Scherenschnitt oder Der Mörder sind Sie, as Shear Madness was originally called, enjoyed a four-decade run in Boston, Massachusetts, ending in 2020 when public health restrictions were being imposed. An interactive whodunit, this production makes local references to Sonning, Henley and surrounding environs. The play itself has been translated into various languages and has, apparently, been enjoyed by millions of people around the world. It is not, despite claims to the contrary, the longest-running stage show in the history of American theatre: The Drunkard began performances at Tulsa Spotlight Theater in November 1953 and is still going.
Does a show that has had such success in the United States – another production at the Kennedy Center closed after 39 years this year – work in the Home Counties? In a word, yes. I suppose people who are particularly averse to any sort of audience interaction wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole. As with any whodunit, one is not at liberty to say too much about it in order to maintain the show’s ‘secrets’ (inverted commas mine), and the play is quite insistent that there is a different conclusion at every performance, depending on what the audience decides. I can’t, alas, verify this, as this would require attending multiple performances.
Audience interaction is not quite the same as audience participation, and it is quite possible to enjoy proceedings in the traditional way without making any contributions at all. It is also possible to make multiple interjections, though first, the storyline must play out and characters established, such that it is only post-murder that the fourth wall comes down. Attention to detail came into its own at the performance I attended – people were observant about, for instance, who went upstairs, who binned something, what they binned, what items were moved and where to, and so on.
It’s not exactly edgy, nail-biting stuff, and perhaps some of the narrative points were more than a little far-fetched. But it is more about the journey than the destination, especially as the audience never meets the victim, the murder taking place off-stage. Two characters in a unisex hair salon, called Shear Madness (geddit?) reveal themselves to be plainclothes officers from Thames Valley Police: how convenient. The interactions were wide-ranging, and in this relatively intimate theatre, it was easy to hear what the questions and observations from the audience were, without stagehands having to run about the place with handheld microphones.
It all becomes more than ridiculous enough to justify the show’s title. It is also entertaining enough for the whole family, without having that ‘family-friendly’ feel to proceedings that leaves you wondering if there ought to be a late-night ‘adults only’ version in which the cast – and audience – could really go for it. Yes, one does need to exercise suspension of disbelief, but as a piece of light entertainment, it’s harmless and hearty fun. Topical references helped to maintain interest.
Part of the theatre experience at The Mill at Sonning is the pre-show dinner: ticket options without a meal are also available. A recent change of caterer has led to an expanded menu, now including starters at an additional charge. I thought the portions were a little larger than they were before, and the food offering remains an enjoyable start to a great evening out.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Set in the lively and offbeat Shear Madness hair salon, the day begins like any other, full of eccentric clients and colourful banter. But everything turns upside down when the mysterious woman upstairs is found murdered, and suddenly, everyone’s a suspect! Who had the motive? Who had the opportunity? And who’s hiding something in plain sight?
That’s where YOU come in.
Armed with sharp wit and a keen eye for detail, the audience works alongside the characters, following the trail of clues, laughing through the chaos, and questioning suspects live on stage. Every twist, alibi, and outrageous revelation is shaped by the audience’s choices, leading to a different ending every night. It’s an irresistibly clever mix of classic murder mystery, fast-paced improv, and laugh-out-loud comedy that keeps you guessing, and giggling, until the very end.
Barbara McMarley – Rosaleen Burton
Tony Whitcomb – Daniel Cane
Mike Thomas – Gwithian Evans
Edward Lawrence – Jonathan Markwood
Mrs Shubert – Natalie Ogle
Nick O’Brien – Paul O’Neill
Written by Paul Pörtner
Director – Sally Hughes
Set Designer – Alex Marker
Costume & Hair Designer – Natalie Titchener
Lighting Design – Graham Weymouth
Sound Design – Henry Horn
Casting Director – Kate Plantin
SHEAR MADNESS
The Mill at Sonning
25 June to 15 August 2026
