The Other Side of Murder is the third and final part of the successful murder trilogy from writer Torben Betts and director Philip Franks. Produced by Original Theatre and Theatre Clwyd, the first two parts premiered in 2023 and 2025, and both toured for six months. This third and final part is currently touring mid-sized regional theatres across England. Despite being part of a trilogy, it worked fine as a standalone piece, and we didn’t feel disadvantaged by not having seen the first two instalments.
Billed a comic thriller, The Other Side of Murder is more funny than scary. Despite the theme of murder, the death in question and what follows is played as a humorous rather than horrific event. It begins as a familiar-seeming farce with larger-than-life characters and an improbable plot, but it redeems itself with clever writing and a big unforeseen twist at the end.
The story centres on Peter, a struggling TV personality. Known professionally as Darius Devine, Peter claims to have supernatural powers whereby he can talk to the dead, enabling audience members to reconnect with loved ones. Peter has been having an affair with Laura, who tells him that she is pregnant, a situation that he tries to hide from his wife Susannah, who is also his agent and promoter. Add to this scenario the arrival of Peter’s estranged daughter Jen, and an appearance of his aged mother-in-law Miriam. Predictably, mayhem and murder follow, until a surprise ending that sheds a completely new light on what we have been watching.
The writing is quick-witted with some great one-liners and observations that play on age and class differences. For example, when Susannah quotes “I Will Survive”, the much younger Laura says she hasn’t heard of Gloria Gaynor. Peter’s admission that his affair with Laura took place at Wetherspoons in Stoke and in a Travelodge in Slough elicited much laughter. Some elements that initially appeared as plot holes, like why, when Laura poses as a French chef, Susannah doesn’t notice that Laura can’t speak French, are explained away in the final reveal.
Rufus Hound makes a convincing Peter, a clueless curmudgeon sporting a giant handlebar moustache. Susie Blake excels as Miriam, who initially seems slightly unhinged as she joyfully sings out Gilbert and Sullivan. But as events unfold, she emerges as the sanest, most honest and most likeable person in the room. In contrast, Carla Mendonça’s Susannah starts out as a beacon of common sense but grows more evil and calculating as the evening progresses.
The set, which appears to be a static suburban family Christmas sitcom interior, magically transforms into something a bit more fun. The drama is enhanced with some choice sound and visual effects. Clever lighting adds a suitably spooky note, and some great illusions make the show especially entertaining. The Other Side of Murder clearly delighted its appreciative Bromley audience, many of whom were likely fans of the genre, but also worked as a well-written and creatively executed farce delivering a fun evening out for a more general audience.
At the Churchill Theatre Bromley 2-7 November 2026, then on tour at theatres across England.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
