A Shoddy Detective

A Shoddy Detective comes to City Varieties Music Hall on 15 and 16 February 2027, with both nights starting at 7:30pm. It's a whodunnit comedy from The Production Garden, and the whole thing is built around four actors playing a dozen characters. When a priceless painting vanishes during a manor house auction, detective Stuart Pidcock is forced to bring in an old nemesis to help him interrogate a line-up of eccentric suspects and crack the crime of the century.

That's the basic setup, but the real draw is the casting: four people playing twelve roles, which means the actors are constantly switching characters on the fly. It's the kind of farce that works best when you're watching it live, and the production has spent a fair bit of time on the road before landing in Leeds. It's played sell-out runs in the West End and at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it went on a UK tour in the spring of 2025. The team is returning now with a version they describe as bigger, funnier, and even more ridiculous than before.

Critics have called it 'a comedic gem', 'witty, endearing and good clean fun', and 'a must-see for fans of farce and comedy'. It runs for about two hours, including an interval, and parental guidance is recommended, so it's more of a night out for adults than a family afternoon. Tickets are £40.50 to £35.50, with boxes from £43.50 per person. Both shows start at 7:30pm at City Varieties on Swan Street.