Review by Markus Hamence – Murder She Didn’t Write – Performance date: Tuesday 03 March 2026. Gluttony, Adelaide, South Australia.
Direct from London’s West End! Don your deerstalker, grab your magnifying glass and get your ‘finger of suspicion’ at the ready as you, the audience, become the author of an Agatha Christie-inspired masterpiece live on stage. At each show this extraordinarily talented company use audience suggestions to create a unique, original and hilarious murder mystery just for you. All you have to do… is solve it!
Ms Gold poisoned at a synchronised swimming gala? Dr Blue exploded by cannon during a hot air balloon race? Professor Violet crushed to death at a Love Island recoupling? You decide!
But will you guess whodunnit before the killer is revealed?
“It was odd, it was chaotic, it was stupid and, importantly, ridiculously hilarious. The cast could barely contain themselves at points…”
Markus Hamence
Let’s unpack this mystery…
Stepping into Murder, She Didn’t Write at The Gosling in Gluttony feels a bit like stumbling into a classic Christie novel with the suspense turned way up – except this time you’re not just reading the book, you’re helping write it. This West End import brings an improvisational twist to the traditional whodunnit, inviting the audience to prime the plot with wild scenarios that the cast then stitches into a one-off, laugh-til-you-leak mystery every night. It’s fun.
From the moment you’re handed the reins – and encouraged to dream up the kind of ludicrous yet strangely plausible deaths that would make Hercule Poirot raise an eyebrow – it’s clear this isn’t your standard Fringe fare. Poisoned at a synchronised swimming gala? A hot-air balloon cannonball gone wrong? A Love Island recoupling with fatal flair? These aren’t just punchlines – they become the bones of a devilishly inventive show that’s equal parts puzzle, pantomime and peak comedy improv. Our performance had ‘Bare Feet Grape Crushing, Foot Festishes and being killed by a harsh blow from an upside down Tiara to the head, strongly, with force. It was odd, it was chaotic, it was stupid and, importantly, ridiculously hilarious. The cast could barely contain themselves at points.
“There’s an unpredictable thrill in watching professional performers lean into improvised chaos…”
Markus Hamence
The company’s chemistry is magnetic; they don’t just respond to audience ideas, they elevate them. There’s an unpredictable thrill in watching professional performers lean into improvised chaos – the quick thinking, the sharp callbacks, the way a gag lands with the perfect timing of a well-plotted twist. It’s theatre that feels alive, teetering on the edge of organised mayhem in the best possible way.
What makes Murder, She Didn’t Write especially fun is its accessibility. Us, the audience, decide the Killer and the Victim. You don’t need to be a mystery buff or a theatre aficionado to be swept up in the experience – it’s just as satisfying to sit back and watch the madness unfold as it is to toss in ideas and watch them come to life. The balance between audience agency and professional performance is masterful, delivering a show that feels personal, playful and wholly of the moment.
On a broader level, this is exactly the kind of independent theatre that thrives at the Fringe – something that feels both familiar and surprisingly fresh. It pays homage to the golden age of mystery while inviting audiences to take the wheel, making each performance feel like an exclusive event you’ll want to tell your mates about.
If you’re in Adelaide and craving an experience that’s clever, spontaneous and hilarious without ever feeling forced, Murder, She Didn’t Write is a standout. It doesn’t just ask “whodunnit?” – it asks “how far will your imagination take you?”.
Credit!
Murder, She Didn’t Write
Tuesday 03 March – Sunday 15 March 2026
The Gosling at Gluttony – Rymill Park
Tickets
