Midsomer Murders stage show on tour – review

The Killings at Badger’s Drift was the first episode of the much-loved television series, Midsomer Murders, back in 1997. Since then, the county has clocked up over 388 murders, making it the fifth most dangerous place to live in England and Wales. Now neatly adapted for the stage and directed by Guy Unsworth, it makes its world premiere at Richmond Theatre before touring around the country.

When octogenarian Emily Simpson is found dead in her house, her lifelong friend Lucy is convinced it was not an accident. Enter DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy who discover that Badger’s Drift is a village riven with betrayal, secrets and, indeed, murder.

Fans of the show may be anticipating an unchallenging evening of cosy crime, with a dash of humour and just enough intrigue to keep you guessing. But Unsworth’s adaptation also adds subversive parody, tongue-in-cheek comedy and smart staging to create an unexpectedly sharp and very entertaining production.

After playing Troy on Midsomer Murders for a six-year TV stint, Daniel Casey returns as DCI Tom Barnaby, played by John Nettles in the TV series. Unusually, he is a detective without a traumatic backstory or messy personal life. Casey is thoughtful and measured, a sensible foil to the eccentricities around him. His new sidekick is James Bradwell, who now plays Troy. Bradwell spends much of his time looking either thoughtful or at his ever-present notebook.

The array of Midsomer residents is played by an adaptable, multi-roling cast. Julie Legrand is a standout as the redoubtable Lucy; forthright, brave and sharp as a tack, but she has less to work with as hesitant Phillis Cadell. Nathalie Barclay is charming as bride-to-be Katherine Lacey, showing a fiery side when paired with her artist brother Michael, played with petulant boredom by Rupert Sadler.

John Dougall is perfectly fine as both Dr Lessiter and wheelchair user Henry Trace, but comes into his own as busybody Iris Rainbird. Along with Sadler, who also plays her camp undertaker son Dennis, the pair have a ball with some of the funniest scenes in the play. Their physical interactions, dialogue and singing could have been taken straight from a League of Gentlemen episode. Hilarious and slightly strange, somehow it works.

Comedy is a theme throughout the show. Some absurdist, with ghostly figures in forensic suits waltzing to the theme music. Some is more conventional, where Troy animatedly reconstructs a past murder with a selection of gnomes and another where Chandrika Chevli deftly swaps between characters Barbara Lessiter and Dickie Whiteley, turning in opposite directions to reveal different costumes.

One of the draws of the TV series is the idyllic English countryside; something quite difficult to replicate live. David Woodhead’s clever design features a large round window at the back of the stage, the wrought iron detailing ‘Midsomer County’ and picturesque houses of the village beyond. This serves as a neat backdrop for multiple sets that slide on and off stage, often to comic effect.

Unsworth deals with the vast array of characters and detailed storyline well, although a few scenes are inconsequential to the story. As the investigations conclude, the pace of the production starts to lag and Barnaby’s conclusions lack huge drama, but this is a charming and surprisingly funny production, which will satisfy fans, both old and new.