Bob Barrett is touring the UK and Ireland as Colonel Race in Ken Ludwig’s Death on the Nile – the adaptation from Agatha Christie’s novel – and the production is currently open at Torquay’s Princess Theatre. Alongside Bob, Death on the Nile stars Mark Hadfield as Hercule Poirot and Glynis Barber as Salome Otterbourne, and the tour continues through to May 2026, with dates including at Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal and the final shows at Theatre Royal in Plymouth. Previously, Bob has appeared in further Ken Ludwig adaptations of Agatha Christie’s novels, playing Monsieur Bouc in Murder on the Orient Express (where he worked alongside his wife Rebecca Charles), with the run ending in May, and he played Doctor Armstrong in And Then There Were None in 2023/24. Amongst Bob’s extensive stage career, his projects include A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the West End production of Journey’s End. On screen, Bob will be seen in the upcoming social thriller film The Estate, with Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero, and some of his further roles include playing Oswald Hartigan in Series 10 of Father Brown, regular character Dr Sacha Levy in the medical drama series Holby City for 12 years, and he played George Bryan in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Imelda Staunton. Chatting to Bob, we found out from him about touring as Colonel Race in Ken Ludwig’s Death on the Nile, his time in Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None, his upcoming project – feature film The Estate and playing Dr Sacha Levy in Holby City over the years.
You are currently playing Colonel Race in the UK & Ireland Tour of Death on the Nile, what is the character like to play and was there anything that drew you to the role?
I love playing Colonel Race!
There’s something about playing this period that I really engage with – I’ve previously been in Terence Rattigan plays and some Noël Coward too. The music in the show, brilliantly created by Mic Poole, is so evocative and is so inspiring.
This production marks the European premiere of a new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s story; who do you think Death on the Nile will appeal to and why would you recommend booking tickets?
Death on the Nile is undoubtedly one of the jewels in the Agatha Christie crown – and having been in the other two Christie productions – I firmly believe that if you love her work and love how Fiery Angel translate her books to the stage, audiences up and down the country will love this show.
I’m always encouraged by the range of ages that seem drawn to her work, so hopefully that will continue with this production.
How would you describe Colonel Race and what does it feel like to be bringing the character to the stage?
There are usually two different interpretations of a British Spy – one who takes a back seat and is quiet and watchful, and the other, somewhat like Guy Burgess – who has an external personality of being an extrovert, but uses this to hide the focussed, keen observer underneath. Race is a mixture of both!
Ken Ludwig has given Race so many great one-liners and stories to get my teeth into – so I’m having a lot of fun playing the part.
What was it like meeting Mark Hadfield (Hercule Poirot), Glynis Barber (Salome Otterbourne) and the rest of the cast, and have you worked with any of them previously?
The cast couldn’t be more enjoyable to work with!
I’ve not really worked in a production with anyone else – Terence Wilton and Nicholas Prasad were in the workshop of Death on the Nile, and I’m delighted we’re doing this together again – but it’s a special group of people. I think that the comraderie and chemistry we all have shows on stage!
How have you prepared for the run and how is it telling the story around the country?
It’s not my first Rodeo! Having toured many times before I know what to expect. I like booking all my digs early (learnt that from my wife!), which relaxes me – and then my love of travelling the country and playing all these amazing theatres kicks in. It’s always fascinating seeing how the different parts of the UK respond to the plays – but what all the audiences have is the love for Agatha Christie, which is hopefully why they all keep coming back for more!
Do you have a place on tour that you are most looking forward to going with Death on the Nile, which is booking until 23rd May at the final venue – Theatre Royal in Plymouth?
The place I’m most looking forward to going to is Belfast. I spent a year there at Queen’s University back in the mid-80s – and it was one of the most important years of my life. I met my best friend there, and I adored being there more than I can say, but I haven’t been back since 1986 – and I’ve always dreamt of playing there (or filming there!), so now I get my chance!
What do you enjoy most about working on Agatha Christie stage adaptations, having recently performed in Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None?
I enjoy the way in which this team – the director Lucy Bailey, Fiery Angel (the production company), and the team of creatives around them – approach the work. You couldn’t wish for a group more inspiring – so you just get hooked in and become so inspired!
How is it reuniting with adapter Ken Ludwig (Murder on the Orient Express) and director Lucy Bailey for this production of Death on the Nile?
Well! I love them both!
Lucy is so completely inspiring and manages to get the best out of everyone she works with – and you get addicted to working with her! She’s also such a special person, and I’m very lucky now to be able to count her as a friend.
Ken is, needless to say, an amazing writer – one of the best (particularly comedy!) writers of his time – so I was already a fan, and getting to know him (and his assistant Ashleigh!) has been a total dream.
You finished touring as Monsieur Bouc in Murder on the Orient Express in May, how was it performing in the stage adaptation?
