Best friends for life Kathy and Stella are the murder-obsessed hosts of Yorkshire’s least successful true crime podcast. And things aren’t looking great. Their careers are nonexistent, their families are worried sick and their favourite author, Felicia Taylor, has just been killed. But that does mean they’ve got the chance to take on the job they were born to do. It’s time to solve a crime.
Armed with only their Twitter feeds, their “murder gang” of limited online devotees and no experience, can they do it? This murder mystery musical presented by Fleabag producer Francesca Moody is a thrilling foray into silliness. Starting out in the role of Felicia, Jodie Jacobs then transforms into the murder victim’s sister and brother – even if, hilariously, they’re all basically the same on first entrance.
Written and directed by Jon Brittain, there is not a second of stillness in this wonderfully cheerful production which even has a dancing dead body to find if you look hard enough. Accompanied by lightning music and lyrics from Matthew Floyd Jones, who plays keyboard on stage, it is packed with artistry. As Kathy, Bronté Barbé is the jittery cutesy companion – with brilliant high notes – to Rebekah Hinds’s more cutting and dominating Stella. Together, their voices blend perfectly.
Not all of Brittain and Jones’s songs are memorable but there are some laugh-out-loud numbers. In their greeting to their fans, Kathy and Stella project into a red microphone, confessing Wikipedia is their main fact source, before giving a syrupy sweet list of their “favourite murders”.
You might expect with all this musical theatre tweeness that it might become annoying – but it doesn’t. You can’t help but buy into Stella and Kathy’s lovable lifelong friendship and mission. Best of all? You never guess whodunnit in this night of fun.
At Roundabout @ Summerhall, Edinburgh, until 28 August.
