Review: MURDER SHE DIDN'T WRITE: THE IMPROVISED MURDER MYSTERY, Duchess Theatre

Murder She Didn't Write returns to the Duchess Theatre with another round of improvised mischief. This long running show continues to charm audiences on its tour across the UK, with its origins being an Edinburgh Fringe favourite. Degrees of Error deliver a wonderfully chaotic and cleverly constructed evening, which celebrates the joy of making everything up on the spot while still honouring the familiar comforts of a classic whodunnit.

From the moment Lizzy Skrzypiec steps forward as Agatha Crusty, the playful narrator the tone is set for an evening which thrives on spontaneity. The Cluedo inspired cast of brightly coloured suspects including Rachael Procter Lane as Mildred Gold, Peter Baker as Reginald Red, Sylvia Bishop as Petunia Puce and Stephen Clements as Graham Green launch straight into the audience driven adventure with infectious confidence. The crowd’s suggestions shape the premise and influence decisions which ensures each performance is entirely unique. On this occasion the mystery revolves around an orange wooden leg, set in 1933 Bradford. inside a questionably small bed and breakfast once owned by Graham Green's late mother.

Particularly unique is the fact that narrator not only improves the action but sets the cast difficult higher level tasks to increase the tension and outcomes, which goes beyond mere suggestion and elevates the murder mystery game. 

The cast work together with a level of ease which only comes from many years of collaboration. Their mischievous energy fuels a night filled with innuendo, quick wit and moments where the story teeters gloriously on the edge of nonsense, before being pulled back with surprising skill. The chosen audience helper known as 'Jerkins' adds yet another layer of delight, as they alone carry the knowledge of who the murderer and victim will be.

What follows is a rolling blend of farce and invention which includes affairs, swinging wellies, a welly themed song, a Titanic survivor support group and a standout sequence involving a mimed attack with tiddlywinks. The improvisation is sharp and the character work increasingly intricate, with motives and backstories evolving in real time.

Every comedic beat lands with aplomb making the set up irresistible. This is improv which celebrates risk-taking and showcases performers who are confident enough to push one another into higher stakes of unknown territory. Murder She Didn't Write is a riotous theatrical experience which guarantees a story you will never see repeated and a cast who clearly relish every unpredictable second. 

Murder She Didn't Write is a sophisticated show, by an improvisation group who are hilarious, sharp and irresistibly watchable.