Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder, Ambassadors Theatre Review
Written by Penny for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
After successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe (in 2022 and 2023), Bristol and Manchester, this new musical has now arrived in London’s West End. The original Edinburgh production ran at 70 minutes. The show is now just under two and a half hours long with additional songs and a bit more back story to Kathy and Stella, podcasters and leaders of their own “murder gang”!
Playing on the popularity of true crime podcasts, the show follows the story of best friends Kathy and Stella, who record their murder pod in Kathy’s mum’s garage. The duo are stuck in dead end jobs, still living at home, they aren’t exactly living the dream. So when their favourite crime writer, Felicia Taylor, is brutally murdered, they decide to investigate in the hopes of getting a major ratings boost and the fame and fortune that comes with it.
Written by Jon Brittain (book and lyrics) and Matthew Floyd Jones (music and lyrics), Kathy and Stella includes tropes that will be familiar to any true crime podcast fan – from digs at police incompetence to the inevitable online abuse from incels, aghast that two women dare to have opinions. This is all laugh out loud funny, alongside the banter between the girls, but at its heart this is actually a show about female friendship. The fact that this friendship is pushed to breaking point by the investigation, the attention it attracts and the different ways in which the girls deal with it, adds some depth to what could just be a lightweight parody. Instead, we are fully invested in their friendship.
The opening to the second act is an excellent addition to the show – tracing Kathy and Stella’s friendship and growing interest in murder, from primary school to the present. But while it highlighted the breakdown in the girls’ friendship very well, the Murder Con section did feel a little bit too long and while “Sue’s Song” gave the excellent Elliotte Williams-N’Dure a chance to shine, it didn’t really add much to move the story along.
Writer Jon Brittain also co-directs the show, alongside Fabian Aloise, who is also responsible for the choreography. They have done an excellent job in moving the show to a larger stage but have lost none of the elements that made it such a huge Fringe success. This is complemented by Cecilia Carey’s design that takes us from the basic set of Kathy’s mum’s garage – complete with the usual garage debris like storage boxes and tools hanging from the wall, as well as a murder board! – to the show’s other locations, from a dodgy pub to the highly inappropriate glitz and glamour of “Murder Con” – event of the year for the true crime community. Lighting from Peter Small adds to the show’s West End glow up – shining bright spotlights on the audience that make us all “part of the story”. The cast members move the stage furniture around to set the various scenes, with Kathy and Stella’s rather battered old office chairs spun around the stage as we move in and out of their broadcasts. It’s very well choreographed and gives an impression of perfectly organised chaos.
The music, accompanied by a four piece on-stage band, is catchy with lyrics that are mostly played for laughs. Unfortunately, there were times when I couldn’t hear everything that was being sung as a lot of the characters played by the actors are OTT stereotypes, so occasionally diction was lost in favour of exaggerated performance. Although she perfectly embodied the very dramatic Felicia Taylor, with her excellent characterisation and physicality, I did miss a lot from Hannah-Jane Fox which was a shame as this is a fabulous, camp diva of a role.
In the central roles of Kathy and Stella, Bronté Barbé and Rebekah Hinds are exceptional. They have been with the production from the start, and it shows. They have excellent chemistry and are completely believable as childhood friends who have been through a lot together over the years. Their powerful singing voices blend beautifully. This is demonstrated at its best in their duet, “If I Didn’t Have You (I Would Die)” – combining comedy, gorgeous harmonies and some real heartfelt emotion. They give two well-rounded, distinct characters with their own quirks and foibles, but are at their absolute strongest as a pair, and always stay likeable even when they’re not doing the right thing. They’re brilliantly written and performed.
They are supported by an excellent ensemble cast who take on a number of different roles between them. Special mention has to go to Imelda Warren-Green, who has a showstopping number that absolutely brings the house down.
This is a great time for discovering new musicals in London – whether the stories are about the spectacle of Live Aid or a simple meeting between strangers in New York, we have been spoilt for choice this year. It’s fantastic to see so many shows that started out as Fringe productions turning into full scale musicals. Although I don’t think Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder quite hits the heights of Operation Mincemeat or Six, it’s a thoroughly entertaining show with a fantastic cast that fully deserves its place on the West End stage. Whether you’re a fan of true crime or just a fan of excellent musical theatre, this one is highly recommended.
So, as Kathy and Stella would say, See you next Murder!
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder is playing at the Ambassador’s Theatre until Saturday 14th September 2024. Find out more and book here.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
