Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 4 April 2026
3***
There’s plenty going on in Murder at Midnight at Darlington Hippodrome, arguably a little too much. Torben Betts’ darkly comic thriller aims to blend farce, family drama and a high-stakes whodunnit, and while it often entertains, it doesn’t always fully land.
Set over the course of a chaotic New Year’s Eve, the play follows a dysfunctional family gathering that quickly spirals into violence, secrets and suspicion. The script is packed with twists and sharp one-liners, and there’s a clear ambition to keep the audience constantly off balance. At its best, it’s genuinely funny and engaging; at its most cluttered, it feels like it’s trying to juggle too many ideas at once.
The cast commit fully to the mayhem. Jason Durr brings a controlled menace to Jonny ‘The Cyclops’, grounding the production with a sense of real danger, while Susie Blake steals scenes with impeccable comic timing as his delightfully eccentric mother. Max Bowden and Katie McGlynn inject energy and emotional tension into the central relationships, even when the narrative becomes tangled.
Director Philip Franks keeps the action moving at pace, leaning into the farcical elements without losing sight of the darker undertones. The creative team support this well: Colin Falconer’s multi-level set is particularly effective, allowing scenes to overlap and unfold with a cinematic fluidity, while lighting and sound design heighten the sense of unease as the night descends further into chaos.
That said, the sheer volume of plot twists and tonal shifts can make it hard to stay fully invested. Just as the tension begins to build, it’s often undercut by another comic beat or narrative detour. The result is entertaining, but occasionally exhausting.
Ultimately, Murder at Midnight is a solid night out – funny, stylish and performed with conviction – but it falls just short of being truly gripping. A lively crowd-pleaser with flashes of brilliance, even if it doesn’t quite come together as cleanly as it might.