Welcome to Midsomer - the idyllic English county which surely boasts the highest crime rates in Europe. How else can the dramatic scenes which unfold in the sleepy village of Badger’s Drift be explained? By the time the curtain has fallen on hit crime drama Midsomer Murders’ first foray onto the stage, the body count will be staggering - especially for a hamlet which boasts just two roads…

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift, showing this week at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, shares its story with the popular ITV series’ very first episode, and Caroline Graham’s inaugural ‘Inspectory Barnaby’ book - the play is a celebration of not-so-cozy crime, which offers a knowing wink to its appreciative audience. 

Fans of the mild-mannered cop Tom Barnaby may recall the twists, turns, and finest red herrings from their first encounter with the story - then again, nearly 30 years and 138 episodes have passed since that episode’s premiere, so some details might be hazy. The joy of this production, however, goes far beyond the simple question of ‘Whodunnit?’

Leading the cast as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is Daniel Casey - who himself appeared in the TV series’ first seven seasons, not as DCI Barnaby (who was portrayed by John Nettles), but as his hapless assistant, Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy. It’s a pleasing ‘full circle’ moment for Casey, who isn’t trying to imitate Nettles, and does a fine job whether breaking alibis or fielding offers of tea and cake. DS Troy is played on stage by James Bradwell, who is charming and slightly inept - just as he should be. 

The cast as a whole are marvelous, with just five actors playing the remaining 13 (unlucky for several) major roles. Real care has been taken by Writer/Director Guy Unsworth to ensure that each performer gets their moment to shine, and there is a lightness of spirit to the play - in spite of the dark secrets harboured by most of the population of Badger’s Drift. 

Each performer is clearly having great fun, whether they flex their acting muscles, appearing as vastly different characters from scene to scene (like Nathalie Barclay and Rupert Sadler), they occasionally play cross-gender (such as Chandrika Chevli and John Dougall) or simply have a whale of a time as irrepressible amateur sleuth, Lucy Bellringer (Julie Legrand).

The murders in Midsomer might be cruel and unusual - part of the fun is how unhinged these unassuming villagers can be - but there’s nothing gritty about this crime drama. Instead, the ridiculous moments (of which there are many) are heartily celebrated, with melodrama often giving way to raucous laughter from the audience. If ever there was a time to tear yourself away from an afternoon re-run, this is it. 

Four Stars

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift was reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Tuesday 10 March at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, where it shows until Saturday 14 March