Written by Torben Betts (Murder in the Dark), and directed by Philip Franks (Murder in the Dark, The Mousetrap), this murder mystery keeps you on your toes. As the play unravelled, I was intrigued by the plot, shocked at the twist and entertained by the humour throughout.
The ingenious set is on three levels, which adds to the experience – the front room, the study and the bedroom are in full view, allowing for the audience to watch more than one story unravel. And when the actors step out into the garden through the patio door, the soundtrack and your imagination follow the plot.
The production sees Jason Durr (Heartbeat, Casualty) as one-eyed drug dealer Jonny “the Cyclops” – who also happens to be a pig farmer, and a notorious killer whose past is rapidly catching up with him. His girlfriend Lisa is played by Katie McGlynn, and his mum Shirley is played by Susie Blake (Victoria Wood as seen on TV, Coronation Street) and Iryna Poplavska, who plays Christina, mum Shirley’s anxious carer.
Peter Moreton, who plays Trainwreck is Jonny’s sidekick, who is besotted with him. Max Bowden (Birdsong, EastEnders) plays Paul the cop who is dressed as a vicar (plot twist indeed), and Callum Balmforth plays Russell – the burglar with a clown’s mask.
The story takes place on New Year’s Eve down in Kent and the audience gets to know each of the characters in their own right, who all have something to hide.
Jonny decides to throw a NYE party, and that’s when the fireworks really kick off. Jonny’s girlfriend is having an affair with the cop dressed as a vicar when Jonny turns up, so to say things don’t go as planned is an understatement and everything takes a really dark turn.
There are not many performances that make me literally jump out of my seat, but this is one of them. And it didn’t stop there – this performance is not afraid to shock.
The characters who really shone in the show for me were Jonny who really does hold the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the performance, and his mum – whose comic timing is just genius.
If you enjoy dark thrillers that are also hilarious, I thoroughly recommend.
★★★★
Murder at Midnight is at Derby Theatre until Saturday, September 13.
Tickets £27 – £37
