Reviewed by Beth
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
An outrageously funny and brand new murder-mystery comedy is touring the UK and I was lucky enough to experience it at Lichfield Garrick Theatre this week. A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception brings a killer combination of slapstick humour, impeccably timed puns and one liners and a fun plot twist to the ‘whodunnit’ genre, guaranteed to provide a night of entertainment that is anything but shoddy!
At our story’s beginning, we are introduced to our crime-fighting duo, Stuart Pidock (Neil Jennings) and Dusty Wills (Wesley Griffith) who have electric chemistry; we know our story and our evening are in good hands from the off. Pidock is a somewhat ‘failing’ investigator, determined to secure a promotion through solving the case of this missing ‘Art of Deception’ priceless painting. Wills, however, is a successful ‘master criminal’, only caught when he handed himself in and looking to trade jail time for his assistance in solving the case. We are also introduced to Lord and Lady Raeburn, played with ease and utter joy by Mitch Donaldson and Becky Bartram, who are both victims and suspects of this priceless painting’s disappearance. As the events of the evening unfold, our crime fighting duo must question every suspect and visitor of the manor (also played skillfully and at times with chaos and hilarity by Donaldson and Bartram) and it quickly becomes clear that everything is not as it seems …
With a small cast of four, it is no easy undertaking to perform a play with so many characters, twists and turns but this cast do so strongly and seamlessly. The plot plays on all the tropes of murder mystery while also showing a clear deep love and respect of early slapstick comedy by the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Fawlty Towers. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, the show surprises with another moment of merriment. Each new character that is presented by Donaldson and Bartram brings with it new costume, voice and physical theatre that had the audience absolutely howling. Whether it be a Russian accent, change in stature or ‘posh’ caricature, each character was distinct and brought their own jovial moments and quick-witted. comedy, playing perfectly off Jennings and Griffiths’ daring detectives. The role of ‘the cook’ was my particular favourite; I’ll let you see the show to find out why!
The story also serves as a genuinely good ‘whodunnit’ story aside from its comedy gold; I only guessed the ‘plot twist’ just before the end of the play and know that others around me were shocked when this was revealed!
The use of set, designed by Louie Whitemore, only added to the comedic effect and was used cleverly despite its initially ‘simple’ outlook. Again, just when you thought you’ve seen everything, another surprise was around the corner!
The ‘Shoddy Theatre’ group was established in 2018 with the intention of creating a multi rolling slapstick piece for a group of graduates including Mitch Donaldson graduating acting school.
Since then, the company have had success with sold out runs including Camden and Edinburgh Fringe, and are now embarking on this UK tour with The Shoddy Detective. The group are also developing further shows including A Shoddy Lamplighter and A Shoddy Christmas Carol, both of which will be a sure must-see. I am certain that this is not the last we will hear from this skilled troupe!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A Shoddy Detective continues on its tour until July 2025 and tickets are available from https://www.shoddydetective.com . It would be a crime to miss it!
Post a Comment