Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kathy and Stella, two best friends who have been chewed up and spit out by the rest of the world, find solace in the shared passion of their true crime podcast. It seems to be leading them nowhere, until their favourite author is murdered just hours after meeting them. This seeming coincidence catapults them into a world of fame, intrigue, and danger. I couldn’t possibly say anymore without giving it away.
A non-stop onslaught of witty lyrics, catchy tunes, and more silly-yet-compelling twists.
True crime podcasts are firmly in the cultural zeitgeist right now – Disney’s ‘Only Murders in the Building’ has just finished a third season and is already commissioned for a fourth. This show takes that cultural fascination with the macabre and spins it into ridiculous theatrical magic. This new musical from Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones is everything you could hope for and more. A non-stop onslaught of witty lyrics, catchy tunes, and more silly-yet-compelling twists and turns than an episode of Scooby Doo. It is utterly charming.
The ensemble is perhaps the strongest I’ve ever seen.
Frankly, it’s hard to think of an element of this show that I don’t love. One aspect that stands out above all others though, is the absolute perfection of the cast. The central duo of Kathy (Bronte Barbe) and Stella (Rebekah Hinds) bring the mismatched yet loveable central pairing to life in glorious technicolour, but they never oversell it. Take your best mate and watch the scene-setting number about their friendship with shedding a happy little tear, I dare you.
The ensemble is perhaps the strongest I’ve ever seen. They all deserve a namecheck, but as Felicia (and others), Jodie Jacobs’ vocal strength and impeccable characterisation were a pleasure to watch. Scenes are stolen so often – by so many talented culprits – that it almost becomes a secondary whodunnit.
It is utterly charming.
In a theatrical landscape made up of endless tours of ‘classic’ musicals and ‘edgy’ Shakespeare productions, quality new musicals can feel increasingly difficult to come by. Pay a visit to Kathy and Stella, they’ll soon make you realise that there is plenty of top-tier new work out there.
– Daniel Shipman
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder runs at HOME Manchester until Saturday 21 October 2023.