Theatre Review: Murder She Didn't Write

We all love a murder mystery, right? That deliciously twisting plot, those breadcrumb clues daring us to solve the case before the final reveal. 

Now, imagine ramping up that intrigue fivefold, but with a brilliant twist: even the cast doesn’t know the script. Welcome to Murder She Didn’t Write, an uproarious night of improvised detective work where the audience becomes the puppet master of the plot.

Before the curtain rises, suggestions are hurled gleefully from the crowd of an object and event, all chosen at random. One lucky audience member, dubbed the all-powerful “Jerkins”, picks the final combination. Nottingham’s imagination did not disappoint: on a lively Friday night, we were treated to the bizarrely titled ‘Case of the Bald Sheep’, set against the backdrop of the grand opening of a mortuary in Nottingham.

The show is delivered by Degrees of Error, a company whose talent for improvisation is dazzling. Their cast, a kaleidoscope of colourful characters and lightning-quick wit, has the impossible task of weaving a coherent (if delightfully absurd) murder mystery on the spot. They glide, stumble and sprint across the stage as if following a tightly scripted play — a masterclass in agile storytelling and quick-thinking that had the audience howling with laughter.

Peter Baker, playing the ever-resourceful detective, was a mischievous ringmaster throughout. Armed with the power to freeze scenes at will, he gleefully commanded characters to embellish their backstories on the fly: at one point, demanding they list “all the towns in Nottingham where there are no dead people,” or drop their farmer accents mid-sentence to hilarious effect. These playful interruptions kept the actors on edge, letting the audience revel in watching them scramble and succeed, in creating comedy chaos.

Kudos must go to Rachael Procter-Lane, Stephen Clements, Harry Allmark, Sylvia Bishop and Emily Brady. Each not only delivered brilliant performances but juggled the roles of comedian, improviser, storyteller and — at times — torturer, pushing their fellow cast members into increasingly ludicrous and delightful predicaments.

Sound effects and lighting were improvised live, adding unexpected layers to the story. A sudden sheep bleat, the crash of breaking glass, a dramatic red flashback — each adding a new twist, forcing the actors to pivot and adapt. And not to be overlooked, pianist Patrick Stockbridge, nimbly scored the entire show on the spot, shifting from pastoral melodies to noirish detective jingles, ensuring the atmosphere matched the madness.

As the detective signed off, he quipped: “If you didn’t like this show, come again. It’s different every time.”

And that’s the true magic of Murder She Didn’t Write. Every show is a fresh adventure, shaped entirely by the imagination of its audience and the quicksilver genius of its cast.

A riotous, unmissable evening of murder, mystery and mayhem.

Murder She Didn't Write plays at Nottingham's Theatre Royal from Friday 25 April to Saturday 26 April 2025.