We reviewed Murder at Midnight – the ‘whodunnit’ with a star-studded cast of ex Corrie and EastEnders stars
There aren’t many things I like to watch on TV. If I’m going to pop something on the telly, it’s likely going to be EastEnders, true crime, a murder mystery or a dose of The Real Houswives.
So when I found out a show combining two of my most-loved TV formats was coming to The Lowry Theatre, I had to go and watch it. Murder at Midnight at the Lowry theatre combines a ‘whodunnit’ with a star-studded cast – most notably for me, Max Bowden playing (best-known for his role of Ben Mitchell in ‘Enders).
We all thought Ben was in prison in Manchester. But as it turns out, he’s been starring in a theatre show all along. As are two Corrie icons – Katie McGlynn and Susie Blake. From the writer of Murder in the Dark, Torben Betts, Murder at Midnight blends the classic ‘whodunnit’ format with gangster twists, dark humour, love triangles and some more poignant moments of self-reflection.
The show starts, unsurprisingly, with a murder scene. It’s New Year’s Eve, and an absolute bloodbath appears to have taken place. For the more squeamish of you, don’t worry, it won’t make your stomach turn – unless you don’t like Robbie Williams, who soundtracks much of the show.
With so many different methods of murder present, including a meat cleaver, a crossbow and even an overdose, it’s hard to imagine quite what’s happened. From there, we’re taken back in time by just a few hours, to see how this bloody scene came to be from what appears to be an ordinary night.
The night that plays out is anything but ordinary. To put it bluntly, it’s quite frankly ridiculous.
The cast sees Susie Blake playing kooky East End matriarch Shirley, who insists the ‘Devil is all around’. Her son Jonny (played by Jason Durr) is a stereotypical East End gangster, making his money from drugs – but is he all he seems?
Jonny’s girlfriend, Lisa, is played by Katie McGlynn. She’s the typical airhead you’d expect a loaded guy like Jonny to be dating, and she’s certainly not loyal, as we come to find out when she brings undercover policeman ‘Ben’ (the joke was not lost on me) home, played by, you guessed it, Max Bowden.
Away from the family hierarchy, we also meet Jonny’s seemingly dim right-hand man Trainwreck, played by Peter Moreton, and Shirley’s carer Cristina, played by Iryna Poplavska.
Then there’s the mysterious ‘Mr Fish’, government name Russell, played by Callum Balmforth, who was the cast standout for me. Alll characters had their quirks, but it was Mr Fish, who came to rob the joint in a rather silly clown mask, who had me feeling the widest range of emotions. His monologue was particularly moving – though it’s worth pointing out that each character has a moment of clarity throughout the production as they self-reflect.
I was also thoroughly impressed by Iryna Poplavska’s performance. In such an over the top production, her character as a kind and nururing carer with a nervous disposition rang true, and her fate reflected as such.
As the night’s events unfolds, the audience is met with twist after twist. It’s certainly a fast moving show, and there’s always a surprise around the corner. It certainly felt more like a comedy than a thriller, but once the ‘whodunnit’ became a doub;e ‘whodunnit’ solution at the end, I wasn’t dissapointed.
The standout of the entire production for me was actually the show’s set design. Produced by Colin Falconer, the set manages to impressively take us from room to room in one house, without the need for moving parts or a backstage crew to disrupt the illusion.
My only qualm was that, at points, it did feel as though the show was trying to do too much. With so many tropes, it felt like a bit of overload at times, jumping from thriller, to comedy to soul searching. It’s certainly not an Agatha Christie, but then it’s not meant to be.
It’s not the best murder mystery I’ve seen, nor the funniest theatre production. But if you’re looking for a night of quite frankly ridiculous fun with family and friends for a little escape from the mundane of every day life, it’s certainly worth watching.
