Shoddy Theatre, Joshua Beaumont and Matthew Emeny present: A Shoddy Detective and The Art of Deception
A laugh-out-loud slapstick whodunnit featuring four actors, a dozen characters and a whole load of chaos.
When a priceless painting goes missing at a private auction, Detective Stuart Pidcock is called upon to uncover the mystery. However, when he cannot solve it himself he is forced to enlist the help of an old nemesis. Together, the pair must interrogate the many characterful suspects that reside at the manor, in order to catch the conniving culprit and solve the crime of the century!
Fresh from selling out their run at The Ed Fringe, Camden Fringe, New Normal Festival and a 2022 Spring Tour. Shoddy are back with their hit show “A Shoddy Detective”. Grab you tickets now for the slapstick comedy that's taking the country by storm.
REVIEWS:
“HAD THE AUDIENCE LAUGHING THROUGHOUT”
North East Theatre Guide
“SHODDY BY NAME BUT NOT SHODDY BY NATURE”
London Pub Theatres Magazine
“WITTY, ENDEARING AND GOOD CLEAN FUN”
The Reviews Hub
★★★★ Theatre Scotland
★★★★ London Pub Theatres Magazine
★★★★ Ed Fringe Review
★★★★ North East Theatre Guide
Cast and Creatives
Mitch Donaldson Creative Director, Producer & Writer for Shoddy Theatre
Becky Bartram Company Manager & Writer for Shoddy Theatre
Josh Beaumont Producer for The Production Garden
Matthew Emeny Associate Director & Producer for The Production Garden
Holly Salewski Head of Marketing & Associate Producer for Shoddy Theatre
Adam Jefferys Production & Lighting Designer
Louie Whitemore Set & Costume Designer
Sam Baxter Sound Designer
Beth Qualter Buncall Costume Supervisor
Mirella Lloussi Production Assistant
Charlotte Wheeler PR
Print supplied by Goldups Lane
Artwork designed by Rebecca Pitt
Photography by The Other Richard
Pidcock
Neil Jennings
He/Him
Neil is no stranger to this high energy style of comedy, having been part of The Pantaloons Theatre Company for over 12 years. His comedy chops have seen him showing the world his Bottom and his Benedick, as well as Not Doing that Lake Bit as Mr Darcy, and contemplating which utensil hurts more as The Sheriff of Nottingham. He is also one half of the founders of Mangled Yarn Theatre Company, whose debut show was Frankenstein the Pantomime, where Neil played the Dame Mrs F, and most recently a madcap take on It’s a Wonderful Life, where Neil played George Bailey. Mangled Yarn have been lucky enough to have spent 2 years taking their shows to Copenhagen and are set to take Christmas Carol there this December.
Neil also regularly plays the Dame in numerous Pantomimes across the country, most recently Widow Twanky with Big Little and Nurse Nora in Hyjack’s Sleeping Beauty at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells.
TV credits include Eastenders, Call the Midwife and the BSL channels 1st ever deaf sitcom Coffee Morning Club, as Sergeant Simpson.
Dusty
Wesley Griffith
He/Him
Training: Guildford School of Acting (2010).
Stage: Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (UK tour, Miracle Theatre); Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest (UK tour, Miracle Theatre); Moriarty in The Death of Sherlock Holmes (UK tour, Miracle Theatre); Sam in Cornwall Vs China (The Vaults/The Old Red Lion, All the Pigs); Mellors in Not: Lady Chatterly's Lover (Theatre503/ Edinburgh Fringe/UK tour 2018 and 2021, Happy Idiot); My Paper Girlfriend (one person play, Brighton Fringe); Jimmy in Dinner Is Coming (The Vaults). Colonel Mustard in Cluedo (National Tour); Chris in Windfall (Southwark playhouse)
Film/commercials: Jay in The Gym (Kayvan Novak, BBC pilot; Finnair, July (TV/internet;) Kellogg's, Chocoholic (TV/internet); Ben in Starbucks Red Cup (internet) Diageo (internet) Tarzan in Vicks lozenges (Europe); Conran in Meet the Richardsons (Dave, UKTV play)
Understudy
Alexandra Ricou
They/Them
Alexandra is an actor and writer. They trained at Mountview and, since 2021, have been a member of the award-winning street theatre company, the Natural Theatre Company.
Theatre credits include: A Christmas Cracker (Natural Theatre Company), Gluck’s Flowers (Theatre West), I KILLED MY EX (Dear Dark Productions) and The Wind in the Willows (Calf2Cow).
On screen, they recently starred in the award-winning short film, Queer Enough, which screened as part of the BAFTA-qualifying Iris Prize.
Lord Raeburn
Mitch Donaldson
He/Him - originally Blyth/Northumberland/Newcastle. Currently Leigh-on-Sea.
Mitch Donaldson is an actor and theatre all-rounder from Northumberland, who trained at the National Youth Theatre and East 15 Acting & Stage Combat, where he set up Shoddy upon graduating.
Mitch produced Shoddy’s work which sold out at The Camden Fringe, New Normal Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and the 2023 Spring tour. In 2023, he was selected as part of the cohort for Mercury Theatres producers scheme.As a performer his theatre credits include: A Shoddy Detective (Shoddy Theatre), Blyth Spirit (Live Theatre, Newcastle), Romeo & Juliet (Globe Theatre, Rome), A Night Before Christmas (Theatre N16) and Simon Boccanegra (Royal Opera House).
TV & Film credits include: Danny & Mick (CBBC), Drunken Butterflies (Feature Film) and Soldiers of the Damned (Feature Film).
Lady Raeburn
Becky Bartram
She/Her - originally Yorkshire/Leeds. Currently Leigh-on-Sea.
Becky is an Actor & Stunt Performer from Yorkshire. A graduate of East 15 Acting and Stage Combat course.
She joined Shoddy in 2020 and is now the Company Manager.
Stage credits include: A Shoddy Detective (Shoddy Theatre) Dragon Slayer (Knights of Middle England) and Unacceptable (Vienna English Theatre).
TV special action credits include: The Witcher: Blood Origin (Netflix) The Witcher S3 (Netflix) Sandman (Netflix) Gangs of London (ITV) Citadel (Amazon) and Slow Horses (Apple TV).
Stage Manager credits include: Dear Santa (NLP Productions) Atom & Luna (Matthew Linley Creative Projects) As SHE Likes It (Chloe Wade Productions) The Olive Boy (Mitch Donaldson Creative).
Becky is currently training for the British Stunt Register.
