Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift UK TOUR - Thrilling ***** Review!

I had the pleasure of being invited to review the current touring production of Caroline Graham’s Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift. You may know, I do love a good murder mystery story, and in this review I will detail exactly why Midsomer Murders took me by surprise, spoiler-free… (of course!)

The play itself follows the story of the novel and the first episode of the popular TV series of the same title. Fans of the show may recognise this story; lucky for me… I had never seen it and had the joy of experiencing it all first-hand for the first time!Written and directed by Guy Unsworth, this stage adaptation is a stroke of genius — featuring many classic theatre tropes and styles, whilst bringing the county of Midsomer to the stage in a way that people will recognise and relate to.

I won’t go into a plot synopsis on this one, but a lot unfolds in Badger’s Drift after the mysterious passing of gentle, orchid-loving, older-lady Emily Simpson…What seems simple at first descends into chaos throughout this sleepy village, and we follow the investigation with Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy.

I adored the comedic use of multi-role in this production. It takes a while to notice it, but when you do, it makes the show even more fun - spotting who is playing which role and how different they have made the characters. I also enjoyed the use of the classic ‘Dream Ballet’/fever dream section, which really made me chuckle.

Set design by David Woodhead creates the idealistic little village of Badger’s Drift, and the clever ‘porthole’ design with the house pieces in the background really immerses the audience in the story. This, paired with Matt Haskin’s lighting complimenting the action, creates a great atmosphere.

Having played Detective Sergeant Troy in the TV series of Midsomer Murders, Daniel Casey leads the investigation — but this time as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby — who commanded the stage and the story very well, but without coming off as cold or rude - quite the opposite, actually. I think Casey’s gentle but assertive approach to this role has created something very special and enjoyable to watch.

James Bradwell plays DS Gavin Troy, adding some areas of comedy to the play. This duo have amazing chemistry, and it is so nice to see the bond they have as the plot develops. Bradwell’s performance was honest and gripping.

Another massive standout for me was Julie Legrand, who played three roles within the show, but for the most part ‘Lucy Bellringer’, an older-lady who was best friends with ‘Emily Simpson’. Her physicalisation and vocalisation of the role was impeccable and very different from her other parts within the show.

Every single performer played their roles incredibly well. I thought the multi-rolling was excellently executed by all, and I would love to be able to mention every single performer within my review.

This kind of play is always very exciting to me. I went in not really knowing what to expect, and within five minutes I was hooked and completely inside the world of Badger’s Drift. I was not expecting the comedic elements or the beautiful set, and I was really quite taken aback — not to mention the incredible twists and turns throughout the story. It is absolutely breathtaking.Whether you’re a fan of the book, the series, or not at all… I recommend this to the detectives and murder mystery lovers. I really enjoyed it, and I don’t think that this should be underestimated. So get your magnifying glass, head on down to Badger’s Drift, and book some tickets!

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift is playing at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, until Saturday 31st January, with very limited tickets left — book now before they’re gone. Tickets for Guildford can be found here.

If you’re looking to catch this on the rest of its tour, you’ll find tickets here!

28th January 2026 

Robbie Davies | Robbie’s Backstage Bants