On the evening of Sunday 23rd March 1997, the body of Emily Simpson, a gentle, orchid-loving, older lady, was found in her cottage in the idyllic, seemingly sleepy, village of Badger’s Drift in the rustic county of Midsomer…
There is no need to explain the globally popular TV series of Midsomer Murders, this play ‘edition’ is returning to the source material, Caroline Graham’s original 1987 book: The Killings at Badger’s Drift, which was also the pilot for the drama series. It reminds us that the heart of this ‘cozy’ mystery is actually quite cold. The stage adaptation offers a fascinating look at the friction between the idyllic English village and the grotesque secrets buried beneath its manicured hedges.
The play centres on the suspicious death of Emily Simpson, an elderly spinster who sees something she shouldn’t while out looking for an orchid. What follows is a quintessential ‘whodunnit’ led by Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, played by Daniel Casey – who, as you will know, played Sgt Troy in the TV series, he certainly looked like he enjoyed the promotion!
On stage, the challenge lies in compressing the sprawling social web of Badger’s Drift into a singular, theatrical setting. The production succeeds by fluidly presenting sections of scenery and props from all angles, whether from above, or slipped across the stage while the actors are walking towards the location, or everyone arriving on set with the props and with no hesitation straight into the scene. It was very good and well-coordinated to cover a lot of scenes without leaving the audience hanging.
DCI Barnaby and his sidekick Detective Sergeant Troy work their way through the village piecing together the murder timeline and everyone’s whereabouts, and in the process uncovers far more.
The characters in the village are the usual: the overbearing matriarch, the wayward artist, the grieving sister, the lonely widower, the estate manager, the village doctor… all playing roles to mask their deviances. It is a typical story of nothing and no-one is what or who they seem. This leads to plenty of twists and turns with many unpredicted which keeps the audience engaged. Of course, I cannot give you any spoilers but remember that the play captures the feeling that horror isn’t found in a dark alley, but in a sleepy village.
With over an hour for each half, there’s no feeling of cutting the storyline and they really manage to pack in many scenes without being too fast to keep up. It was well paced, albeit slightly stiff, with a sprinkling of humour and overall a bit twee – just like the drama series. It ticks all the expectation boxes for a good night out.
This show is playing at Norwich Theatre until Saturday 21st March – click here for more.
Photos ©Manuel Harlan