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A unique and intriguing show, which provides a fascinating insight into the minds of serial killers, and how they are caught, from the horse’s mouth of “The Scottish Detective”Summary
Rating
Excellent
I was suitably intrigued as to what The Makings of a Murderer would offer. This is a one-off London show and part of a 100-date tour. The stage is set with items which would not look out of place in a police station; metal filing cabinets and screens with images and names of killers, including the recognisable Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Other props look like they belong in an old study; a bookcase, a coat stand and a rain mac reminiscent of the TV detective Columbo’s infamous coat (my days of watching police procedurals go that far back!).
Loud, dramatic music builds the scene and an immaculately turned-out David Swindle walks onto the stage, introducing himself as The Scottish Detective. He informs us that he has more than 34 years’ experience as a senior detective, mostly within CID.This is a serious subject matter, but David regularly injects his show with humour, telling us that “Serial killers don’t have a stamp on their head that says serial killer”, and how when people subsequently find out someone was a serial killer, often comment “I always knew his eyes were too close! ”
He talks through different aspects of murder and presents his material, which covers killers from the past, onto a large screen. This works well, although it does feel like we are watching a presentation. Where the material is more textual than image-based, the slides appear too busyand trying to read the material draws focus away from what David is saying. More concise and fewer slides may have worked better.
Self-deprecatingly, David refers to himself as “the dinosaur detective” and informs us that in 1977, when he joined the police, DNA did not exist, and exhibits were not preserved. How times have changed. And how insightful when he shares that “Everyone here has a trail in their pocket – their phone”. Certainly food for thought.
In the second part of the show, David brings our attention to the crimes of Peter Tobin, a serial killer he uncovered as part of the ground-breaking Operation Anagram. He uses old clips from Crimewatch – a TV programme which sadly no longer exists – and of experts: the video clips from forensic biologist Carol Rogers are fascinating. These visual images and clips add an interesting element in the show.
At times, it is difficult to listen to the gory details of certain crimes, particularly when he describes in detail how Peter Tobin tortured the young Polish girl Angelika Kluk, who came to the UK for a better life. I felt the gruesome details were unnecessary and could have been toned down. There is an element of the sensational about this ‘big’show, with its dramatic music and David’s selfie-taking with the audience at the end, after he utters the word “killer”. It is not in good taste.
We live in a world in which we have so much information at our disposal about serial killers – newspaper articles, documentaries, podcasts, police dramas, and so on. Crime is a topic many are fascinated with: why some people commit crimes, what motivates them, how detectives catch criminals. David Swindle tells his personal story in the hunt of killers eloquently and entertainingly. He draws the audience in, frequently referring to the victims of crimes, and it is reassuring that he never forgets them. He is an intelligent man who has devoted decades of his life to catching sadistic killers and bringing them to justice and who continues to help victims of crime abroad. As he puts it so well: “We should never forget what they’ve done to the victims”.
Produced by: Entertainers
The Makings of a Murderer is currently touring the UK, with dates until 10 December. Further information can be found here.
