Review: THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY, Drayton Arms Theatre

The classic story of a murder mystery is one that has made its way through the generations of stage, screen, and literature throughout history. Although this ending may have you more confused than scared.

Set in a dressing room of a small regional theatre, three actresses, Elizabeth, Sheila, and Angelica, all over 50-years-old, prepare themselves for the opening night of a new murder-mystery play written by award-winning director, Sebastian Fawn (Jonny Davidson). The only thing is, Sebastian is the award-winning director of… tampon commercials? 

While the three female tyrants of the stage take over their dressing room (with warm-ups and pre-show rituals that will make any drama school student shake in flashback fear), Sebastian runs in to tell them, alongside a younger male actor, James Maguffin (James Mackay), that there has been a murder! The less-than-liked Stage Manager, Kath, was found with a knife through her heart…

But who could have done it? There is only one man for the job, DI Charles Fortitude, played by the writer of the play, Peter Rae. Who committed the crime? Will they ever make it on stage? What are James and Angelica hiding? This Is Not A Murder Mystery explains everything… kind of?

Written by Peter Rae, and directed by Helen Bang, who plays Elizabeth, This Is Not A Murder Mystery is packed with fast-paced dialogue that grips the audience's attention for an hour and a half. The three leading actresses, Elizabeth (Bang), Sheila (Laura Morgan), and Angelica (Rosalind Blessed), really stand out for all the right reasons. Their characters complement their acting perfectly, all while holding their own. None of the female characters are even remotely similar, which is refreshing to see. 

The banter between characters is humorous, allowing the audience to have varying opportunities to laugh along with them. Although there are moments where perhaps the comedy doesn't land perfectly (possibly down more to the audience that night rather than the performers), there are quite a lot of genuinely funny moments. The main source of humour, for me, is in the quickness of the dialogue between characters that doesn't allow viewers time to think, they simply are on-board, or they aren’t. You either get the joke or you dodn’t, and, surprisingly, it works. 

The tempo of the play as a whole in terms of storyline works quite well, although the ending is a bit too rushed and unsatisfactory, with random details and no exploration of the big reveal. This is a shame because the rest of the play is really enjoyable. 

Undeniably, one of, or dare I say three of, the best bits about this play are the three actresses. Their performances really root the play and give it a lot of its life. 

Bang’s performance as the larger-than-life, highly empathetic, animal lover Elizabeth Treasure provide some of the more memorable moments of the piece. Her direction of this play works wonderfully. You can tell she knows how to bring out the best in her cast. There is a clear long-term bond with them all.

Blessed truly lived up to her name and blesses the stage with her performance. Angelica is arguably my personal favourite character with her natural humour and stage presence. A perfect watch.

Rounding up the trio is Morgan in the role of Sheila. A heartwarming presence. Her quick wit and comedic timing are impeccable. Sheila is a character you either relate to, or she will remind you of someone you know. A rooted performance that is beautifully acted. 

All in all, the play has very charming elements to it that I really feel would work brilliantly if developed slightly further. An enjoyable watch for a night of theatre indeed.

This Is Not A Murder Mystery plays at the Drayton Arms Theatre until 7 June