★★★★

“A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing”

Murder at Midnight written by Torben Betts is a comedy thriller full of twists, turns and jaw dropping absurdity. It is a ninety minute countdown to the start of a New Year, set in the luxury mansion of a one eyed cockney drug dealer named Jonny the Cyclops (Jason Durr). Throughout the evening we see his mother (Susie Blake), his girlfriend Lisa (Iryna Poplavska), his sidekick (Peter Moreton) and his maid Cristina (Bella Farr) all spin a complicated web of deceit, scandal and lies until it all comes crashing down – this play is truly a classic farce.

Before anything begins, the glorious set design (Colin Falconer) quickly paints a picture of what is about to come, and in the first scene we are fed very specific details about the main events, however this is not nearly enough to prepare you for what is in store. During the play we witness multiple storylines and relationships unfold at a very fast pace, you have no choice but to focus and keep up, but the actors make this such an enjoyable experience. Their characterisation and heightened physicality really keeps the energy from beginning to end. They commit truly to the high stakes built within outrageous circumstances. We see shifting dynamics in relationships and some serious status play that keeps you on your toes. The actors were connected to their roles and each other throughout so well, it really allows you to get invested in the characters.

We also meet Paul (Max Bowden) and Russell (Callum Balmforth) who join in on this masterclass on physical and vocal comedy. They both offer even more insanity and foolishness to this play, leaving you either shaking your head at them, laughing with them or laughing at them. Having a collaboration of household names, together on stage, really gives the performance that “Saturday evening entertainment” feel. You feel connected as an audience with the undercurrent themes of British humour, references and character archetypes that we know and love. Even the music connects us back to British culture and social commentary making everything feel all the more familiar.

Director Philip Franks, has done a great job in finding harmony in an already chaotic play. He moves us from location to location, he keeps every spot of the stage alive and you always have something to see or witness! As one storyline unfolds, you get the sweet treat of seeing another be foretold, and it is all just a rollercoaster. To be able to manage so many different components that this play offers is a real talent, and in ninety minutes Franks really showcases his creativity and genius for visual storytelling and directing.

Murder at Midnight is both everything and nothing you would expect from a murder mystery. However, there is a certain warmth to a play, that when it is well oiled and has been played to an audience a few times or rehearsed to an audience worthy standard multiple times, you can feel it – everything feels slick, and you are invested in a new reality. This warmth was present, but there were small moments where it was absent and stuck out a little harshly. A few stumbles on lines and a few inconsistent holes, most of which can easily be worked out over the run.

This play is fun but dark. There is a constant foreboding atmosphere and it is full of clever jokes with expert timing. A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing until it is all tied up with a shocking surprise at the end. It is the truest form of a British farce disguised as a murder mystery and who couldn’t love that?

CLUEDO 2: THE NEXT CHAPTER at Cambridge Arts Theatre

★★

“There’s much here that could be funny if only it were slicker, shorter and snappier.”

I must admit to not having seen the first Cluedo stage adaptation, but I am reassured that this second play is all new (writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran). I can confess to having spent many hours playing the legendary board game in my youth and thought myself an expert sleuth at the time (with rather a secret crush on Miss Scarlett). So I was delighted to see on entering the theatre, a beautifully designed set comprising a giant portrayal of the classic gameboard with a cartoonesque manor house superimposed upon it (designer David Farley).

There is nothing noir or sinister about this production, and nor should there be. We see a shady character lurking in the shadows on occasions but, otherwise, the gruesome nature of murder by whoever, wherever, with whatever is lighthearted. The characters are as cardboard cutout as they can be, resembling it too, as they often stand so statically (director Mark Bell). Nearly the whole ensemble overplay their roles, but the production lacks a twinkle in the eye or a knowing acknowledgement that this is what they are doing.

The plot, such as it is, sees 1960s rock superstar Rick Black (Liam Horrigan) assemble a group of people in his massive country manor house to assess the new album which is going to resuscitate his floundering career. A slow preamble lets us in on backstory amongst the gathering and we discover past and present liaisons, secret identities, and who might have it in for whom if pushed far enough. There could be a lot of fun to be had here but much of the narrative is too long and too slow. Running gags run on too far and the staging is often clumsy and ponderous. We are also witness to a most contrived and least convincing love scene.

The characters are, of course, dressed in their appropriate colours but not garishly so. Colonel Mustard could have been yellower, Professor Plum more purple. Miss Scarlett certainly looks the part in a bright red mini dress, and Mrs Peacock too in an elegant blue gown. Between scenes, quasi-balletic sequences see the group of suspects and soon-to-be victims move around the house often in effective slow motion (movement director Anna Healey). Windows, doors, and picture frames are flown in and out as the company explores the building from room to room.

Sadly, the ensemble isn’t as slick as it could be. Jason Durr as Colonel Mustard shouts in a broad southern states American accent that greatly affects the clarity of his diction. Ellie Leach (in her stage debut) as Miss Scarlett is competent enough but lacks nuance. Edward Howells as the non-professor Professor Plum does what he can with a character so weak that he can’t himself explain quite what he is doing there. However, Hannah Boyce as Mrs Peacock commands the stage and our attention, holding her character and accent throughout. Dawn Buckland gives the performance of the night as the down-to-earth Cook, Mrs White, who pops up in unexpected places suggesting she knows the secrets of the house’s hidden passages. Jack Bennett as the “I’m an actor, not a butler” butler Wadsworth carries a single joke and much of the weight of the physical comedy.

But the whole thing doesn’t quite hold together. There’s much here that could be funny if only it were slicker, shorter and snappier.

Tag Archives: Jason Durr

MURDER AT MIDNIGHT

★★★★

UK Tour

MURDER AT MIDNIGHT

Churchill Theatre

★★★★

“A brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing”

MURDER AT MIDNIGHT

Churchill Theatre then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 25th November 2025

by Paige Wilson-Lawrence

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK | ★★★★ | May 2022

MURDER AT

MURDER AT

MURDER AT

CLUEDO 2: THE NEXT CHAPTER

★★

Cambridge Arts Theatre

CLUEDO 2: THE NEXT CHAPTER at Cambridge Arts Theatre

★★

“There’s much here that could be funny if only it were slicker, shorter and snappier.”