Murder at Midnight reveals full tour cast

Full casting has been confirmed for the new thriller from Torben Betts (Murder in the Dark), which will embark on a UK tour later this year.

Murder at Midnight is said to prove “that even the best-laid plans can unravel spectacularly when the wrong people are in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.” It follows Jonny “The Cyclops,” who is holding a New Year’s Eve party in rural Kent, when a trail of destruction emerges.

The production reunites Betts with director Philip Franks and is produced by Original Theatre. Franks describes the piece as “Feydau rewritten by Tarantino,” saying it is “a dark and often very funny thriller set in the luxury Kent mansion of a one-eyed drug dealer, pig farmer and possible gangland killer.”

Already revealed to star in the tour, which kicks off this autumn, are Jason Durr as Jonny ‘The Cyclops’, Susie Blake as Shirley, and Max Bowden as Paul.

They’ll be joined by Katie McGlynn as Lisa, Callum Balmforth as Russell, Peter Moreton as Trainwreck and Iryna Poplavska as Cristina, with Bella Farr and Andy McLeod as Police Officers/Understudies.

The creative team features designer Colin Falconer, lighting designer Jason Taylor, sound designer and composer Max Pappenheim, casting director Ellie Collyer-Bristow, associate director Barney McElholm, sound associate Joe Dines, fight and intimacy director Ruth Cooper-Brown for Rc-Annie and associate fight director Carlotta De Gregori for Rc-Annie. The production manager is Brian Watson, the costume supervisor is Chrissy Maddison and the props supervisor is Robyn Hardy.

It’ll open at Derby Theatre on 5 September, before travelling to Birmingham Rep (16 to 20 September), Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham (23 to 27 September), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (30 September to 4 October), Malvern Theatres (7 to 11 October), Palace Theatre, Southend (13 to 18 October), York Theatre Royal (21 to 25 October), Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne (27 to 31 October), New Theatre, Cardiff (4 to 8 November), Fareham Live (18 to 22 November) and Churchill Theatre Bromley (25 to 29 November). Further dates are to be revealed.

Into 2026, the tour will visit the Lowry, Salford (19 to 24 January), The Grand Theatre Blackpool (27 to 31 January), New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (2 to 7 February), Royal and Derngate, Northampton (16 to 21 February), Floral Pavilion New Brighton (23 to 28 February), Belgrade Theatre Coventry (3 to 7 March), Salisbury Playhouse (9 to 14 March), Theatre Royal Bath (16 to 21 March), and Darlington Hippodrome (31 March to 4 April). Please note that Bowden is confirmed for 2025 venues only.