Entertaining Murder - a Murder Mystery Musical Book, Music & Lyrics by Chris Burgess, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London N6 | until 10 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: Peter Davies

Entertaining Murder - a Murder Mystery Musical Book

Music & Lyrics by Chris Burgess

Upstairs at the Gatehouse, North Road, Highgate Village, London N6 | until 10 May 2026

⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“More misses than hits.”

When this musical based on the 1922 Bywaters murder case was first staged about eighteen months ago at the Gatehouse, I gave it 3*** and I see no reason to change that verdict for this new redesigned version. Last time I said that the Bywaters murder was about a miscarriage of justice and “selling” the show as a murder mystery musical was a mistake, but who reads reviews? The score is melodious but has little or nothing to do with the period instead we are treated to the usual sub Lloyd Webber arias which the cast warble at top voice, and the redesigned costumes are most odd and look like nothing anyone in Ilford, where the Thompsons lived, would have worn let alone a nineteen year old seaman. Burgess has only himself to blame for the improvements, if they are that, since he also directs it. On press night the cast would deliver a number and the expected applause for hitting those high notes did not come leaving them momentarily adrift. There is a story to be told but Burgess does not tell it The problem was that Edith wrote letters to Freddie and in them she fantasised about killing her husband which were found and contributed to the image of her as a wicked woman who corrupted an innocent young man in the tabloid press of the time and also  how she was seen at the trial by the jury. Alex Cosgriff playing several characters as well as Percy is very good and the veteran Sue Kelvin holds it together as Ava, Edith's sister who in effect narrates the story. But singing well, which Daisy Snelson and Dominic Sullivan do, is not enough to make the affair between Edith and her toy boy credible given the way the book is constructed, although it is just possible Dora Gee as a young Ava – Freddie had been her friend - could be a young Kelvin. Maybe back to the drawing board would be the thing to do.

Cast

Daisy Snelson – Edith Thompson

Dominic Sullivan – Freddy Bywaters

Dora Gee – Young Ava Graydon

Percy Thompson – Alex Cosgriff

Sue Kelvin – Ava Graydon

Creatives

Director – Chris Burgess

Musical Arranger – Steven Ellis

Musical Director & Orchestrations – Aaron Clingham

Choreographer – Robbie O'Reilly

Costume Designer – Carla Joy Evans

Lighting Designer – Richard Lambert

Production Assistant – Angie Lawrence

Theatre, musical      28 April 2026.

Photo Credit – Peter Davies.