Calling all amateur sleuths! Market Theatre's latest comedy whodunnit, Jennifer is Missing, opens in Hitchin this week.

Starring Kathryn Lincoln, Tara Harris and Jemma Carlisle, Jennifer is Missing can be seen at the Sun Street venue from Thursday, May 19.

Regular audience members will recognise Jennifer Cramer as the schoolgirl detective. She spends her time solving crimes with her absent minded chum Pippa Tompkins at their private school, St Margaret’s School for Girls.

This is the sixth play involving Jennifer and Pippa, played by Market Theatre regulars Tara Harris and Jemma Carlisle respectively.

This year’s story is centred around the untimely demise of their school chum Jean Spleen, and the audience will have to work out who was responsible from three suspects, all played by London-based actor Kathryn Lincoln.

Director Glyn Doggett said: “Our Malory Towers-esque whodunnits are always popular and we are delighted to be finally putting on this play which was originally intended for June 2020."

"Although part of a series, you don’t need to have seen any of the previous Jennifer Cramer mysteries to enjoy this,” he continued.

“The audience are given notepads and pens when they enter and there is a short interval where they have time to write down who they think did it, how and why before they watch the last scene which tells them the answer.

"If they get it all right they can win a bottle of wine!”

Tara Harris, who is playing Jennifer for the third time, said: “I really love coming back to these shows, they are full of fun and energy and I really love how much the audience get into it.

"They can be quite vocal too when they finally find out who did it!”

Alongside the whodunnit, the Market Theatre is also bringing back its regular Live Music nights, welcoming a variety of local musicians who will play in the venue's Cabaret Bar on a Friday and Saturday after the play.

Jennifer is Missing opens on Thursday, May 19 and runs until Saturday, June 18 with performances every Thursday and Friday at 7.30pm and Saturday at 7pm.

Tickets are £14, with concession on Thursday.

Live music is every Friday from 8.30pm and Saturday from 8.15pm, with free entry and you don’t need to have seen the play to attend.

For more details on all of the venue's upcoming events, visit www.markettheatre.co.uk.