Last night, Sarah Kendall died on her arse in the Baby Belly caves.

Mid-set, she was shot in the head but who by? Venetia Blind, the dipsomaniac socialite with a stake in the club? Tony Luger, the medallion-wearing Vegas star with nefarious associates? Or Dick Slide, the mild-mannered janitor. And when a dismembered body part shows up later, it's not looking good for Club Sandwich

We're all familiar with the idea of staged murder nights such as this. But there are many reasons to go to this unique Edinburgh show, in which you truly take an integral part in the fast-moving action, rather than passively watch.

First, there's the great array of 'guest corpses' available in Edinburgh. Every night a different leading comic gets brutally slain on stage, but not after delivering five minutes to top-notch material. Nobody tell Endemol, they'll be getting ideas for a new reality show.

Second, there's the venue itself. Although posing as louche nightclub and swanky casino ('we put the "bling" in "gambling",' as they so deliciously put it), the mysterious Gothic atmosphere of these dank caverns provides the perfect setting for mystery and intrigue.

Finally, there's the cast, brilliantly overacting the gloriously over-the-top caricatures that makes the experience so much fun. Character comic Leisa Rea camps it up wonderfully as the one-eyed vamp and musical stand-up Christian Reilly brings an irresistibly arrogant swagger to his well-connected club singer ­ but despite this stiff competition for the biggest limelight-hogger, it's The Trap's Paul Lichfield who steals the show.

He treats the show as the pantomime it is, his gobby caretaker cracking cheesy music-hall jokes with such blustering good humour that there's a genuine sense of fun in every exchange. The cast must all be quick-witted to improvise their answers to audience interrogation, but Lichfield, especially, is unfailing brilliantly funny in this.

It's all stuff and nonsense, of course. But the fluid interaction, the guilty pleasure of the stupid, pun-rich script, the fact it's something so enjoyably different, and the energy of the performers all conspire to make The Murder Show a killer show.

Steve Bennett