Review: Murder, She Didn’t Write, Duchess Theatre

This hugely entertaining whodunnit opens with Agatha Crusty, “the best detective in zones one to six” (an ebullient Lizzy Skrzypiec) welcoming you to the theatre, asking how many of the audience have seen the show before. About a quarter of the audience put their hands up – but as an entirely improvised play, they’re guaranteed never to see the same show twice. She explains that her trusty assistant, Jerkins, is here in disguise, recognisable only by the deerstalker they always wear. At which point she tosses the deerstalker into the audience: whoever catches it takes on the role of Jerkins, who will later be called upon to choose the identity of both the victim and the murderer.

The setting, murder weapon and the weapon’s special peculiarity (tonight a school outing and an ever-growing cucumber) then form the basis for the evening’s entertainment. The cast members appear in the role they’ve selected for themselves, based on the chosen scenario. The cast varies from show to show, but here included flighty Caitlin Campbell as Violet Violet, rough diamond Douglas Walker as Roger Red, Stephen Clements as Mr Blue (who couldn’t stop laughing at the others’ antics), effervescent Rachael Procter-Lane as Miss Gold, and the charismatic Peter Baker as Monsieur Vert, whose physical contortions delight the audience.

The action proceeds at top speed, with short scenes between two or three performers continually interrupted by Crusty as she repeatedly tries to trip them up – such as asking for an explanation to be made in Latin. But her interjections can form the basis of the plot: when she questions Mr Blue on his claim to have started the White House fire in 1812, it develops into the cause of his surprising longevity being down to his having murdered all but one of his sons in order to extend his own life.

The action is further punctuated by an impressive piano accompaniment by Dylan Townley, again improvised, with musical themes drawn from the characters the cast inhabit. Never intrusive, the music illuminates the proceedings and links all the short scenes together.

An ingenious set design by Justin Williams comprises a series of random-sized panels containing art deco and floral wallpapers, a portion of a castle, a gothic moulding and a stained glass window. The variety of the panels means that the set can be used to portray almost any kind of backing – essential, since the set designer has no idea where each show will be set.

I first saw improvised comedy performed by Omelette Broadcasting Company at the Edinburgh Festival in 1977. It was the funniest thing I’d ever seen: the next night it was completely different, and again the funniest thing I’d ever seen. Since then improv has burgeoned, marked by a sequence of short sketches prompted by audience suggestions. The problem here is that one set of suggestions has to maintain a single scenario for nearly two hours, which necessarily means that the gags are repetitive, although the inspired cast do all they can to prevent them from becoming stale.

Murder, She Didn’t Write has been running for 13 years and, following sell-out Edinburgh Festivals, this marks its West End debut. It will tour the country until October.

There’s theatre that makes you think, and theatre that makes you laugh. This falls squarely into the latter category. You won’t come away pondering the human existence, but you will leave the theatre thoroughly entertained.

Created by: Degrees of Error
Directed by: Lizzy Skrzypiec
Set Design by: Justin Williams
Costume Design by: Lu Herbert
Lighting Design by: Adam King
Musical Direction by: Sara Garrard
Produced by: Wildpark Entertainment, Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Fiery Dragons

Murder, She Didn’t Write is touring until October