Murder for Two AT THE OCTAGON BOLTON – Putting the Laughter into Manslaughter!

Review by Hilary Dawes

With books, music and lyrics by Joe Kinosian and Keller Blair, director Caroline Leslie’s

re-imagining sets the play in a BBC radio studio in 1959.   With nods to film noir and Hollywood nostalgia, this is a hilarious fast-paced musical, with multi-talented actors Lucy Keirl and Tom Babbage playing 13 characters between them. 

When a scheduled radio programme is cancelled at the last minute, two studio technicians are tasked with presenting a murder mystery play:

The famous novelist Arthur Whitney has been found dead at this birthday party and it’s time to call in the detectives – the only problem is that they’re out of town.  Enter local cop Marcus Moscowicz (Tom Babbage), who dreams of climbing the ranks.  He aims to prove his super sleuthing skills and solve the murder before the real detective arrives.

Mayhem ensues as Marcus sets out to whittle down the many suspects and reveal the murderer.   The action continues at dizzying speed, as Marcus attempts to keep control of the situation whilst the motley group of birthday guests become more and more volatile.  Tom Babbage and Lucy Keirl are at the absolute top of their game with the madcap comedy and music careering ahead non-stop, interspersed with hilarious sound effects, as they demonstrate their incredible acting skills along with virtuoso musicianship, with either one or both of them constantly at the keyboard, underpinning the songs and dialogue, which never falter, as the play progresses. The pair also have great fun with the audience, with spontaneous ad-lib, comic asides, knowing looks and in-jokes delivered with impeccable comic timing.

Lucy Keirl provides an acting master class with her jaw-dropping skills in seamlessly portraying all the suspects.  Her astonishing ability to switch back and forth between characters at lightning speed, whilst also delivering a huge repertoire of songs, is sublime.  With no costume changes and just an alteration of stance, expression or accent, Lucy becomes in turn the murder victim’s widow, a flirtatious French ballerina, a German psychologist, the eager niece intent on assisting Marcus, not to mention a quarrelling married couple, a slightly unhinged fireman and three young members of a boys’ choir, relishing the idea of a gruesome murder! 

An imaginative set from the talented creative team incorporated the feel of a fifties sound studio and the impression of a country house drawing room, complete with grand piano.

Don’t miss this joyously clever and funny show which is running at the Octagon Bolton until 27 June.

Visit: https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/murder-for-two

Octagon Theatre, Court, Howell Croft S, Bolton BL1 1UR