The Other Side of Murder | Theatr Clwyd

What exactly is The Other Side of Murder? It’s comedy, mystery, horror, farce, biography, murder… and it seems determined not to settle comfortably into any one genre. Instead, it gleefully borrows from each, creating a cleverly-scripted controlled chaos in which nothing quite feels predictable.

Rufus Hound as Peter/Darius is particularly skilled at conveying the mounting panic at the heart of the action. His performance makes the tension palpable, while never losing sight of the comedy lurking beneath it. Susie Blake as Miriam bursts onto the scene with the kind of comic energy that feels both entirely expected and utterly welcome. Her performance is both beautiful and hilarious, bringing an immediate lift to the proceedings and proving a perfect foil to the increasingly absurd situation unfolding around her. 

Carla Mendonça as Susannah delivers an eloquent and assured performance, which provides an essential anchor for the farce. She manages to make even the most outlandish moments feel somehow believable, allowing the audience to invest in the characters while enjoying the sheer absurdity of what is taking place. Aisha Jawando as Laura brings another layer of comic unpredictability. Her character has us on the edge of our seats, never quite knowing what she might do next - an uncertainty that becomes part of the fun.

The introduction of a key character just before the interval provides one of the twists we have been primed to expect, neatly shifting the direction of the story. Then, in Act Two, another key player enters the fray, throwing the carefully balanced chaos into yet another dimension. By this point, I genuinely had no idea how it was going to end - and that is no small achievement.

There is something particularly enjoyable about the way The Other Side of Murder embraces its own absurdity, yet beneath the apparent mayhem is a remarkable sense of control. This is controlled chaos: unpredictable, wonderfully bonkers and, above all, entertaining.

It may defy easy classification, but perhaps that is precisely its appeal. Just when you think you have worked out where the story is heading, it takes another turn - leaving you laughing, guessing and waiting to see what could possibly happen next.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Manuel Harlan