Murder at the Fringe
★★★☆☆ Fun exercise
Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41): Fri 16 – Sun 25 Aug 2024
Review by Florence Cruickshanks
Murder at the Fringe, by Edinburgh Little Theatre, is extremely courageous. The audience is closely involved in the solving of a murder, with six suspects lined up for questioning.
As we enter the auditorium, we notice a notepad and pencil on every seat. It is clear that our participation will be an essential element in the action.
Paul Murray and Paul Wilson. Pic Torya Winters.
The production, which boasts a good set and lighting, is directed by Paul Murray, who also plays Drew Peacock – the detective responsible for the investigation of the murder. The victim is John Winner, who, as a result of a recent lottery win, had been living in some style in an Edinburgh mansion.
The suspects are called in one by one – his butler and boyhood friend Frank Williams (Paul Wilson), his glamorous girl friend, played by Torya Winters, the slightly sinister religious sister (Norma Brown), his very dodgy financial adviser, played by Riley Stewart, estranged wife (Hazel Murray), and finally Alan Ireby as Lord Algernon, the local Tory MP, who has been helping the victim in his social climbing.
revealed
All describe their relationships with the dead man, then respond to questions put to them by both the detective, who plays a master of ceremonies role, and members of the audience. Finally, following a vote by the audience on the guilty party, the murderer is revealed. At the performance attended by Æ the audience failed to guess correctly…
Norma Brown and Torya Winters with Riley Stewart. Pic Paul Murray.
The acting throughout is excellent, with the suspects responding in character to the cross examination, but it is not clear how much of the audience participation is choreographed. It is possible that at some performances the relevant questions are not asked, or that a forceful audience member dominates the exchanges.
It is nevertheless a fun production, which accurately portrays characters from Edinburgh’s social scene. None of whom, it has to be said (and as befits the genre), comes out of this very sympathetically.
Running time: One hour (no interval)
Hill Street Theatre (Dunedin Theatre), 19 Hill Street EH2 3JP (Venue 41)
Friday 16 August – Sunday 25 August 2024
Daily: 6pm
Details and tickets at: Book here
Website: https://edinburghlittletheatre.com
Hazel Murray with Riley Stewart and Alan Ireby. Pic Torya Winters.
ENDS
