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Review of Peter Tobin's 'The Makings of a Murderer'

Guest post by Deborah Tarrant


What makes a serial killer tick? And are there ever tell-tale signs?

Detective David Swindle, who caught the infamous serial killer Peter Tobin, shares his views in 'The Makings of a Muderer'.


You may think spending an evening at the theatre listening to a Taggart sound-alike telling stories from his detective’s case book may not be the most riveting night out, but we found ourselves drawn into the world one normally doesn’t frequent and the time passed swiftly.

Scottish detective David Swindle presents a chilling, thrilling, night at the theatre as he explores famous murder cases from the detective’s perspective.


“Serial Killers are cunning, conniving, controlling, careful and – I hate to say it – clever,” says David. “They live apparently normal lives and get away with their crimes for years... until eventually detected.”


In the first half he talked about some of Britain’s most infamous serial killers, including Jack the Ripper, Peter Tobin, Harold Shipman, Peter Sutcliffe and the ‘killer couples’ – Fred & Rose West and Moors Murderers Ian Brady & Myra Hindley.


With more than 34 years experience as a senior detective, David Swindle shared his unique insight into the mind of a murderer, the famous cases that were never solved, and how murderers got away with it... from someone on the inside. We heard some information that hadn’t been in the public domain.

David’s talk was interspersed with ‘old school’ information slides on the back screen to punctuate key points and short videos of significant people involved in the cases and crime watch exerts.


David, whose ground-breaking Operation Anagram uncovered the activities of Peter Tobin, paints an often-dark picture of how these monsters come to be.


David also looks at the connections to the local area of the most famous murder cases. Slightly ironic in that many of them came from Scotland so he was well placed!


David Swindle

With over 34 years police service mostly within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), David has been involved in hundreds of murder investigations and was at the forefront of implementing change and developing innovative national crime investigation processes.


As a high profile senior police detective, he was involved in the innovative use of TV, online and social media regarding serious crime investigations; in particular, investigations of the serial killer Peter Tobin, which included creation of the ground-breaking BBC Crimewatch Operation Anagram website.


Produced by Entertainers who have 20 years experience producing popular entertainment across the UK.


The Makings of a Murderer is a chilling, thrilling, night at the theatre not to be missed. We saw it at the Adelphi Theatre in London and it is currently on an 100 night tour so can be seen at a theatre near you on:


25 April

Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow


27 April

Stamford Corn Exchange


9 May

Villa Marina, Douglas


May 11

Playhouse, Whitley Bay


12 May

The Bridlington Spa


17 May

Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre,

Newport


18 May

Cambridge Corn Exchange


19 May

Winter Gardens Blackpool


22 May

Theatre Royal Windsor


May 25

Coliseum Aberdare


26 & 27 May

Mast Mayflower Studios,

Southampton


1 June

Grove Theatre Dunstable


2 June

South Holland Centre, Spalding


3 June

Ashcroft Playhouse, Croydon


8 June

The Hawth Crawley


15 June

Town Hall, Birmingham


June 16

Spa Pavilion Felixstowe


17 June

Buxton Opera House


20 June

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford


21 June

Grand Theatre Wolverhampton


22 June

Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline


23 June

Sheffield City Hall


24 June

The Old Savoy Northampton


26 June

Festival Theatre Edinburgh


29 June

Empire Theatre Consett


30 June

Mansfield Palace Theatre


1 July

Royal Leamington Spa Theatre


6 July

Royal Hall Harrogate


9 July

The Auditorium Liverpool


16 July

Grand Theatre Lancaster


19 July

Theatre Royal Lincoln


21 July

Tyne Theatre Opera House

Newcastle-Upon -Tyne


22 July

Webster Memorial Theatre Arbroath


28 July

Cliffs Pavilion Southend


29 July

Babbacombe Theatre


9 August

Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe


11 August

Granville Theatre Ramsgate


12 August

Churchill Theatre Bromley


13 August

Regent Centre Christchurch


1 September

Swansea Grand


2 September

Altrincham Garrick Playhouse


6 September

Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton


8 September

Bedford Corn Exchange


9 September

The Redgrave Theatre, Bristol


11 September

Regal Theatre Redruth


13 September

Watford Palace Theatre


14 September

Theatre Royal Nottingham


15 September

Palace Theatre Kilmarnock


16 September

Caird Hall - Dundee


19 September

Hull Truck Theatre


21 September

Town House Hamilton


26 September

Epic Studios Norwich


27 September

Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar


28 September

Bath The Forum


3 October

Cast in Doncaster


4 October

Dorking Halls


5 October

Wycombe Swan - High Wycombe


6 October

London Indigo at the 02

7 October

Kendal Leisure Centre


10 October

Portsmouth Guildhall


11 October

Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage


12 October

Corn Exchange Newbury


13 October

Watersmeet Theatre, Rickmansworth


17 October

Hartlepool Town Hall


18 October

Roses Theatre Tewkesbury


19 October

Blackwood Miners Institute


20 October

The Capitol, Horsham


21 October

Walsall Arena and Arts Centre


25 October

Palace Theatre Redditch


26 October

Middleton Arena


27 October

Scarborough Spa


28 October

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre


29 October

Winding Wheel, Chesterfield


1 November

Playhouse Theatre Harlow


2 November

Beck Theatre - Hayes


3 November

Medina Theatre, Newport


4 November

Playhouse Theatre,

Weston Super Mare


9 November

The Pavilion Theatre Rhyl


10 November

Dudley Town Hall

11 November

ICC Wales, Newport


12 November

Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple


14 November

The Cresset Peterborough


15 November

Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot


16 November

Exeter Northcott Theatre


17 November

Alban Arena, St Albans


18 November

William Aston Hall Wrexham


20 November

Assembly Rooms Tamworth


23 November

TLT Theatre, Drogheda


24 November

Royal Theatre Castlebar


25 November

The Ulster Hall Belfast


26 November

INEC, Killarney


30 November

Charter Hall Colchester


10 December

Plymouth Pavilions

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