Chesterfield Operatic Society’s Whodunnit!? The Musical – 18 June 2026, Hasland Playhouse
Review by Nicola Bourne.
I must admit that I didn’t really know what to expect from last night’s Whodunnit!? The Musical, performed by Chesterfield Operatic Society. It certainly wasn’t a show I was familiar with, prior to attending, but wow, I’m so glad I got to experience it, for the first time, with no preconceptions. Written by Dave Culling, a renowned composer, with a history of interactive shows, it soon becomes obvious that the performance is in good hands, as he takes on the role of Musical Director for this local production and performs on keys, together with the talented onstage band.
Taking the form of an Agatha Christie style, country house murder mystery, and flipping it completely to include audience participation, silliness and so many laughs, it’s a unique take on this, usually serious genre, which had me chuckling throughout! I realised halfway through that my face was hurting from smiling so much!
While I’m not usually the biggest fan of any kind of audience interaction, I hold my hands up and admit, that in this show, it’s the funniest thing ever, adding so much fun, chaos and confusion, as the chosen audience members navigate their newfound roles as clueless bobbies! Think Generation Game (if you’re old enough to remember it) and well done to these volunteers (and future ones) for putting themselves forward for some gentle humiliation. The talented cast are able to turn their obvious unease into comedy gold, and I can’t imagine the show now, without it!
It tells the story of Doug Witherspoon, an insulting and patronising gentleman, who treats his wife, Dinah, and everyone around him, with contempt. Present at a gathering at his home, are his resentful manservant, Freddie Fusspot, his devoted secretary, Julie Noted, his friend, Colonel Edward Mastership, Dinah’s Italian dresser, Rafael Snappa and guest, turned detective, Esther Morstan-Eyre. Esther realises, upon Doug’s murder, that each person has their own compelling motives for carrying out the deed, and proceeds to untangle and explain the evidence. Culminating in a grand reveal, the audience is invited to cast their vote on a matter, most important, going forward!
It was my first time seeing a production by this company, and there was a definite professional feel to the evening. With such a small cast, there’s no room to hide, and all actors are extremely talented and give 100%. Responsible for the show’s momentum, though, Larissa Wallington, as Esther, gives an impressive main character performance, full of charisma and attitude, and she effortlessly ad-libs and adapts to the situations, brought about by the audience participation. Her singing voice is beautiful and her performance faultless; worthy of any West End production!
David Thorpe, as Doug, is a convincing bully; selfish and self-indulgent! As a corpse, his sense of fun shines through, however, and he has some very entertaining “da da da” moments, the sound effects being reminiscent of those hammy, 70’s TV shows, with overly dramatic cliffhangers. Danielle Cutts plays his long-suffering wife to a tee, reminding me, somewhat, of Madame Thenardier, from Les Mis. She has a similar coarseness and Cockney accent, especially in her rendition of The Woman What I Was. Her character and seductive dance moves fully develop in this number!
I love Simon Lewington’s Freddie Fusspot. Femme Fatale is a comedy highlight, and his understated moves are what you’d expect from a no-nonsense Yorkshireman. With occasional nods to Elvis in his singing, his lap dance scene is hilarious. I so want to elaborate on this scene, but don’t want to reveal any spoilers for future audiences!!! His duet with Georgia Thomas’s Julie Noted, singing Six Feet Under, is a great musical number too, and gives us a comedic glimpse into Julie’s infatuation with Doug, a part she plays well. Sustaining a good Scottish accent, she skillfully delivers a rapid-fire, alliterative speech, at one point, that’s impressive and couldn’t have been easy to learn!
Last, but not least, Ryan Mitchell’s Rafael Snappa and Robert Spencer’s Colonel Mastership, complete the lineup. I found Ryan to be extremely funny; in fairness, he does have some funny lines, and his tall stature lends itself well to some amusing physical comedy. His flamboyant, Italian character has great stage presence and swans about in his flowing attire, which is a great costume choice for his part. Make It Snappa is my favourite, finger clicking song of the show and has a feel of Chicago’s Roxy, where it highlights his star quality. Equally, Robert is impeccable in his portrayal of the Colonel, perfecting the upper-class tendency to talk in stilted, singular words and idioms and capturing the vocal tendencies of that kind of character. His singing voice is superb and his talent, obvious.
Though the set is basic, it does feel intentional, as it provides the opportunities for witty, bizarre prop introductions and comedy set change moments. The behind-the-scenes crew do an amazing job. From sound and lighting to choreography and costume design, everything sets the scene for the time and mood, the lighting even turning red for the murder scenes. Pauline Hindle, in her directorial debut, successfully stages a feel-good musical show, albeit one that comes with an extra large dose of parody. Not taking itself too seriously, this murder mystery has everything you could possibly want: memorable songs, dancing, comedy and a puzzle to solve! With twists and surprises, and secrets and lies, the clues are there; you just need to put them together.
It’s a brave, unconventional choice from Chesterfield Operatic Society and certainly offers a unique theatrical experience… well, at least until I go again at the weekend! It had to be done! I loved this production so much, that I’m introducing it to a friend! What a great show and what a talented company!
