Review by Rosie Holmes
⭐️
Playing as part of the Premieres season, showcasing new and inventive writing, Hijinks and Caviar brings a 1930’s murder mystery to New Wimbledon Theatre’s studio space. Aiming to capture the essence of Agatha Christie’s iconic whodunnits with a twist, Hijinks and Caviar adds a musical element to the slow-building, clue-dropping proceedings.

The premise is intriguing, Lady Mary is dead and her husband, Lord Shyttevigge, believes she has been murdered. He hatches a plan to invite her close friends and associates to dinner, believing that the murderer will be amongst them. We are introduced to members of high society, including Hollywood starlet ‘Libby Doe,’ dandy ‘Benny Factor,’ and ‘Ophelia Pain.’ Mysteriously, however, Lord Shyttevigge doesn’t appear to welcome them, setting the stage for what could have been a thrilling unravelling of secrets.
Instead, the show’s two-hour runtime is lacking in a thrilling or even a cohesive narrative. The abundance of more than 20 musical numbers feels excessive and, unfortunately, none of the songs stand out or do anything to move what story there is along. Rather than revealing character depth or advancing the story, the songs tend to blur into one another, leaving no memorable melodies or catchy lyricism behind.

While the production leans into the ridiculous – after all, "hijinks" is right there in the title, and there is a character named ‘Ophelia Pain’ – it lacks the sharp wit that would justify its silliness. Compared to other deliberately- stupid comedic capers, like The Play That Goes Wrong, or The 39 Steps, this show struggles to deliver any genuine laughs. There are a number of gags that are repeated far too often to maintain what comedic value they bring to the script, and the too-frequent innuendos are too predictable to win consistent laughs. Unfortunately, the thrill of a whodunnit reveal falls flat here, thanks to the lack of cohesive narrative and poor timing from the cast. The story never felt like it was leading up to a thrill, or the unravelling of a mystery, and so it simply doesn't have an impact.
The studio at New Wimbledon Theatre is a small space, and the cast fill out the stage. Alongside the servants of the house are a gang of high society members, who are never developed further than l their broad caricatures, despite having at least one solo each. Richard Blackman does provide a sometimes-funny characterisation in the role of Pastor Verdi, but otherwise the ensemble of characters remains very one dimensional. That is not to say, however, the cast do not attack their roles with a wonderful energy and enthusiasm. Their roles are thin, but their dedication cannot be faulted.

Hijinks and Caviar offers a promising concept but falters in its execution. With a lack of engaging songs and a meandering plot, it provides neither thrills, nor – rather unfortunately – many hijinks. It is, however, always wonderful to see new theatre, and with some work, a musical murder mystery is definitely a premise that could provide the backdrop to a thrilling and funny musical.
Hijinks and Caviar plays at the Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday 26th October 2024, tickets and more information can be found here. Hijinks and Caviar Tickets | Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre in Greater London | ATG Tickets