Creators and performers: Pinch Punch
A well-worked, confident genre piece,Locomotive For Murdercaptivates its audience with a masterful showcase of how to build a 1920s murder mystery, all made up on the spot.
With audience interaction being so vital to improvised comedy,Locomotive For Murdergives itself a headstart. Our detective, Miss Marbles, comes out before the audience has even finished filing in to chat to the crowd and make herself known. By the time the metaphorical curtain rises, the members of the audience are chomping at the bit to shout out their suggestions. She is quick-witted and enthusiastic with the volunteers who call out, and the response when those suggestions are immediately brought to life on stage is incredible. Pinch Punch know how to get a good reaction out of their audience, and they do so at every point. Whether it’s the frequent laughter, a pantomine gasp, or a shout-off where we are encouraged to scream the word “DIE!” at our chosen victim, their crowd work is expertly done.
The troupe are clearly masters of their craft, both with their audience and onstage. The four unlucky passengers that are guided aboard our imaginary sleeper train to Margate are not only incredibly funny but also incredibly strong. Despite being made up on the spot with only the help of a few hurriedly-donned costume parts, the cast make an immediate impression as they introduce themselves. As if from nowhere, we have a brilliant inventor, a failed poet, and the slinky heiress to a bowling fortune. Watching these characters climb aboard, totally taken into their world, exemplifies the magic of improv – creating narrative seemingly from nothing.
The sense of excitement as the train sets off is cut short perhaps a little too swiftly. For only an hour’s show, the lenghty audience interaction does cut into the time for narrative action and no sooner do we meet our characters than one of them is killed off. It feels a little abrupt. The format is tightly under the control of the detective, who frames every scene with a description of what’s about to happen (for example “Now, we shall see the characters’ motives!” “Now, we shall see them interacting with each other!”).
Although this adds a lot more scope for audience interaction than a standard longform improv show would usually allow, it means the narrative does not have a very natural flow. Rather than a continuous story, it feels more like we’re seeing the building blocks of an excellent murder mystery, but don’t get to see the whole thing put together.
For an exercise in how to master the pieces of a classic murder mystery, Locomotive For Murderis unfaultable. Howecer, the cast of Pinch Punch are clearly masterful improvisers who certainly do not need the support of such a rigid show structure. It is a shame we don’t get to see such talent unconfined by such a rigid structure. Overall, an excellent genre show that will delight all audiences.
Runs until 21 May 2023
The Reviews Hub Score
Murder mystery mastery
