“Calling all trainee detectives! Join us for The Mystery of Pleasance Two, an award-winning, board game style theatre show where your skills are needed to solve this thrilling murder mystery. Team up with super sleuth Danyah Miller to navigate through secrets and surprises. We’ll examine evidence, inspect video footage and interrogate suspects, every clue bringing us closer to the truth. Can we crack the case together? Expect intrigue, mischief, spontaneity and a sprinkle of magic. Get involved… get it solved!”
What happens when a board game is brought to life on stage? You get The Mystery of Pleasance Two – an interactive theatre experience that transports you right into the middle of a murder mystery investigation.
Designed for families with children aged 7 and over, the show invites audiences to become trainee detectives for an hour. And rather than sitting back and watching the mystery unfold, you’re given the chance to become part of the investigation yourself.
I brought my seven year old cousin along with me, and it was brilliant to see just how quickly she became invested in the mystery. She was interviewing suspects, shouting out theories and even getting the opportunity to take part on stage. But what surprised me most was how invested the adults became too.
Whilst the children weren’t afraid to come out with some of the wildest theories imaginable. The adults around me were quietly piecing together their own ideas and trying to work out what each clue could mean. There is something incredibly fun about sitting in a room where everyone is trying to solve the same mystery, but nobody quite knows whether their theory is right.
Danyah Miller leads the entire experience, carrying the story completely on her own. Throughout the show we see her play detective, suspects and witnesses, all with their own style and sound and it was completely believable. Her energy and enthusiasm make it so easy to be swept up in the investigation, while she keeps the audience engaged from beginning to end.
Audience participation can sometimes be a little daunting, for adults and children alike. But, Danyah handles this exceptionally well. She makes it clear that nobody will be brought up on stage if they don’t want to be, and this reassurance continues throughout the performance. She is constantly aware of whether both children and adults are comfortable getting involved, making the experience feel genuinely inviting rather than forced. And there is a lovely surprise waiting for one particularly brave audience member… but I won’t say any more on that, discovering it yourself is part of the fun. But even the audience can become part of the mystery in ways you might not expect.
The set itself is minimalist, but not basic. We see an evidence board in the centre of the stage, waiting to be covered by clues as the hour goes on. There’s a small costume rack, and a table with the board game itself on top, which is the real star of this set. The board is incredibly intricate, with pop-up rooms, clues hidden and built into the board. There is a real sense of excitement every time another part of the board is revealed, and the design manages to make something that could easily have been a simple children’s game feel incredibly theatrical and artistic. It’s also a great example of how you don’t need an enormous set or complicated scenery to create an engaging theatrical experience.
The combination of theatre and board game works particularly well for a family audience. Children are encouraged to use their imagination, look closely at evidence and speak up with their theories. Perfect for a first experience of theatre for children on the younger side. There’s something particularly special about seeing this show with a child. Seeing my cousin become so invested in the mystery, confidently putting forward her own ideas and getting involved in the investigation was exactly what family theatre should be about.
The Mystery of Pleasance Two isn’t simply a show that children watch while adults sit back. It gives everyone in the room a reason to get involved, encouraging different generations to put their heads together and see if they can crack the case. With its clever concept, intricate board game set, engaging host and plenty of opportunities to get involved, The Mystery of Pleasance Two is a brilliant choice for families looking for something a little bit different at the Fringe.
Whether you’re a seven year old detective with a completely wild theory, or an adult quietly convinced you’ve already figured it all out (which you probably have not), there’s plenty of fun to be had. Just remember, “get involved, get it solved” and don’t be too sure you know who did it…
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