Review: Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift (New Theatre Oxford)

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift (based on the book by Caroline Graham) is currently on tour, and I was delighted to be invited to review the show at the New Theatre in Oxford. The Killings at Badger’s Drift was in fact the very first story that appeared as part of the ongoing Midsomer Murders series on TV in 1997. The play was set in the exact same year.

With my hometown being one of the frequently used filming locations for the series, it’s embarrassing to admit that I have only watched 1 episode of the TV series, so I can’t discuss how the staged production compares. With that confession out of the way, I will talk solely about the show I saw on stage, which has been adapted and directed by Guy Unsworth, and I endeavour to avoid spoilers so have no fear reading on if you are considering seeing the show.

The village of Badger’s Drift is full of eccentric characters and at the start of the show one of them – Lucy Bellringer (Julie Legrand) visits DCI Tom Barnaby (Daniel Casey) and DS Gavin Troy (James Bradwell) to emphatically state that she thinks her friend did not leave this earth by natural means. From here the investigation begins, with Ms Bellringer appearing at fairly random intervals to help the actual detectives with their investigations.  The rapport between these three characters on stage was a delight, with the combination of Troy’s scepticism and Barnaby’s empathy ensuring she got heard.

Production photo by Manuel Harlan

The portrayal of Tom Barnaby by Daniel Casey was engaging and at times his mannerisms did remind me of John Nettles. It was no surprise later in the evening to read in my programme that he originated Troy in the TV series and was part of the show for 7 years.

The residents of the village were plentiful and very unique. Some were easier to relate to than others, but it was a surprise at the curtain call to see just how few actors were involved with the show. With the majority portraying two or even three roles, with the help of distinct costumes and wigs and versatile performances, it felt like the cast was surely enormous. Fabulous across the board.

For me, an absolute highlight of the show was the combination of the set and music. The set (David Woodhead) took us back to 1997 successfully and initially looked fairly simple, but as time went on and the often quite rapid changes took place it showed there was much more to it than was originally visible.  I particularly enjoyed when the cast were discussing the village and the backdrop was lit up over (what looks like) model houses, and the way people (and furniture/set) would slide across the stage, at times with comedic effect, especially when a counsellor was talking to the detectives.

The music (Max Pappenheim) was completely fitting for the show, and was used effectively for scene setting as well as to focus the audience on important points being discussed in the investigation.

Curtain call photo

Some of the residents of Badger’s Drift were more likeable than others, one or two were downright irritating but of course this is necessary when you’re intending the audience to be guessing who was responsible for the murders until the last minute. We had a couple of minor sound issues with mics not being on at the right moment but these were rectified very quickly. These did not detract from the enjoyment of this engaging show.

This is definitely a production I would describe as cross genre as alongside the murder investigations we enjoyed a lot of comedy moments. The audience engagement with this was consistent, in what looked to be an almost full house. If you are looking for a gritty murder squad police procedural, this may not be your thing, but if you have an open mind about some lighter notes amongst the bloodshed, do give this show a viewing.

A satisfying story with superb performances bringing an eclectic bunch of characters alive.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift is showing at New Theatre Oxford until Saturday 25 April 2026. You can buy tickets here.

If you would like to see more of my curtain call photographs from this and other shows, please visit my Instagram.

I was gifted tickets for this show in exchange for an honest review.