★★★
Written by Torben Betts and directed by Philip Franks, Murder at Midnight is a farcical murder mystery set in an ordinary suburban house in Kent. Notorious gangster Jonny (Jason Durr) and his sidekick Trainwreck (Peter Moreton) have returned home for New Year’s Eve, much to the delight of his mum Shirley (Susie Blake). He is full of plans to propose to his girlfriend Lisa (Katie McGlynn), but Lisa has been having an affair with Paul (Max Bowden), and has invited him over, unaware that Jonny is home. Little does she know that he is an undercover police officer who is investigating a missing person case where Jonny, Shirley and Lisa are the three main suspects. With the addition of Shirley’s highly strung carer Cristina (Iryna Poplavska), who keeps running outside to take phone calls from a Mr Fish (Callum Balmforth), it is an intriguing and chaotic set up.
As expected from such an experienced cast, all the performances are virtually faultless. Bowden is exceptional as the undercover policeman, highlighting his nerves in an awkward yet endearing way. His physical comedy is excellent, and he is funny without being too over-the-top. Blake is also excellent in the role of Shirley. She captures her complexities well, leaving the audience questioning if she’s really as confused and innocent as she makes out to be.
Lisa and Jonny have more of a father/daughter dynamic than a romantic one. Lisa’s personality completely changes around him; she is no longer the chatty, bubbly woman we see in earlier scenes with Paul, and is genuinely terrified of what Jonny may do. At first, their lack of chemistry is off-putting, but by the end of the play it makes more sense, and helps to highlight that their relationship is one of mutual convenience, rather than love.
The characters’ flaws are a main focus of the show, and due to their deceit and self-absorbed behaviour, it is hard to like or relate to any of them. There are some deeper themes discussed, such as Trainwreck’s loneliness and Lisa’s low self-esteem, but they are not given enough detail, which makes the characters feel superficial. This is worsened by the dialogue, which is often repetitive. Lisa, for instance, screeches “Bloody Nora” at least half a dozen times, which very quickly becomes grating. The show’s biggest downfall, however, is the pacing. The first half is slow paced, as the various scenarios are established. While it picks up at the beginning of the second act, the ending feels dragged out, despite the vast number of revelations and secrets they unearth. Coupled with the over-the-top, slapstick comedy, the last twenty minutes feels tiresome to watch.
The stage is reminiscent of an opened doll’s house, allowing us to peek into the character’s lives. There is a living area and two outdoor spaces on the ground floor, while Jonny’s office and Lisa’s bedroom are on the upper level. This allows for a variety of cleverly staged scenes where conversations in different rooms are interspersed with each other to create the main narrative. It is extremely creative, and is one of the best sets I’ve seen.
The digital production, filmed by Tristain McShepherd exclusively for Original Online, is extremely high quality. There’s a good mix of full stage shots and close ups, allowing us to fully appreciate both the actors’ talents and the stunning set. The interval is clearly marked, and there is an option to turn on subtitles, which are very appreciated.
There is lots to love about Murder at Midnight: the actors are all strong and there are some genuinely funny moments. Ultimately though, the story is not concise enough and descends into chaos by the end, meaning we do not get a sense of satisfaction from learning who the murderer is. However, digital theatre initiatives like this are so important to make theatre more accessible for all, and I am interested to see what Original Theatre come up with next.
Murder at Midnight is touring until April, and can be streamed online until 31 January.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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