This is part of a series of shorter reviews from Edinburgh Fringe, August 2024.
From improv group “Degrees of Error”, “Murder She Didn’t Write” is an improvised murder mystery that takes audience suggestions of location and murder weapon and spins them into a clever story.
The play is introduced by Detective William Solveit (Peter Baker), who takes suggestions from the audience, before nominating one audience member as his assistant Jerkins via a random toss of a deerstalker. Baker did a great job of compering the show, easily creating a relaxed relationship with the crowd. For the show that we saw, the mystery was set at a reunion party for survivors of the Titanic, with a Victoria sponge acting as a potential murder weapon. The entire play was set on a boat (Titanic 2), which helped create the atmosphere of a locked-door murder mystery.
Short scenes set up each of the main characters, with different coloured costumes and colour-related names reminiscent of a game of Cluedo. Then it was up to Jerkins to randomly select a coloured card which determined who would be murdered, and who would be the killer.
The cast then put together a very intricate mystery on the spot. Scarlett (Emily Brady) was found dead, frozen solid with her mouth full of cake. Motives of each of the characters were revealed via flashbacks. Her husband Green (Stephen Clements) had recently discovered she didn’t love him. Green’s ex-fiancée Lady Gold (Rachael Proctor-Lane) was jealous that Scarlett and Green were in a seemingly happy marriage. Chef Violet (Sylvia Bishop) was furious that Scarlett looked so good for her age. Captain Blue (Matthew Whittle) was secretly Scarlett’s son.
Some of the story became very absurd, as it was revealed that Violet could speak to porpoises and Green immediately decided to remarry after discovering his dead wife. With Detective Solveit arriving on the scene, it was up to Baker to determine the outcome of the plot, and he did an excellent job of providing a satisfactory explanation for the insanity set-up by the other actors. Blue’s room key, which had previously been thrown overboard, suddenly ended up back on the ship. Baker explained that it had been retrieved by porpoises, instructed thanks to Blue learning the dialect from Violet. The word “DION” was scrawled on the window. Baker explained that it was the remainder of a Titanic-related pun, written on the window by the murderer: “My heart will DIE ON”.
All very silly but all incredibly clever. If you are looking for some improv at the Edinburgh fringe, this is the one to watch.
Tom Morley, August 2024
“Murder, She Didn’t Write” plays at Assembly George Square at 3:50pm until August 26th.
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