Ad disclosure: We were provided with press tickets for the purpose of this post.
Yesterday evening, James and I hopped on the train into the city to enjoy a few hours of classic British whodunnit: murder, mystery, a sprinkling of humour, and a cast of eccentric characters. I’m talking, of course, about the new Midsomer Murders stage adaptation, which brings Caroline Graham’s first novel in the series to life on stage rather than on our screens.
Midsomer Murders is one of those long-running, much-loved British crime series filled with slightly implausible deaths and a central cast of familiar characters. Why anyone would choose to move to the fictional county of Midsomer is beyond me – its death rate must be one of the worst in Britain.
The original duo of Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy return in this stage adaptation, despite the TV series having long since moved on to a different Barnaby and several different sergeants.
The Killings at Badger’s Drift follows Barnaby and Troy as they investigate the seemingly non-suspicious death of elderly resident Emily Simpson, prompted by the concerns of her best friend, Lucy Bellringer. What follows is an investigation into the convoluted lives of the villagers, complete with red herrings and scandalous secrets that continually throw both the detectives – and the audience – off the trail of the real murderer.
Just before the interval, the killer strikes again, and the mystery continues to unravel throughout the second half. Eventually, everything builds towards the classic detective-story finale, where DCI Barnaby gathers the suspects and explains the truth behind the deaths – including the solution to a two-year-old cold case.
At times the play is a little gory or uncomfortable, featuring a blood-splattered crime scene and an ending that, to be frank, leans heavily into the ick factor. It has been a few decades since I watched the first season of Midsomer Murders on TV, and I had completely forgotten whodunnit. I certainly didn’t guess the twisty truth last night.
Despite the darker moments, the play is packed with humorous moments and classic British quirks. Garden gnomes are used to act out certain scenes, there is a hilariously weird dream sequence, and poor DS Troy provides plenty of laughs throughout.
Daniel Casey, best known for playing the original DS Troy in the 1997 television series, returns to the world of Midsomer for this production. This time, however, he steps into his former co-star John Nettles’ shoes to take on the iconic role of DCI Barnaby. While he portrays Barnaby as the intelligent and patient detective audiences expect – complete with moments of dry wit – he makes the role entirely his own, avoiding any sense that he is simply imitating Nettles’ version of the character.
James Bradwell, who has appeared in Netflix’s Bridgerton, takes on the role of the slightly impetuous and occasionally prejudiced, yet somehow still lovable, DS Troy – and he is absolutely wonderful. His expressions and comedic timing kept the audience laughing even as the plot delved deeper into the vipers’ nest of betrayal, blackmail, and intrigue lurking beneath the bucolic façade of Badger’s Drift.
The rest of the cast were simply amazing, and the play is a masterclass in multi-roling, with each actor taking on at least two main character roles alongside a number of smaller parts. At times, the same character even appears to be on stage multiple times. There is also one particularly clever moment that I don’t want to spoil, which is deliberately ‘ruined’ for comedic effect much to the amusement of the audience.
The speed of the costume changes and the distinct personalities of each character made it incredibly difficult to work out which actor was playing which role – and at times it felt completely impossible. The wardrobe and hair-and-makeup teams deserve huge credit for transforming the cast into a whole village full of eccentric and individual characters.
I also loved the sets and staging. The backdrop features a large circular cut-out through which different scenes and visual moments appear throughout the play. Several set pieces rolled smoothly on and off – or across – the stage as needed, while others descended from the rafters, allowing the story to move rapidly between locations.
The creative team clearly did an excellent job bringing the story to life on stage. From the clever set design and lighting to the costumes, sound, and overall staging, everything worked together to create a lively and engaging version of Midsomer’s deceptively peaceful village.
The whole production feels quintessentially British: packed with classic humour, gentle eccentricity, and the slightly odd characters that seem to populate fictional English villages. It strikes a nice balance between nostalgia for the original material – both the book and the television series – while avoiding feeling overly dated. Judging by the laughter throughout the performance and the rousing applause the cast received at the end, the rest of the audience seemed to enjoy it just as much as we did.
The plot also stayed fairly close to the original storyline (I checked afterwards to avoid spoilers), with only a few alterations made to suit the stage adaptation. I particularly enjoyed some of the more theatrical touches, with clever lighting and well-timed music and sound effects helping to bring everything together.
Going into the theatre, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. As someone who enjoys murder mysteries and grew up watching Midsomer Murders with my parents, I was curious to see how it would translate to the stage. In the end, this adaptation definitely impressed me.
James and I both agreed it deserves a five-star rating, and the cast delivered some of the most impressive performances we’ve seen on stage.
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift is playing at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham until Saturday 14 March. Tickets start from £18.95, and the show runs for approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes, including an interval. The production is also touring theatres across the UK until June, giving plenty of opportunities for audiences around the country to experience this entertaining stage adaptation.
