‘I guarantee it will keep the audience guessing’: new comedy thriller comes to Northampton
Favourites from stage and screen will take to the stage in Northampton in February in a new comedy thriller.
Called Murder at Midnight, the play is written by the acclaimed playwright Torben Betts – whose credits include Birdsong, Murder in the Dark and The Mirror Crack’d – directed by Philip Franks and produced by the award-winning company Original Theatre.
It’s New Year’s Eve in a quiet corner of Kent and a killer is in the house. There’s notorious gangster Jonny ‘The Cyclops’, his glamorous wife, his trigger-happy sidekick, his mum who’s seeing things, her very jittery carer, plus a vicar who’s hiding something, and a nervous burglar dressed as a clown. Add a suitcase full of cash, a stash of deadly weapons, and one infamous unsolved murder, and it’s a mystery with a difference, showing that even the best-laid plans can unravel spectacularly when the wrong people are in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
The play stars Jason Durr (whose credits include Heartbeat and Casualty) as Jonny ‘The Cyclops’, Susie Blake (Coronation Street and Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV) as Shirley, and Katie McGlynn (Coronation Street and Hollyoaks) as Lisa. They are joined by Callum Balmforth as Russell, Peter Moreton as Trainwreck and Iryna Poplavska as Cristina, with Bella Farr and Andy McLeod as Police Officers/Understudies.
Jason Durr said: "If Quentin Tarantino was to write a play, this would be it.
“It’s a blend of razor sharp wit and gripping murder mystery, full of twists and turns, dark humour, and chilling suspense. Throw in a suitcase full of cash, a bunch of ravenous dogs, a chainsaw and an unsolved murder, and what’s not to like? And I can guarantee it will keep the audience guessing almost until the curtain comes down.
"It’s a fantastic company, we’re really blessed. When you get to work with people with naturally funny bones it’s just such a delight. We’ve got a great support cast as well, an outstanding bunch of actors. I think one of the challenges will be that we might have too much fun, and I’ll be struggling not to laugh the whole time.”
Murder at Midnight runs at the Royal & Derngate from February 16 to 21. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.