The Other Side of Murder
Torben Betts
Original Theatre, Theatr Clwyd
Theatr Clwyd
September 8-12, 2026; 2hrs 10mins
(also at Blackpool Grand, October 20-24; Leeds Playhouse, February 23-27, 2027 and other venues)
Beware ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night. The Other Side of Murder is a dark farce with a definite moral to it; the third in what has been loosely described as a murder trilogy, written by Torben Betts, directed by Philip Franks and produced by Original Theatre Company. Some familiar themes surface throughout them, but this is a refreshingly new piece of theatre that holds attention throughout.
We meet Peter - aka Darius Devine - a medium who has had a lacklustre career but now has a resurgence of fortune, thanks to an appearance on a celebrity game show. His manager, promoter and wife, Suzanne has managed to get him a primetime slot on TV and he is expecting great success. But he has a past, now catching up with him, in the form of spurned mistress Laura, who appears on his doorstep as he and Suzanne prepare a celebratory meal with his estranged daughter, Jen. All the ingredients for a farce that has plenty of dark humour, a dive into supernatural speculation and more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.
Rufus Hound is excellent as pompous Peter, who becomes increasingly flustered as events unfold around him. Carla Mendonca plays a purposeful, driven Suzanne, who develops several facets to her character as she gets increasingly frustrated with her husband. But it is Suzie Blake as Peter's mother-in-law, Miriam, who steals the show. After a slightly eccentric, embittered start she dominates parts of the second act as she reveals she is, apparently, a better spiritual medium than the fraudulent Peter.
The kitchen-diner set is simple but effective, and lighting and sound effects purposely make us jump and heighten the sense of suspense.
The Other Side of Murder is a well-written, unpredictable farce that makes several telling points. Of course Peter gets his comeuppance for his infidelity, and revenge for Suzanne and Laura is sweet. The play also comments on the truism that marriages can become stale and lifeless, making the temptation to stray irresistible to some. Betts also contrasts the lavish lifestyle of Peter with the impoverished background of Laura, and explores the power of social media and its positive and negative uses.
But the telling moment comes from Suzanne, who bemoans the lot of an ageing woman - who sees her partner's eye wander to younger and seemingly more attractive women and is relatively powerless to stop it. This is the justification for her revenge on her promiscuous husband.
This thoughtful, funny play gripped the audience and left them guessing to the end. Though at times it suspends realism, it was well received and thoroughly appreciated by a full theatre.
More info and tickets here
Aisha Jawando and Carla Mendonca in The Other Side of Murder Rufus Hound and Sarah Lawn in The Other Side of Murder Beth Lilly and Susie Blake in The Other Side of Murder
