Debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe this year is Groanup Playhouse’s new murder mystery comedy ‘The Detective’s Demise’.
Groanup Playhouse have brought four shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year, all running in the same venue, one after the other, every day. The same cast members pop up in different productions and there is something for everyone, from the baby-friendly ‘Milly’s Musical Adventure’ to ‘Charming! A Disney Parody Musical’ and ‘Escape Room: The Musical’.
Detective Ben Stone is murdered at his own birthday party, snuffed out like a candle on a cake. Five suspects have means, motive and opportunity, but with Stone lying stone dead, trainee sleuth Molly Evans must take on the investigation… With showstopping songs and devilish twists, join Molly to try and solve the jaw dropping murder, as the ever more ridiculous motives of the suspects are uncovered one by one – until the killer is finally revealed…
Molly Evans leads the cast as trainee detective Nora Shields who must step up to the plate when Detective Ben Stone (Tom Rolph) is murdered at his own murder mystery birthday party. But will this new officer have bitten off more than they can chew in taking on such a big job?
Who has the motive to have killed Ben? Could it be his alcoholic brother Alex Stone (James Taylor), disheartened police officer Sam Bird (Will Bartlett), who is surprised not to have been in line for the promotion should his superior be found dead or even Ben’s money-oriented wife Kate Stone (Amy Langton-Smith), concerned her husband’s retirement may tighten her purse strings?
The cast are all wonderful but Naomi Park steals the show in this production as Lucy Stone, seemingly having her body taken over by Big Brothers Nikki Grahame. She shreiks and screams and is love with everyone it seems, apart from her boyfriend Cameron Slade (played by Joe Smith), who just wants to be taken seriously for once in his life.
The Detective’s Demise is brilliant fun. With some tightening up, this could be the love child of The Play That Goes Wrong and The Mousetrap. Thoroughly enjoyable! Check it out.
★★★★
Reviewed by West End Wilma
The Detective’s Demise plays at Just The Tonic at The Caves until 30 August 2026, 17.50-19.10
Read other reviews I have written of Edinburgh Fringe shows over the years
