Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift comes to the Festival Theatre from 28 April to 1 May 2027, bringing the ITV favourite to the stage as a theatrical world premiere. It's a live adaptation of the first Midsomer Murders story, The Killings at Badger's Drift, based on Caroline Graham's book and the television series produced by Bentley Productions for ITV in association with All3 Media International.

The plot starts in the village of Badger's Drift, where spinster Emily Simpson is found dead. Her friend Lucy Bellringer refuses to accept it was an accident, and DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy are called in to investigate, following the clues to expose hidden passions and deadly secrets. It's the same sort of cosy, village-mystery setup that made the series a household name, just played out on stage rather than on screen.

There's a nice bit of casting history here, too: Daniel Casey, who created the role of Sergeant Troy for the screen, returns to play Inspector Barnaby. The production is written and directed by Guy Unsworth, and it's part of a wider UK and Ireland tour, so this is one of its first stops. It runs about 2 hours 20 minutes including an interval, and it's recommended for ages 12 and over.

Evening performances are at 7.30pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, so you've got a few different times to choose from across the run. Tickets are £24.00 to £51.00, and the Festival Theatre is at 13/29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh South EH8 9FT.