Theatre company Grownup Playhouse are returning to the Edinburgh Fringe with four musicals this year, alongside a self-guided murder mystery experience Murder on the Mile which was created by company founder Tom Rolph. Themed around the Fringe, the activity sees participants figure out at their own pace which suspect murdered a well-known street magician; was it a rival magician, comedian, thespian or juggler? Intrigued by the concept that fuses puzzles and the excitement of the Fringe, I recently had the opportunity to ask the creative some questions about the experience, and also find out how Fringe visitors can infuse the experience into their busy festival schedules.
What inspired you to create a self-guided murder mystery tour themed around the Fringe?
I love a murder mystery and I love the Fringe. It seemed a perfect combination. It was around the same time that I was writing my murder mystery musical, as well as creating murder mystery games to fundraise for the musical. Then it all came together into this. I knew that I had the knowledge of the Fringe to make it work and I thought it seemed like a fun way to get people visiting more venues.
How did you go about deciding which festival venues to include in the narrative?
I wanted a route that wouldn’t take you hours, so I had to pass on The Stand, Assembly [Rooms] George Street, Summerhall, etc…, because I knew that they would extend the route for too long. I also wanted to hit a lot of the big ones, however, if I was to do it all over again (and maybe someday I will), I’d like to include some smaller venues. And then my final reason was that I had to include the venues that my shows were going to be in!
How did you go about designing the puzzle booklet? Were you on location in Edinburgh when you created it?
I took some trips to Edinburgh to make sure it all worked, but a lot of it was based on the knowledge I already had of Fringe venues, their layouts and where they were around the city. Fringe venues very kindly keep themselves fairly consistent across the years, so nothing has stopped working! The design itself was done by an incredible illustrator who has worked on multiple posters for us, as well as our children’s picture book (her name is Charlotte Connelly – look up her work!).
How flexible is the format? Can participants stop and start the experience in between their in-person show bookings?
Absolutely! It’s a self-guided tour, so once you pick it up, it’s really up to you how you want to do it. We lay out an order in the booklet, but you can do it based on what venues you already plan on going to, you can do it in a rushed hour or a leisurely 2 weeks, whatever works for you!
Who will this 90-minute activity-themed experience appeal to?
I think for those who want to experience a lot of the Fringe for the first time, it’s a great way to have a reason to go to different venues and walk around the city, whilst solving a fun murder. But, for those who have been to the Fringe 100 times, it’s still a fun way to go to some of your favourite venues and solve a murder. Oh, yeah, and of course it will be enjoyed most by anyone who enjoys a good puzzle and a jolly murder!
Solve a “Murder on the Mile” at the 2026 Fringe
Whether you are a longtime Edinburgh Fringe visitor who knows the city like the back of your hand, or a total newbie to the festival, Murder on the Mile sounds like a really fun way to take a break between your in-person shows and get to know the venues of the Fringe. Time slots can be booked via the EdFringe website and participants can collect their puzzle booklet from the meeting point at The Castle Rock Cafe in Makars’ Court (venue 453).
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