A Multi-Rolling, Slapstick Comedy inspired by the Best of the British Classics 

Popular comedy theatre company Shoddy Theatre are heading on a UK tour with their Edinburgh Fringe hit The Shoddy Detective And The Art Of Deception. Inspired by comedy classics such as Only Fools and Horses, The Two Ronnies and Morcambe and Wise, The Shoddy Detective is a whodunnit caper for the whole family.

A bumbling detective is called upon to uncover the mystery of a priceless stolen painting, but 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.

‘The farce had the audience laughing throughout’

★★★★ – North East Theatre Reviews 

‘Shoddy by name but not shoddy by nature’

★★★★ – London Pub Theatre

‘Witty, endearing and good clean fun’

★★★★ – The Reviews Hub

‘I knew I was in for a night of comedy and they certainly delivered’

★★★★ – A View From The Outside

Shoddy Theatre

Back in 2018, a small group of graduating East 15 Acting School students were partnered together for their final assessment project which was to devise and create a play entirely on their own. Opting for a comedy as a way of enjoying their final few weeks, the group agreed to create a multi rolling, slapstick piece, inspired by the classics of British and American comedies. Set in a manor home when a priceless painting goes missing, their first performance of “The Art of Deception” was a hit, receiving outstanding feedback and resulting in many of the audiences returning throughout its four day run. As a result the company was awarded the Essex University Graduate Grant in order to take the show further and become a professional theatre company, which is where Shoddy Theatre was born.

Since first becoming established Shoddy have sold out their runs at The Camden Fringe, New Normal Festival and a 2022 Spring Tour. Their first run at The Edinburgh Fringe in August 2022, caused a huge buzz around town and sold out for the majority of its run. In 2022, Shoddy was awarded arts council funding for their work in making theatre accessible to rural areas in England.

Contains sexual references and humour.

This event is an external hire.

VENUE: AUDITORIUM, EXETER PHOENIX

*Subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge. We don’t charge this to make a profit. Find out more >>