Getting to play Monsieur Bouc was a constant joy – one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve ever had. I got to do the tour with my wife Rebecca Charles, which I’ll cherish forever. The cast was so incredibly special – and I got to play opposite Michael Maloney (who played Poirot) again – which was amazing.
And Ken’s script was fantastic – as perfect an Agatha Christie script as you could imagine.
What was it like playing Doctor Armstrong in the 2023/24 UK & Ireland Tour of And Then There Were None?
The And Then There Were None tour was my first with Fiery and with Lucy Bailey. The script, written by Mike Poulton, was very different from the other two tours – as is the narrative. And I loved it.
The Doctor was a more serious part than Bouc and Colonel Race – and I found it so rewarding to play.
And the production was a huge hit, as it deserved to be – a special production and tour.
Your further theatre shows include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nicholas Nickleby, Twelfth Night and Journey’s End, can you tell us about your earlier theatre career?
I was so lucky to get to do the theatre I was part of earlier in my career. It’s often about the directors you get to work with – and I had some titans that I learned from – particularly Kenny Ireland and Ed Hall. Kenny gave me so many special roles – and I was so fortunate to also be in Dickens, Rattigan, Howard Barker, West End with Journey’s End – but everything culminated working with Ed in his all-male Shakespeare company called Propeller. They were the most important theatre shows I’ve ever been in. I grew up with sisters, and I never had any brothers – until Propeller – and now I have so many!
As a screen actor, you are in the cast of the upcoming social thriller film The Estate alongside Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero, is there anything you can say about this?
Ah yes!!! I’m very excited about The Estate!
I was so thrilled to get to film it – Vanessa is one of my favourite actors, and someone who I feel is one of our all-time greatest, and a huge inspiration to me – and I got to play her son! And Franco too is just a pure legend, and how special it was to work with him too.
The film is directed brilliantly by their son Carlo Nero, and one of my best friends – Jennifer Wiltsie (Carlo’s wife) – played my sister, and her daughter was played by their real daughter Lilli. So it was a true family affair!
I haven’t had the chance to see it yet – but with a great cast and a great script, I can’t wait to see it in the cinema.
How was it filming a guest role in Series 10 of Father Brown as Oswald Hartigan, which was released in 2023?
I had a great time filming Father Brown – it’s such a well-run show – great producers, directors, crew and cast – and everyone knows they’re going to have a wonderful time making it.
I was lucky to know the series producer, Sean Gleason, from Holby City, and he’s one of the best producers around – and I know Dominic Keavey, the director, too, who is fabulous.
The show deserves to have the success it does!
For 12 years, you played regular character Dr Sacha Levy in the medical drama series Holby City, what are some of your favourite memories from being involved with the show and what do you miss most about playing Sacha?
Playing Sacha in Holby was such a huge part of my life – it wasn’t just one job – it was many, many jobs in one. The cast, the crew, the directors/producers/writers – it was like one great family that we were all part of, especially the ones like me who were lucky enough to be there for such a long time. It was the most overwhelming adventure of my career.
The most incredible experience of being in the show was that the storylines were played out in real time – so that the reality of what you were doing felt like real life. So much so that I even had my youngest daughter Francesca playing Sacha’s daughter – a most magical time.
It also seemed to have such an impact on the audience – and one of the wonderful experiences of touring now is I get to meet so many fans of the show – and I get to thank them.
And what do I miss the most? The extended family I got to work with every day.
In the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, you played George Bryan, what was the film like to work on?
Filming Shakespeare in Love felt like being in a theatre production.
I was one of the Admiral’s Men – the acting company at the Rose Theatre – so we were on set for months and got to be part of the furniture and got to know everyone so well. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of comraderie and warmth and I think that John Madden, the brilliant director, encouraged it knowing it would transfer onto the screen – one of the many reasons it became the film it did.
The best day was a Saturday. Beccy (my wife) came in to do a day’s filming – she’d been in Mrs Brown – directed again by John – so he got her in for a scene with Imelda Staunton and Gwyneth Paltrow. Our youngest daughter Eleanor was six months old – so even though I wasn’t filming that day, I came in to look after her whilst Beccy was on set. Everyone came round to see her – including Imelda and Gwyneth – and it typified the family feeling that flowed through the set. I’ll never forget it.
How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
I was always drawn to it and always loved being in plays – it was in my bones – so it was inevitable that I wanted to be an actor, I just never thought it would be a possibility!!
I eventually plucked up the courage – but was late applying, so I only managed to audition for one drama school – never thought I’d get in, but I did! Bloody miracle! And then that was it!
What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
I watch mostly sport – an obsession. And films too – but I tend to fall in love with them and then watch them again and again. I love comedy, and I watch one or two box sets, but the same thing happens – I watch them again and again!
How do you like to spend your free time?
My real obsession is music – I have something in the region of 20,000 CDs and vinyl – and also books. So I spend a lot of my spare time consumed with that. But more than anything, in my spare time, I’m with my family – that’s where I’m at my happiest.