The picturesque English countryside is about to get a dose of theatrical intrigue as Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift prepares to make its world stage premiere. Adapted and directed by Guy Unsworth, the production draws from Caroline Graham’s acclaimed novel and the beloved ITV series, promising to deliver all the suspense, charm, and eccentricity that have made Midsomer Murders a mainstay of British crime fiction. With a cast featuring Daniel Casey and James Bradwell, and a creative team stacked with seasoned professionals, this stage adaptation is poised to be one of the most talked-about theatrical events of the coming year.
The curtain will first rise at Richmond Theatre on October 24, 2025, with a national press night scheduled for October 30. But that’s just the beginning. The show’s UK and Ireland tour has already been extended through June 2026, with new dates added in Cambridge, Oxford, and Dublin, as well as stops in cities like Malvern, Chester, Eastbourne, Sheffield, Truro, Guildford, Brighton, Blackpool, Glasgow, Nottingham, Cheltenham, Birmingham, Norwich, Derby, Cardiff, Leicester, Bromley, Darlington, and Manchester, according to official tour announcements. Chester’s Storyhouse will host performances from November 11 to November 15, 2025, as part of this ambitious national tour.
The story at the heart of the production is classic Midsomer: when the well-loved spinster Emily Simpson is found dead in the idyllic village of Badger’s Drift, her close friend Lucy Bellringer suspects foul play. Enter DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy, who are called in to investigate. As they dig deeper, they uncover a labyrinth of hidden passions, long-buried secrets, and deadly rivalries among the village’s eccentric residents. The show promises shocking twists, an unforgettable reveal, and the kind of gripping suspense that has kept audiences glued to their screens for decades. As WhatsOnStage reported, fans can expect “a classic whodunnit that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.”
Daniel Casey, a familiar face to fans of the television series, is set to star as DCI Tom Barnaby. Casey originally played Sergeant Troy in the TV adaptation from 1997 to 2008, making his return to the world of Midsomer particularly noteworthy. In recent years, Casey has appeared in a variety of television roles, including Terry in Emmerdale (ITV), Tom Bailey in EastEnders (BBC), Gavin Williamson in Theresa v Boris: How May Became PM (Juniper TV), and Tom Finlay in Coronation Street (ITV). His stage credits are equally impressive, with roles such as Professor Plum in Cluedo (UK tour), Walter in Sleepless: A Musical Romance (Troubadour Wembley), Bernard in Yes, Prime Minister (Theatr Clwyd), Laurence in Abigail’s Party (UK tour), and Roger in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (National Theatre).
Stepping into the role of Sergeant Gavin Troy is James Bradwell, known to television audiences for his turn as Lord Basilio in the Netflix hit Bridgerton. Bradwell’s theatre resume is extensive, with credits including The Beautiful Future Is Coming (Traverse, Bristol Old Vic), The Garden of Words (Park Theatre), Not Yet Midnight (Royal Court), Corrina, Corrina (Headlong, Liverpool Everyman), My Night with Reg (Turbine Theatre), Romeo & Juliet and Richard III (Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre), and Read Not Dead (Shakespeare’s Globe). Bradwell will be filling the shoes of Casey, who originated the role of Sergeant Troy on television—a passing of the torch that has fans buzzing.
But the drama doesn’t stop with Barnaby and Troy. The residents of Midsomer will be brought to life by a multi-roling ensemble of actors: Nathalie Barclay, Chandrika Chevli, John Dougall, Julie Legrand, Rupert Sadler, Chris Agha, and Rhîan Crowley-McLean. Each brings a wealth of experience from both stage and screen. Barclay, for instance, boasts television credits in The Agency (Paramount), FBI: International (CBS), The Diplomat (Netflix), Surface (Apple TV), Killing Eve and Trigonometry (BBC), alongside varied theatre work. Chevli has appeared in Unforgotten (ITV), The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies, and Inside No 9 (BBC), as well as numerous Edinburgh Fringe shows. Dougall’s credits span major television dramas and a significant body of work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe. Legrand, Sadler, Agha, and Crowley-McLean round out the cast with similarly impressive resumes, ensuring every villager in Badger’s Drift is portrayed with depth and flair.
The creative team behind the production is equally formidable. David Woodhead serves as designer, with Matt Haskins handling lighting, Ella Wahlström on sound, Max Pappenheim composing the music, and Ginny Schiller CDG overseeing casting. The production is presented by Nicholson Green Productions and Colin Ingram Ltd, and produced in association with Bentley Productions and All3Media International, the latter two responsible for the original ITV television series. As Caroline Graham, author of the original novel, put it in a statement quoted by BroadwayWorld, the new stage show is “fast-paced and witty,” and “has everything an audience wants: bizarre murders and a beautiful setting.”
What sets this adaptation apart is its commitment to capturing the wit, charm, and chilling suspense that fans of both the books and television series have come to expect. The creative team has gone to great lengths to ensure the stage version is faithful to Graham’s vision while making the most of the unique possibilities of live theatre. The show’s structure, with its multi-roling ensemble, promises to keep audiences guessing as familiar faces reappear in new guises, heightening the sense of mystery and intrigue.
For those who have followed Midsomer Murders from the beginning, the casting of Daniel Casey as Barnaby and James Bradwell as Troy is a delightful nod to the series’ legacy. For newcomers, the production offers a perfect entry point into the world of Midsomer, where nothing is ever quite as it seems and even the most tranquil village can harbor deadly secrets.
With its star-studded cast, accomplished creative team, and a story that has enthralled audiences for decades, Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift looks set to be a theatrical event not to be missed. Tickets are already in high demand, and with new dates being added regularly, the stage is set for a murder mystery tour that will keep audiences across the UK and Ireland guessing until the very last scene.
In a world where the line between cozy charm and chilling suspense is razor-thin, Midsomer’s latest incarnation invites audiences to step into the village green—just watch your back.
