Murder, Music, and Misdirection: How Murder for Two Revives the Whodunnit for Modern Audiences
By Carmen Gray
The MAC theatre in Belfast was presenting Murder for Two last month, a modern whodunnit centring around two actors—Will Arundell and Rob Gathercole. Together they play over thirteen different roles—most of whom are suspects in the murder. The show develops over 90 minutes with plot twists, uncertainties and many impressive musical numbers. With heavy audience participation and uncomplicated humour, the show offers insight into an intriguing trend developing in modern theatre.
To begin, the show itself was very impressive. Arundell and Gathercole demonstrated wide ranging skills which were highlighted by the multidimensional nature of the show. The acting abilities required to successfully portray thirteen different characters are considerable, but the fact that the two performers managed this alongside professionally trained singing and dancing gave the show a refined feel, while still maintaining its light-hearted charm. Arundell played the majority of the characters, and I found myself genuinely impressed by his stamina in changing accents, vocabulary, facial expressions and postures. Whilst his singing and dancing came across as high-quality and professional, his acting and commitment to the bit outshone his other talents. Gathercole was similarly talented, with his singing, acting and dancing presenting as polished. The two worked very well together, bouncing well of each other when improvising small moments
The use of props to distinguish each character was highly effective, complemented by dynamic lighting and sound design. The use of space and blocking was particularly noticeable as often Arundell would be moving (running) from one section of the stage to another io order to transition characters. This added to the comedic tone of the show and also ensured that the stage never felt empty despite only having two performers. The pacing of the show as an audience member was perfect, fast enough to keep interest but not so fast to lose understanding of the plot.
The humour of the show gradually won me over; although I was unsure at first, as the performance progressed, both I and the rest of the audience found ourselves laughing more and more as it went on. The show also relied on audience participation and classic interactive theatre, the highlight of which included bringing an audience member on stage. On the night I attended, the audience reaction was highly positive, with consistent laughter, applause and a standing ovation. This nod to classic participatory theatre, alongside the simplicity in representing each character by one prop, gave the show a pantomime-esque nostalgia.
With all of this, I couldn’t help but notice that the show stood out from others I’ve seen recently. It wasn’t dark, nor did it attempt any overt form of social or political commentary. It provided both the intellectual and humorous nature of a traditional whodunnit—which are traditionally escapist and focused on entertaining.
In a historical context, many whodunnits were composed in the so called “Golden Age” of murder mystery- between the 1920s and 1950s. Many of these classic whodunnits were composed during or between major upheavals and times of crises, such as WWI, WWII and the Cold War. There may be many contributing factors to this trend—increasing desire for escapism, wartime rumours and even the concept of a narrative with a solid conclusion. This makes the recent rise in these particular narratives particularly interesting. This revival includes television series like The Afterparty (2022) and films such as Knives Out (2019), both of which demonstrated roaring success and popularity. I found myself wondering if in the modern climate of political polarisation, instability and changing values, the simplicity and structured nature of whodunnits are becoming increasingly appealing.
Murder for Two is a showcase of light-hearted yet skilful theatre, demonstrating not only the versatility of its two performers but also the enduring appeal of the whodunnit genre. In a time where much of theatre leans toward heavy or political themes, this production offers a refreshing return to entertainment for its own sake; witty, comedic, and impressively performed. Its success is not just in the performances but in the recognition of a collective desire for clarity, resolution, and a bit of fun amidst wider uncertainty. As political and cultural tensions continue to rise, this revival of the classic whodunnit taps into a growing audience desire for clarity and closure—a cultural craving that could define theatre’s next chapter.
