by Epiphany Graves
What's It All About?
- A Murder Mystery for a private party in which each of the guests takes a role
- The actors improvise the dialogue based on plot and character briefs provided by Lazy Bee Scripts
- The participants try to work out whodunnit
What Does Lazy Bee Scripts Provide?
Lazy Bee Scripts supplies a pack of material, including:-- An Overview for the Organiser, including
- Guidelines for preparing the mystery
- Guidelines for running the mystery
- Suggested timings
- Character Briefs for each character
- Character description
- Character history
- Motivation
- The Solution
- Explained by the detective
- Additional Materials
- A couple of letters, the Will of the deceased, a bill of sale and a set of accounts.
- In addition to the invitation letter, there's a set of rumours about the goings on in Janus Jaunt, some of which may even be true.
Note that Lazy Bee Scripts does not provide a 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 dialogue based on the "narrative arc."
| What's a Murder Mystery Party? |
- A murder mystery for a dinner party or other small gathering where the guests take roles and have to solve the mystery.
- In this case
- A murder mystery designed for a party, where the host and 14 to 16 guests each have a role.
- The characters improvise interactions with one another, based on Character briefs (and rumours).
- One character dies - the doctor confirms it was murder. The survivors, using their character briefs and hidden clues, have to name the guilty party.
- Finally the host reveals the solution.
- This Mystery Needs
- An 'acting company' of 15 to 17 people, including at least 3 men and 6 women
- No specific set or furniture
- Estimated run times (which may vary enormously!)
- Improvised elements: 120 minutes
|
What's the Mystery Here?
The year is 1927 and the USA is deep into prohibition. If you go a little outside of town, you'll find an exclusive social club by the name of the Janus Jaunt - a speakeasy that serves an eclectic clientele. Tonight, at least 15 of the following will be there...
Andre (or it might be Andrea) Gaynor, the bartender
William (or Willa) Farrell, a cop
Of course it's an illegal activity, so here's Marion Stiller, a mob boss
Victor (or Victoria) Mittler, a lawyer
Maurice Gaynor, moonshiner
Josephina (or Joseph) Novello, a smuggler
Sandra or Alexander Keaton, a novelist
Leo or Leona Jenkins, a businessman/woman
Opal Hanson, a dancer
Governor George Compson
Jamie Vanel a musician
Vivien Dietrich an actor
Spiritualist Joan (or John) Vidor
Socialite Lulu or Luce Milovanoff
Jane Bancroft, a private investigator
Model Lillian Micheaux
Dr. Emilie Davies, a medic.
Being an illegal activity, when there's a murder, nobody's keen on bringing in the police, so the assembled company set out to solve the case themselves.
