Review: A Killer Party

Source: stream.theatre

How are we all lovely people! Long time no see!! I haven't realised fully until now that I haven't put anything out since The Lorax - 6 weeks ago now!.... Whoops!
It has been busy my end though. My job has now kicked off again with the rules on weddings starting to relax (woohoo!), though that's come with a change of hours to include weekends now (...oh), and I have managed to pick up not just one but TWO volunteering positions (WOOHOO!!), that have been starting all at the same time...! 

So, it's been interesting trying to watch and review things. The only other thing I have seen in this gap (but didn't write up), was Private Peaceful at the Barn Theatre, which I really enjoyed, and reminded me why I love the original book so much. 

Buuut that's not what we're going to be talking about. Onto the the topic at hand, we're doing a murder mystery - this is all about the new musical A Killer Party, created during the middle of lockdown! 

I just want to throw out that it will be the British version of the show we will talking about; we've had two versions out at almost the same time, one here and one in the States, but it will be the British version we will be discussing. 

Source: A Killer Party UK (@akillerpartyuk) • Instagram photos and videos

In this musical, Harriet Thorpe (Mame) plays Justine Case, a retired detective trying to write her memoirs. The highlight of which being her very first case: a mysterious death among a Blackpool theatre group during a dinner party, that resulted in the artistic director Varthur McArthur (played by Jason Manford (Curtains)) to end up face down in his soup... 

Was it the leading actor, the up-and-comer, the stage manager, the wife, or someone else.....? We follow a younger Justine Case (played hilariously by Emma Salvo) as she pieces the clues together. 

What is interesting about this is that A Killer Party is a binge-able musical. What do I mean by that - well instead of one slick performance, it gives us 9 10-minute episodes for you to, well, binge. It may not work for the majority of shows, but's quite a neat trick for this particular show to be honest, as just like with shows such as Line of Duty, it keeps the viewer's anticipation high - but obviously a lot funnier than Line of Duty... As it is a MYSTERY, it works.

Source: A Killer Party UK (@akillerpartyuk) • Instagram photos and videos

A Killer Party is one of the funniest things you will see, mainly in how over the top it is. Director Benji Sperring truly lets the actors let their hair down and let rip. 

Since it acts a parody of a murder mystery, everyone in this cast acts over the top, particularly the suspects: the rivalry between Debbie Kurup's Vivika and Amara Okereke's Lily: the nerdiness of stage manager Clarke (played by Lucas Rush): Oscar Conlon-Murray (First Date) being 100% himself: Rachel Tucker (Songs For A New World) as frustrated wife Joan, the list goes on. 

Some of it can get a little TOO OTT and can therefore drag, the duet between Kurup and Cedric Neal (Back to the Future) being but it usually knows when to nip it in the bud. Plus Nathan Tyson's lyrics are absolutely hilarious (who knew the person who penned Amelie's blissful tunes could also do this!). 

As it IS a mystery, I really don't want to give too much away, but the main thing you take from it is that this is almost what Curtains SHOULD have been in terms of its plot devices. It keeps the plot to the mystery and nothing much else; it keeps you focused on Justine and the task in hand, rather than swanning off to do other things when it likes (which was my big problem with Curtains). 

Source: A Killer Party UK (@akillerpartyuk) • Instagram photos and videos

A Killer Party is still playing on demand on stream.theatre until this Sunday, 30th May. If you want a fun mystery that is over the top and doesn't take itself seriously in the slightest, then this will be a fantastic choice. 

You can buy all 9 episodes together for £25, or individually. 

I have neglected to mention until now that ... well, just the small piece of news that theatres are now open!! Not all of course, but some things are starting to come back... and hopefully it will not be too long until I do less filmed performances and more in-person ones... Watch. This. Space.