one4review | On 11, Aug 2026

Set during a storm in a drawing room of a stately home, Detective Ben Stone is killed at his own 25th birthday party, shortly after having his early retirement party, a week previous.

As the cast all sing to Ben for his birthday, the line in the song, “Everything that’s coming your way” sets the scene for murder, the lights go out, there is a bang and Bens lifeless body is on the chair.

All Five party guests have a motive, the means, and the opportunity to commit the murder.

The 5 suspects are Ben’s gold-digging wife, his besotted STEP sister, her downtrodden boyfriend, Ben’s shady drunk brother and his childhood friend, a fellow detective who has always been in Bens Shadow

As Ben is dead, his protégé and replacement sleuth Penelope Puck arrives with a birthday gift and then sets about trying to solve the case.

To help solve the case the audience are witness to extracts from Bens Journal, voice notes and flashbacks to his encounters with the 5 suspects at his retirement party.

We are treated to amusing songs and dancing as secrets and motives are exposed one by one until the killer is found, or are they?

An amazing venue that set the scene perfectly, the production features a young cast with some great comedy acting and powerful vocals, I found the start somewhat slow and then ending slightly rushed, also I struggled to hear the lyrics in the song when Penelope uncovered the murderer.

****

Louise Heathcote

Just the Fancy Room at Just the Tonic, The Caves

17.50 (1 hour 20 minutes)

Until 30th August (not 18th)