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Manchester Opera House
Curtain Up: 19:32
Curtain Down: 22:02
*** CRIME CAMPERY DIRECTED WITH A MURDEROUS PASSION ***
***KILL FOR A TICKET TO MIDSOMER ***
*** THE MAIN THING THAT WAS KILLING ME WAS THE UNEXPECTED LAUGHTER ***
The TV Show and those who have never seen it are in for a kooky display of what I can only describe as ‘Crime Campery!’
It’s true - a crime did take place last night in the best possible sense…. My funny bone is still aching and may never fully recover!
Jessica Fletcher had Cabot Cove, Miss Marple had St.Mary Mead and Inspector Barnaby has Midsomer. These are all notorious havens for murder and vilany but don’t always have as much camp as an episode of RuPauls Drag Race and tonight performance of Midsomer murders - the killings at badgers drift didn’t disappoint.
The play is adapted by Guy Unsworth from Caroline Graham's original 1987 novel and the hit ITV television series. The UK tour production features actor Daniel Casey, who played Sergeant Troy in the original television series in the role of DCI Barnaby. He has a very notable and calming voice. He leads the company with strong stature unravelling not so sleepy and innocent Midsomer one busy body neighbour resident at a time. The acting has been directed in a sort of melodrama. I can imagine many of the performers in radio plays.
The play uses clever stagecraft, with a large portal centre stage to allow a glimpse into the goings on in a village where the Midsomer cemetery seems to be filling up more and more as each day goes by! This central portal is our lens to the world of Midsomer Village….& it’s a very camp filled topiary vision that I want to jump into!
Quick scene flashes, set changes, and at times outrageous humor bring the village murder mystery genre to the stage. These performers largely play over the top characters in an over the top way. I don’t remember the tv show being quite so audacious but in the realms of theatre this directorial flare works exceptionally well.
With a murder mystery market flooding the theatre in recent years this trip to Midsomer somehow was completely refreshing. It proves that you can flip this drama genre to make it thoroughly entertaining and more importantly 100% engaging to a 2026 audience.
The Opera House crowd lapped it up.
It’s a surprisingly strong 4**** from Manchester Theatrical and it plays until Saturday 30th June 2026 — at Opera House Manchester
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