The Ripper – Man or Myth?

By Graeme Maxwell

First things first I have to confess I love a ‘whodunnit’. Whether it’s Miss Marple, Murder She Wrote (ask your parents kids) or Broadchurch, I enjoy nothing better than getting my teeth into a murder mystery.  I’m not alone with my love for this in my family, my Dad being the other main protagonist, so when I discovered that a show covering arguably the most famous as yet unsolved ‘whodunnit’ ever in the UK was coming to Birnam Arts we booked our tickets quicker than Taggart could say “There’s been a Murder”.

‘Jack the Ripper - Uncovering the Truth’ covers the Whitechapel Murders of 1888 committed by an unknown killer famously nicknamed Jack the Ripper, whose true identity has remained a mystery for the last 129 years.

This touring one man show is the product of Trevor Marriott, a retired British Police Murder Squad Detective who in 2002 began a lengthy cold case reinvestigation of the Jack the Ripper case which lasted several years. The blurb for the show said we’d be privy to startling new evidence and facts as well as many original crime scene photos (not for the faint hearted!), so we settled our nerves (and our dinner), before heading up the A9 to Birnam in hot anticipation of what was to come.

I’ve been to Birnam Arts many times and like most people know it as a bright, busting wee gallery and café during the day, but by night it takes on a different, arts club vibe, with a year round programme of live entertainment including music, comedy and unique shows like this one. On arrival we picked up our tickets from the bar and took a seat outside in the evening sun. One of the benefits of smaller intimate venues like this is you’re never too far from the action, and luckily we found ourselves sat next to Trevor Marriot himself, who was relaxing before the last show of what’s been a long tour. After a quick blether, and a bit of a #SmallCityScoop (more of that later), we headed in to take out seats.

The audience were told from the outset that over the next hours we’d be given new information about the famous ‘Ripper Mystery’ which may challenge any pre-existing theories we had, and the opportunity to ask questions and participate.

The tales of The Ripper have had a bit of a revival in recent years through shows like Whitechapel and Ripper Street, both of which have touched on the famous murders as part of their plot. Although an enjoyable watch, sometimes series like these have reinforced elements of the story which we’ve become so familiar with we take for granted as facts. Case in point – the famous image of Jack The Ripper as a dark cloaked figure, wearing a top had, standing in a smoke filled alleyway. In 1888 Whitechapel was one of the most deprived and crime ridden areas of the UK, anyone dressed in such attire would not only have stood out like a sore thumb but have been a target themselves for every petty criminal around.

The revelations continued throughout the show, and it felt a little bit like being in a real, live version of Cluedo, with our minds working overtime questioning everything we thought we knew. Trevor examined the evidence for and against different suspects in relation to the 5 recognised Ripper victims, casting major doubts on several of the popular theories, and dismantling the police investigations.

He highlighted differences between the methods and practices used at the time versus the infinitely more sophisticated techniques officers have been able to use today. The second half focused on the list of best known suspects one by one completely discrediting the views and reports of the police on whom they thought the Ripper could have been.

As time went on the show revealed itself to be more about clearing up who didn’t commit these crimes, rather than confirming who did.  Trevor presented the evidence in an engaging manner, and was able to hold the attention and curiosity of the audience throughout. Sometimes you wonder what it might be like to have access to all of the available records and evidence, and time to examine them through fresh eyes for a case such as this. You realise pretty quick that is exactly what Trevor has dedicated his life to for several years, and quite simply, there’s not much he hasn’t thought of, or doesn’t know, about this famous case.

He did throw a couple of new names into the suspect ring, one which seemed extremely promising. As for that Small City scoop I mentioned earlier, I can tell you that Trevor’s pretty certain he knows exactly ‘whodunnit’, and may have tipped me the nod, but unfortunately is prevented from revealing it.

Preconceptions shattered, and the mystery still unsolved (although a lot clearer), we headed home to Perth after a quick pit stop at the famous Dunkeld chippy – well, I did have dinner early after all!

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