MIDSOMER MURDERS | THE KILLINGS AT BADGER’S DRIFT | UK TOUR @ THEATRE ROYAL, GLASGOW
★★★★
“A quintessentially British comedy with bloody murder amid the laugher…”
The County of Midsomer, the quaint English idyll that give Taggart’s Glasgow a run for its money where the murder rate is concerned, comes to the stage for the first time in an entertaining return to Badger’s Drift that has everything you could ask of a whodunnit – a suspicious death, unrequited love, red herrings, hemlock and a multitude of twists and turns.
Adapted from the novel by Caroline Graham and the pilot episode of the TV series, Midsomer Murders: The Killings At Badger’s Drift was the investigation that first introduced John Nettles’ Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Daniel Casey’s Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy to viewers way back in 1997. Nearly three decades on, it’s Casey who brings Barnaby to life on stage, aided and abetted by his ‘apprentice’ Sergeant, played by James Bradwell.
The discovery of a rare Ghost Orchid proves fatal for one resident of Badger’s Drift, but is Emily Simpson’s passing really a natural death? Her best friend, forthright, snuff-sniffing octogenarian Lucy Bellringer thinks not, a suspicion she shares with Barnaby and Troy, who find themselves quickly caught up in a hidden world of passions, secrets and long-buried village rivalries.
From the moment a spontaneous round of applause greets the the arrival of Casey on stage as Barnaby, The Killings at Badger’s Creek is a glorious romp, a comic murder mystery that doesn’t just keep the audience gripped but laughing too, despite the mounting body count as the investigation unfolds. It is classic, cosy comedy at its finest.
Played for melodrama through-out, the outrageous nature of the tale is never lost in the telling, something the phenomenal seven-strong cast, five of whom play no fewer than 13 characters between them, fully buy into from the off. While Casey, a pragmatic Chief Inspector, anchors the production, Bradwell’s bumbling Troy, ever eager to impress without ever quite reaching the right conclusion, proves the perfect foil to Casey’s steadfastness.
Elsewhere, heightened performances are the order of the day as the ensemble members seamlessly slip from one eccentric character to another, demonstrating some impressive quick change skills along the way. Standouts include a wonderfully camp turn from John Dougall, channelling the late Patrick Fyffe (for those old enough to remember the brilliant Dame Hilda Bracket) as Iris Rainbird, a character much removed from his other roles, Trevor Lessiter and Henry Trace.
Rupert Sadler too has great fun as the creepy, musical theatre loving undertaker, Dennis Rainbird, again in direct contrast to his portrayal of artist Michael Lacey, however, it’s Julie Legrand as Lucy Bellringer, Terry Bazely and Phillis Cadell, who really shines, bringing distinct personalities to each of her creations. Strong support comes from Nathalie Barclay and Chandrika Chevli, the latter enjoying a spontaneous round of applause for one of the production’s more bonkers moments.
The cast aside, a huge part of the success of this production is down to David Woodhead’s lush and innovative stage design, which comes complete with an ingenious model village and flashback portal. Both are used to great effect by writer and director Guy Unsworth, who ensures that despite the wordy and occasionally convoluted nature of the story, the action remains fluid – although at one point, when the exposition becomes too much, a surreal ‘Badger’s Drift tango’ sequence used to recap the clues so far is surreal. It shouldn’t work, but Unsworth gets away with it. Just.
If you love a good murder mystery that never takes itself too seriously then book now for this production, which, to misquote Barnaby, may well serve tea with a smile, murder with mirth, but still boasts blood behind the begonias.
Full tour details and tickets HERE
