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A Highly Suspect Murder Mystery: The Betray-tors

 
Victor Black Review by Victor Black 5 Published: 23 Aug 2025 theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall Show Dates: 1 Aug 2025-23 Aug 2025

Highly Suspect is a highly original theatre company who have developed a niche in interactive mystery thriller-driven theatre in which the audience is given files of information to help solve puzzles as the narrative unfolds.

Even the most seasoned of solvers will leave feeling like they were challenged

In my 2021 three-star review of a previous show of theirs, I surmised that the format is strong and could be looking at five stars in future iterations, highlighting areas for improvement as: cramming too much into the hour-long runtime; actors spoiling puzzles before we have the chance to conclude them ourselves, even with giveaway clues; and the actors not quite taking ownership of their characters. I can relievedly reveal to you that all of these flaws have now been addressed and the show has met its full potential. The extra five-minute leeway allows them to give the narrative, performances and puzzles their due attention; the puzzles are all solved in time, with enough spare to hear audience members divulge and justify their theories; and the four characters here are expertly crafted and performed, complementing each other perfectly.

We are greeted by our wonderfully named host, Claud Earwinkleman, a masterfully gender-swapped version of Claudia, performed with quirky panache that lies somewhere between tribute and parody, perhaps a little closer to Alan Cumming. But it’s Claire Voyance who truly steals the show, and it’s hard to take your eyes off her in all her gleeful kooky glory. All four carry the show well, with witty ad-libbed commentary on the audience’s petty reasons for accusations. The script is filled with quality quips, puns and asides, as well as running gags – although the first act relies too heavily on rapid-fire dad jokes to the point of overkill, but that’s the only real criticism.

We have plenty of time to look at the clues while the cast mingle with the audience, and the puzzles are all solvable, while leaving cunning Easter eggs and layered references so even the most seasoned of solvers will leave feeling like they were challenged, while newcomers will be able to access everything too.

With great intellectual stimulation, well-paced and controlled action, a perfectly devised narrative with excellent humour and writing throughout, and eking out every inch of its potential, Highly Suspect should be quickly becoming a Fringe staple for anyone looking for puzzling interactive immersive theatre. So go on and support them. Or are you … a Traitor?

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The Blurb:

It’s the nation’s favourite game of murder, exile and ridiculous twists. But when a contestant is found dead having been literally hung drawn and quartered, can the killer be proven beyond treasonable doubt? Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious new interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).