With so many types of murder mystery available, how do you decide which is the best Murder Mystery Event for you? It all depends on your audience…..and budget!
Dinner party Games
If you are planning a small gathering, there are a number of companies that supply dinner party games for 6 to 20 people. Some are available to download, others are supplied as boxed games.
ITM Games have a number of games titles for groups of 6 to 12 available for purchase and download. These role playing games have character profiles for each player, with clues distributed throughout the party via clue packs.
ITM Games offer a range of murder mystery games, which contain a murder, and mystery games, that have a crime instead of a murder. The mystery games are more suited to a younger audience. In both cases the crime/murder is committed prior to the start of the party and so all guests are suspects and no-one is “killed” during the party.
Their games are unique in that the murderer does not know they have committed the crime and so can fully participate in the accusations and have a double-bluff at the denouncement.
Check out www.itmgames.co.uk
Another option for a party with family and friends are the “freeform” games. Similar to the above, all the characters are given profiles, but instead of the information being distributed throughout the event, the players are given character assignments at the outset to complete throughout the party. They are told who to speak to and suggestions of information to find and what to hide. Often they are given the opportunity to commit murders as the event progresses and to bribe/blackmail each other. If you feel your guests would be comfortable to mill around questioning each other, this sort of game may be suitable. It does require people to “network” and be mobile rather than read the next clues and ask questions around the table.
A theatrical production.
If you are thinking of more than 20 guests, you really need to think of a core group of suspects. More than 20 people with means/motive/opportunity is too much to handle!
A Murder Mystery production can be interactive or observatory. Observatory is when you go to the theatre for the evening, and involves no audience participation. Interactive shows require the audience to take part. For interactive events, the choice depends on whether you want your guests to be suspects as well as investigators.
A show with a Compère
If you want the audience to play the suspects, you could have a compèred show where some of the guests are given a character profile to read. As they do not have to learn a script, just read a few pages, the characters and pages to be read can be distributed on the night.
As the audience are given their scripts/pages on the night, they do not have time to develop a character or to learn the background of the story. Therefore, they are restricted to reading what is put in front of them and not answering questions from the floor.
For this type of show you would need to
- purchase the script in advance
- hire a Compère to be in charge of the running of the show
- give a full script to the Compère in advance so they can learn their part and when to introduce the characters in turn. They can read their part on the night but need to have an idea on the running order and timing.
- have an assistant to the Compère, to handle any problems while the show is taking place and possibly to hand the microphone to the next character to speak.
- produce all pages to be read by each character. Each character would need to be given their part of the script to be read on the night. They would not need a copy of the whole script.
- obtain any props or costumes needed for the show.
In addition to buying copies of the script, you would need to purchase performance rights. This is the right to perform the murder mystery to an audience. Each performance requires payment of a licence to perform.
ITM Games offer The Blood Arrow Murder as a show with a Compère that is suitable for fundraising events. Contact ITM Games for details.
Actor led murder mystery
For a much more interactive murder mystery show, it is necessary to employ a group of actors who play the victims and suspects. They are able to learn the back story so they can fully interact with the audience and answer their questions. There are two ways to do this this.
Firstly, you can hire your actors and buy a script to perform. Again, in addition to purchasing the script – a copy for each actor – you will need to purchase performance rights.
Secondly, you can hire a company of actors that perform murder mystery events. They will have their own scripts, costumes and props and will be used to performing at these events.
Just remember, whichever type of murder mystery you decide on, make sure you have fun!
A Shell-Shocking Murder
The Egg & Spoon Race murder mystery
The tech world held its breath as Benedict Egg took center stage, ready to unveil his company’s revolutionary invention. But suddenly a fatal accident claimed Benedict’s life. Was this a tragic mishap, or something more fowl?
The Egg & Spoon Race murder mystery script – A murder mystery where you become the detective, and justice hangs in the balance.
