they then change into evening attire, which means beautiful evening gowns, suits and tails.”

✳ The cast and director for Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Nile , which will be on in Cape Town at The Masque, Muizenberg, August 21-31, 2024. Photo by Wesley Amos