Review: MURDER FOR TWO, The Barn Theatre Cirencester
Photo credit: Alex Tabrizi
The Barn Theatre have done it again! Consistently producing top quality shows, the 200-seater venue in the Cotswolds shoot for the stars with each production and rarely miss the mark; Murder for Two being no exception.
They are currently staging the revival production of this '“killer musical comedy”, marking the first time that the production has been relocated to a British setting. Paying homage to the old school murder mysteries we all know and love, Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair’s creation rarely takes a breath during its 2-hour run time.
Dreaming of a promotion, Officer Marcus Moscowicz is pulled in to assist in solving the murder of famous author Arthur Whitney. In the absence of a ‘real’ Detective, he must interrogate the suspects to try and identify the culprit. This fast-paced, energetic and absolutely hilarious piece is a two-hander, with one actor playing Marcus and the other playing ALL of the suspects. Not only this, the performers play the piano live throughout. Exhausting to even think about!
Justin Williams’ intricate set is reminiscent of a props store that could be found in a film studio or theatre and despite being set in the UK, it has an air of Golden Age Hollywood about it. This is also represented through Denise Cheal’s costumes. Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner’s often vaudevillian lighting works well and plays up to the tongue-in-cheek nature of the show, inclusive of sharp spotlights and isolated states. At times, the lighting cues could be anticipated slightly more so they land perfectly on the comedic beat but the effect is still felt nonetheless.
The song list played during the pre-show and post-interval is ‘modern’ featuring artists such as Whitney Houston and B*Witched and their songs are interacted with by the actors before the action resumes so there is slight confusion about the era in which the piece is set. However, as the show progresses, you soon realise it doesn’t matter! The genre of murder mystery is timeless and pairing it with musical comedy is a perfect match.
Bryan Hodgson’s direction is inspired and he makes full use of every technical element at his disposal. He ensures that the pace of the piece never wanes and his work with the performers is entirely evident throughout.
Lee O’Reilly makes his professional debut as Marcus, having graduated in 2020 from Guildford School of Acting’s Actor Musician course, whilst Sam Denia multi-roles as the many suspects. Not only are the pair exceptional musicians, they are also incredible actors and are totally captivating for the entirety of the show.
The way that Denia differentiates the multiple characters he plays is remarkable. Each has a defining physical item such as red framed glasses for Mrs Whitney, a pencil for niece and aspiring Detective Steph, and a cap for the young choir boys; but still, Denia floats from one accent to another with ease and just a spin or a cross behind Marcus switches his character in the blink of an eye. An early career defining role for him, we have no doubt.
On paper, it could be said that O’Reilly has an easier ride during the show based on the fact that he only plays one character but this is not entirely true. He must be physically and mentally aware at all times and respond to Denia’s suspects accordingly. He acts as a springboard for Denia’s multi-rolling so one would absolutely not work without the other. This is a team piece and the two actors are totally in sync with one another.
An absolute hoot of a show.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jenny Ell
Murder for Two plays at the Barn Theatre until 5 March, with tickets available here.
