She’s Australia’s answer to Hercule Poirot and the good news is that Miss Phryne Fisher is coming to a QPAC stage next year.

The world premiere of the stage adaptation of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Death by Deck Chair will be presented by Queensland Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company, collaborating with co-producers Jones Theatrical Group.

The iconic Miss Phryne Fisher, a wealthy Melbournian who also happens to be a private detective, will be played by Amber McMahon (Essie Davis played the role on TV) in this glittering world premiere production written by Deb Cox, co-creator of the original hit TV series with Fiona Eagger.

Producer and CEO of Jones Theatrical Group, Suzanne Jones, says: “The world premiere of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries represents a significant investment in Australian creativity and storytelling.”

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“We have brought together an exceptional team of writers, performers and theatre-makers to create something entirely new, while staying true to the glamour, wit, intrigue and romance that have made Phryne Fisher such an iconic and beloved character,” Jones says.

“Audiences can expect a brilliant theatrical experience that combines the world they know and love with the scale, energy and emotional connection that only live performance can deliver. Live entertainment is not only a vital part of Australia’s cultural landscape, but also a significant economic driver, generating more than $4 billion in economic activity each year and attracting audiences greater than the combined attendances of Australia’s major sporting codes.

“We are incredibly proud to bring a brand-new Australian production to the stage and, in doing so, create opportunities for our artists, production teams and beyond. We are confident Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries will be a major theatrical event, attracting audiences from across Australia, creating jobs and delivering meaningful economic benefits to the cities and communities in which it performs.”

In this stage production, directed by Queensland Theatre Company artistic director Daniel Evans, it’s 1929 and author Kerry Greenwood’s chic lady detective is sailing to the South Seas on a cruise when a murder, a jewel robbery and rumours of a mysterious curse throw the ship’s crew and passengers into a state of uproar. While Miss Fisher is more than happy to mix crime with cocktails and pleasure cruising, handsome Detective Inspector Jack Robinson finds himself drawn into the mystery – and way too much dancing – whether he likes it or not.

Dodging danger at every turn while running circles around her suspects, Miss Fisher meets a light-fingered academic, a honeymooning magician and the dissolute heir to a newspaper fortune. Think Knives Out, only with cloche hats and fox stoles.

Amber McMahon brings glamour, cheek and a healthy dose of razor-sharp wit to a high-seas adventure that hurtles between the upper and lower decks. Is it possible the mystery is tied not only to class divisions, but to the Titanic itself?

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Death by Deck Chair, Playhouse, QPAC, April 6 to May 2, 2027; Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney, May 8 to June 13.

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