The Wake Murder Mystery Scenario 

A Dinner Theatre Murder Mystery
by Archie Wilson
 
What's it all about?
  • A murder mystery event in which the actors play a mixture of scripted and improvised elements, then open up for interrogation by the audience / guests
  • Lazy Bee Scripts provides the scripted elements and character briefs  
  • The actors play the script then improvise their interactions with the audience
 
What's does Lazy Bee Scripts provide?
Lazy Bee Scripts supplies a pack of material for the performing company including:-
  • A "narrative arc" for the murder, covering
    • Essential events
    • Scripted elements
    • Partially scripted opening interrogation
    • The resolution!
  • A background brief for each character
    • Character description
    • Character history
    • Motivation
  • General staging guidelines
    • Recommendations for preparation
    • Suggestions for "staging"  
  • Additional materials
    • Solution sheets (for the audience to supply their guesses for "who dunnit")
 
Note that Lazy Bee Scripts does not provide a complete script for the dialogue. Because the actors are interacting with the audience, it is not possible to stick to a fixed script, instead the actors improvise parts of the dialogue based on their character briefs
 

What's a Dinner Theatre Murder Mystery?

  • The event is run during a meal as a mixture of a set drama and interaction between players and audience 
  • In this case
    • the wake (and will reading) of the late Havelock Cartwright (magician and illusionist) 
  • The acting company perform a brief opening scene, at the end of which a murder takes place.
  • A detective does an opening interrogation of the suspects
  • The suspects are interrogated by the audience
  • The audience try to spot the murderer
  • There is a brief final script in which the murderer is revealed
 
What's in this Mystery?

Havelock Cartwright, magician and illusionist, has died. He has asked, however, that a wake be held in memory of his life and that people should have a good time.
The following are present at the wake:
Enid Cartwright (Havelock's widow)
Ulysses Cartwright (eldest son)
Elisa Benjamin, (daughter)
Andrew Benjamin, (son-in-law)
Josephine Cartwright (daughter-in-law)
Grantchester Cartwright (youngest son)
Zacharia Wilkins (Havelock's factotum)
Delicious Wilkins (Havelock's maid)
Hubert Clegghorn (Havelock's solicitor)

There is also a Master of Ceremonies (to facilitate events)

To help matters along, Havelock has declared that his last will and testament be read during the wake. This leaves some very, very disgruntled family members, some of whom want revenge!
Enter super sleuth Sherbert Holmes to help the guests solve a dastardly murder!
 
What do I need to Buy?
Lazy Bee Scripts charges two fees:-
  • A flat fee of £15 for the murder mystery scenario pack
    • Downloadable from the Internet as a zip file
    • Containing all the essential materials
    • Can be used multiple times by your acting company (but you must pay the performance fee for each performance)
  • A fee of £20 for each performance of the scenario (regardless of the "audience" size)