Paul T Davies reviews Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder at Underbelly as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder
Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe
4 Stars
Already a cult classic, this joyous musical returns to the Fringe as entertaining as ever. Best friends Kathy and Stella host a true crime podcast, and when their favourite true crime author is murdered, they set out to solve the crime. Hitting the Only Murders in the Building zeitgeist, the musical is more a celebration of friendship told through a Northern filter.
The cast are excellent. Brontë Barbe is very strong as shy, insecure Kathy. Rebekah Hinds is an outstanding Stella, mouthy yet also unsure of her place in the world, she's like a Hull Daisy May Cooper. Josie Jacobs is equally excellent in her many roles as Felicia plus, especially when the plot becomes more ludicrous! Don't analyse it, just go along with it and enjoy this talented company!
The book and lyrics by Jon Brittan and music by Matthew Lloyd is witty and catchy, and the band are excellent. Occasionally the sound mix made it tricky to make out the lyrics, but when the characters triumph you know there is a lot more life in this show yet!
Paul is a playwright, director, actor, academic, (he has a PhD from the University of East Anglia), teacher and theatre reviewer! His plays include Living with Luke, (UK tour 2016), Play Something, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Drayton Arms Theatre, London 2018), , (2019), and now The Miner’s Crow, which won the inaugural Artist’s Pick of the Fringe Award at the first ever Colchester Fringe Festival 2021. In lockdown 2020 he created the audio series Isolation Alan, available on Youtube, and performed online in the Voice Box Festival. He is the founder member of Stage Write, a Colchester based theatre company, and his acting roles include Rupert in How We Love by Annette Brook, first performed at the Vaults Festival 2020 and revived at the Arcola and at Theatre Peckham in 2021. Follow: @stagewrite_
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