Murdered to Death - ★★★★☆ - Death by laughter

It’s certainly bold to stage an amateur production mere months after a run at the Theatre Royal but the Lace Market Theatre have managed to put their own spin on it and have given us an excellent evening’s light entertainment.

There’s nothing too taxing from this murder mystery, with the focus on poking fun at the genre, packing in enough innuendos to challenge a Carry On film, and even throwing in the odd physical gag. The script is packed with one-liners and spoonerisms, most of which land brilliantly, and many of which are delivered at impressive pace by Nik Hedges starring as Inspector Pratt. The classic stillness of a murder mystery is punctuated perfectly by his brilliant physicality, and you can tell the work gone into this character by the quality and hilarity of a performance which doesn’t let up for a single moment.

A motley cast of suspects and victims fill out the rest of the stage with terrific performances by Michelle Smith as the loveable busybody Miss Maple and Bernard Whelan as the Butler who’s mere presence will have you in stitches. Becky Matter comes to life in the final act as Margaret Craddock - a pity not to have more for her during the investigation. The other characters provide plenty of jokes, foils, context and clues, though some wooden deliveries and lack of consistent character have snuck into the final product.

The design deserves a huge mention, director Christopher Mercer doing double duty with a glorious monochrome setting that perfectly evokes the feel of a classic movie. If you’re lucky enough to have a ticket for the almost-sold-out run be sure to clap for the painters, wardrobe, and prop creators behind this wonderful display. Although, it does leave one wishing there had been a make-up artist on the bill to wrangle some similarity out of the varying shades of white and pink on display.

While I’m left wishing for more commitment to the sillier side, of moments like the babbling phone and the spotlight on our amateur sleuth, you are guaranteed to leave the theatre with a huge grin on your face.