“I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve gathered you all here this evening.”
Tim Benzie, the acclaimed creator and host of Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote presents his new one-man show, a hilarious and moving exploration of the enduring appeal of murder mysteries.
The audience are summoned to the drawing room as Tim takes on the role of detective, examining the clues that drew him to the genre as a child, a journey from Scooby Doo to Encyclopedia Brown via German mystery-puzzle books, to eventually lapping up the entire works of Agatha Christie as a teenager.
The appeal of the genre is investigated like the mystery that it is: to discover what attracts us to the many scene/s of the crime (from quaint villages to exotic locales), why we love the appealing but frequently two-dimensional suspects, and finally how the style maybe helps us deal with the inevitability of yes, death itself.
There is a tenacious theory that in times of societal strife, murder mysteries surge in popularity, and Tim unpacks the notion via stories of his own troubled times, to determine not just why there is a detective in all of us, but ultimately what is the mystery that we’re all trying to solve.
Funny, touching and showcasing the delight in pop culture minutiae that has made Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote a cult hit, It’s a Mystery will appeal to fans of the genre and anyone who’s ever wondered whodunnit (and why).
Runtime: 50 minutes
Tickets: £8 all tickets. Get there for 6pm doors for your best chance for a seat.
The RVT offers bar services and capacity for standing room. NB this is a seating and standing venue.
Times: Doors open at 6:30pm
Show is at 7:30pm
End of show: 8:30pm
Age guidance: 18+
Tim Benzie is the creator/performer of Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote, touring the cricitally-acclaimed show across the UK, Ireland and Australia since 2018. An award-winning playwright, Tim has been co-writer of the Royal Vauxhall Tavern pantos since 2017 and is co-producer of the camp club night PopHorror. Once upon a time Tim played Detective Tim on the afternoon children’s programme Studio D for Disney Channel Australia. Tim is represented by The Soho Agency.
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Accessibility
Royal Vauxhall Tavern welcomes all people with disabilities and access needs and we will try and assist with your access requirements.
We strongly advise you to contact us before your visit. Limited free personal assistance tickets are available for most events and we can try to reserve seating if needed, there are seats with an upward step to the raised area and small stools on ground level.
The RVT has an accessible main door, with a small ramp for wheelchairs and is flat throughout the main area. There are toilet cubicles that can be accessed without steps, but are not wheelchair accessible.
On busy events we can’t always guarantee a clear view of the stage for people in wheelchairs, and the cabaret area does get very busy.