Murder Most Spontaneous
Murder She Didn't Write (Richmond and National Tour) - Guest Review by Dr Terror
'It could go either way, Gary,' is the football cliche and that's exactly how I felt on a warm spring night in Richmond ahead of a show that had come highly recommended. I wasn't so sure, though, as the friend who had recommended it had really questionable taste. Either she would be proven right and it would be a total joy or she wouldn't and, hot on the heels of the woefully disappointing I'm Sorry, Prime Minister, the evening would prove to be as corny as it was cheesy. I'm delighted to say that the former proved correct.
This is a slice of perfection, an evening based on the audience shouting out suggestions and the identities of the murderer and victim chosen by an audience member using a set of coloured cards. I don't know how much of what happened was unique to the night I attended but, looking at the photos in the programme, quite a lot of it seemed to be. Certainly, the fact that it took place on a corporate training day and a crucial clue proved to be a hamster with only three legs is unlikely to be imitated regularly.
The football cliche earlier is not misplaced, either. As director Lizzy Skrzypiec aka supersleuth Agatha Crusty points out in the programme: 'A lot of people often ask how you can rehearse for an improvised show like this. My only parallel is that I view it much like a sport. We practice to stay in shape comedically and theatrically. We train our teamwork and storytelling to get our show instincts on good form..
And, boy, does it work! There is so much laughter, so much puncturing of detective tropes and a genuinely unexpected twist ending. I got the identity of the murderer wrong and hang my head in shame.
At the very end, 'Agatha' advised us 'If you enjoyed tonight, come again: it's totally different every time. If you didn't, come again: it's totally different every time.'
Quality, Gary.