Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder at Roundabout @ Summerhall has won Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.
It is the second time writers Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones have won the accolade, they also took away MTR’s inaugural prize for A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) in 2017.
The show, with book, lyrics and direction by Jon Brittain and music and lyrics by Matthew Floyd Jones, has been a roaring success with audiences as part of Paines Plough’s Roundabout programme at the Festival Fringe this year.
Edinburgh Editor Fiona Orr, who led the judging panel, said the piece (presented by Francesca Moody Productions in association with Kater Gordon) “is a fast-moving comedy not only packed with super songs but fabulously underscored too. The plot and characters are very well drawn with a fast-paced delivery that never lets up for a second.
“The panel agreed that Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder was the fitting recipient of this year’s award for demonstrating how book and music can work together to produce a harmonious whole.”
Reviewing for Musical Theatre Review, Orr gave Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder a five-star rating and wrote: “I was promised that I would laugh – and that’s a safe promise in this runaway hit show. A packed audience laughed practically the whole way through…
“The style, speed and overall playfulness is irresistible. Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones have to be one of the most talented creative teams in Edinburgh. Brittain also directs with such clarity and understanding that it’s no wonder this is a hot ticket. It must have a future – a killer of a show!”
Orr also heaped praise on the cast led by Bronté Barbé and Rebekah Hinds (playing Kathy and Stella), along with Jodie Jacobs as Felicia Taylor, TJ Lloyd as Justin and Imelda Warren-Green as Erica.
Musical Theatre Review launched the award in the 70th anniversary year of the Fringe to celebrate the excellence of musical theatre product presented at the world’s largest annual arts event.
MTR publisher Lisa Martland said: “Congratulations to everyone involved with Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder, the winner of this year’s Best Musical Award, and in particular to Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones who have come out top once again! The wonderful range of musicals featured in this year’s Fringe made it very difficult for the MTR panel but it appears that Jon and Matthew’s brilliant combination of storytelling and song won the day.
“Musical Theatre Review wished to create a unique Edinburgh award – specifically for musical theatre – and I believe that is exactly what we have achieved.”
Orr added: “These awards began many years ago to throw a spotlight on new emerging artists and writers of musical theatre: ‘the form that dare not speak its name’. Little by little, audiences are understanding that there’s more to modern musical theatre than they perhaps thought. The talent being attracted to this most difficult form continues to impress and entertain. And how wonderful to be part of a living, breathing audience again!
“Our hard-working review and assessment team (including Steven Wren, Fraser Grant and Keith Paterson) did a wonderful job of highlighting the best of musicals in Edinburgh this year. There was a wonderful shortlist of nominees for the Best Musical Award. The topics were wide ranging from grief to ghosts; from love to lizards.”
The other shows shortlisted for the award were: Americana: A Murder Ballad (Assembly Checkpoint); Blodlina: The Viking Musical (Pleasance Dome); Blood Harmony (Traverse Theatre); Don’t Say Macbeth (Zoo Playground); Grandmother’s Closet (Summerhall); Lizard Boy (Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose); No Place Like Home (Pleasance Dome); Rapsody (Pleasance Courtyard); and Sex With Friends (and Other Tiny Catastrophes) (Pleasance Courtyard – Upstairs).
Musical Theatre Review is a musical theatre website covering all aspects of the sector worldwide and features news, reviews and interviews.
The site’s thousands of followers include musical theatre enthusiasts and award-winning practitioners from all aspects of the industry.
Readers may also be interested in:
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder – Roundabout @ Summerhall, Edinburgh – Review
Nominees are announced for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022 – News
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