We sat down for an exclusive interview with Danyah Miller, co-creator and performer of The Mystery of Pleasance Two, a brain-teasing, board game style show where the audience’s detective skills are essential to solve the murder and crack the case.
This show runs from 5th-16th August (not 12th) at the Edinburgh Fringe – Tickets here
The show combines theatre, board games and detective fiction; how did those elements come together in the first place?
Whilst I was researching for my book ‘Seven Secrets of Spontaneous Storytelling’ in 2022, I got excited by the idea of creating a theatre show with spontaneity at its heart. Director Dani Parr, designer Kate Bunce and I spent weeks throwing around ideas, until we hit on the fact that all three of us love playing board games with our own families. This was our lift off moment and it shaped our thoughts and our direction. We decided to create a Mystery show, with the audience leading the process as our detectives.
We all agreed we wanted to be bold with our choices, challenge ourselves, whilst still making a fun, interactive piece of theatre for the whole family, from 7 – 107 years old. We spent some time playing story games and improvising around the mystery theme in a number of primary schools. The genres we explored with the 7 – 10 year olds included ghost mystery, heist, kidnapping, hidden treasure. It quickly became apparent that 95% of the young people voted for a murder mystery genre.
Essentially the show is a board-game style murder mystery, set up in three rounds. A playful classic board game round is followed by a fast-paced, ticking-clock section – similar to an escape room – and finally a hot seat interrogation where the audience, our Trainee Detectives, question the suspects directly. After each round the audience has to vote on who they think is guilty! It seems simple enough but of course there’s ‘theatre magic’ woven in to Kate Bunce’s clever set.
The Mystery of Pleasance Two relies on the audience to solve the crime – What makes children such effective detectives?
Children make brilliant detectives because they’re focused and determined. Some young people arrive with their own notepad and pen! What I love most is when the whole audience – children and adults – throw themselves into the game together. Young people often have brilliant instincts and I think that’s because they listen carefully, spot details and are willing to change their minds when new evidence is thrown into the mix. Flexibility of thinking is crucial in a mystery.
I also love it when the audience shout out questions, and then I hear them whispering to each other as they re-calculate theories, disagree and reassess.
Robin Stevens’ Murder Most Unladylike books have inspired a generation of young sleuths – what did her involvement bring to the production?
Early on in our process Dani and I knew (having created a number of shows together) that we needed strong dramaturgical support to make the mystery genuinely satisfying. Having loved many of Robin’s books Dani and I were delighted when she agreed to be our writing consultant, alongside award-winning playwright Phil Porter.
Robin has an exceptional instinct for structure, what information is revealed when, how tension builds, and where logic must be watertight. She’s playful but precise, and was very quick to spot gaps or inconsistencies. Her input helped us to sharpen the internal logic of the mystery.
As someone who writes so brilliantly for young readers, she also understands exactly how much complexity children enjoy. Her contribution was invaluable in helping us balance clarity, suspense and fun. Most importantly it was a joy to have her join us in the rehearsal room!
How do you keep each performance spontaneous and fresh?
Performing in front of a live audience is different every time – I think of it as a golden triangle between the story, the performer and the audience, at the centre of which alchemy occurs.
With this show – which includes so much improv – the audience does most of the work for me! Every group brings completely different energy, ideas and questions. If I stay open and curious about what they throw at me, the spontaneity takes care of itself. Not forgetting of course that the culprit changes day by day. I love it! My role is similar to a facilitator. I really enjoy listening, being playful and responding in the moment. This is the essence of the show and the essence of spontaneous storytelling – which is my favourite story form.
On top of that, Dani and I have a habit of making changes to the production each time we re-rehearse, which definitely keeps me on my toes. Before we arrive at the fringe we’ll have added two new possible endings!
After decades of storytelling, what still surprises you about young audiences?
Young audiences always surprise me, that’s why I love working with them. They commit quickly and wholeheartedly, stepping straight into role and taking responsibility for solving the mystery. Their questions can be gloriously silly or piercingly sharp, sometimes within seconds of each other.
What hasn’t changed over the years is their ability to become deeply absorbed once something truly engages them. What has changed is the attention span, adults as much as children, and that’s a real creative challenge. Live theatre has to earn their focus and attention.
This show depends entirely on the audience; they aren’t passive observers but central to how it works. That keeps me on my toes. I really enjoy this, as I have to be fully present and at the top of my game.