About the Show

DCI Barnaby unravels secrets in this stage adaptation of Caroline Graham’s classic murder mystery.

When Emily Simpson is found dead in the quiet village of Badger’s Drift, her friend Lucy Bellringer is convinced it was no accident. DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy begin to dig beneath the village’s idyllic surface, uncovering long-buried secrets, hidden rivalries, and a web of deception that leads to a shocking truth.

This stage adaptation of The Killings at Badger’s Drift brings Caroline Graham’s acclaimed novel to life. Originally the first book in the Chief Inspector Barnaby series—later adapted into the popular TV show Midsomer Murders—the play captures the intricate plotting and dark humor that have made the series a crime fiction favorite.

With its mix of eccentric characters, unexpected twists, and classic whodunnit suspense, this production stays true to the charm and intrigue of the original story. As Barnaby and Troy navigate the tangled relationships of Badger’s Drift, the village’s quiet exterior begins to crack, revealing a mystery where no one is quite what they seem.

Critic Reviews (6)

"this is a charming and surprisingly funny production, which will satisfy fans, both old and new"
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"...a charming and funny production that delivers exactly what it promises: murder, mystery, and a whole lot of fun."
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"This production is like easy listening music: undemanding entertainment. That’s not a slight. It will give you just what you expect – but there’s some pleasure to be had in that."
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"although the hamming up is sharply tongue in cheek, the result still feels fatally old-fashioned"
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"Unsworth might be daringly exploring a new genre of homicidal panto. But, as crime stories and cross-dressed comic grotesques are British theatre’s core winter forms, this may be the way to a financial killing."
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"This is a refreshingly inventive, silly murder mystery staged with elan and wit that honours the original characters and TV series but embraces the theatricality of its new settings."
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