The Degrees of Error theatre company, having thrilled audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe, are now on tour around the UK and making their West End debut with their improv comedy of an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. The audience throws in suggestions about the direction of the case, the murder weapon, the location of the crime, the suspects. There’s audience participation, a flying deerstalker and much randomness. Will the audience find the murderer before the culprit is revealed? All characters have the standard means, motive and opportunity to have committed the murder but why and how, what does a giant cucumber have to do with it and why are the characters suddenly speaking in Latin?
It’s all totally bonkers and great fun. It’s 1932 and Detective Agatha Crusty (Lizzy Skrzypiec) is investigating a murder, the circumstances and level of absurdity of which are dependent on the fevered imaginations of the audience. At this performance, the event is a school trip visiting a castle. Other suggestions included a trip to Waitrose and an inauguration. The grumpy elderly owner of the castle (Mr Blue, played by Stephen Clements), who claims to have burned down the White House in 1812 and also to have somehow started the Boer War, loathes children and is not best pleased at the thought of 30 young children rampaging through his stately home. The two teachers leading the trip, Miss Violet (Caitlin Campbell) and Miss Gold (Rachael Procter-Lane), are secretly in love with other characters. A valet/chef/gardener (Peter Baker as Mr Green) is proud of his massive cucumber, and a bus driver, Mr Red (Douglas Walker) complete the list of suspects. There are hidden relationships, past shenanigans and strange phobias to be revealed.
The performers are all incredibly talented actors and phenomenal improvisers, only occasionally in danger of cracking themselves up or wrong-footing their cast-mates, and throwing in one-liners like confetti on an audience doubled up with laughter. With a spirited piano accompaniment from MD Sara Garrard, it has the feel of the classic murder mysteries, slightly mocking the genre but also celebrating it. The cast are having just as much fun as the audience, possibly more.
Justin Williams’ set perfectly summons up a stately home with book shelves and comfy chairs and a chaise longue. Props are generally suggested rather than present, but nothing is lost by that as the performers’ miming of actions is spot-on.
The story is all acted out at breakneck speed under Skrzypiec’s excellent direction with fast-paced scene-changes. It’s over-the-top and laugh-out-loud hilarious. A total tonic.
Murder, She Didn’t Write continues on its UK tour with a return to the Duchess Theatre on Monday, 19th May. Details of the tour and tickets are at: https://www.murdershedidntwrite.com/
Reviewer: Carole Gordon
Reviewed: 24th March 2025
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 5 out of 5.
