by Sean Dooley
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
- A "narrative arc" for the mystery
- Key plot points
- Essential events
- A "role pack" for each character
- The Solution
- An explanation of who dunnit and why!
- Additional Materials
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
- This murder mystery party is designed to give you the experience without too much acting, costumes, or preparation.
- It is designed to take place over about an hour and can be transported to any sociable place – for example, a pub.
- It has 8 characters and although some are of specified gender, this can be easily adapted for your requirements.
- It runs in 5 stages each lasting approximately 10 – 15 minutes. The organiser sorts out each of the characters’ specific stage information and hands this out during the evening.
- This Mystery Needs
- An 'acting company' of 4 men and 4 women
- One set comprising furniture
- Estimated run times (which may vary enormously!)
- Improvised elements: 60 minutes
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| Want to know more? Download the (pdf) Taster Pack |
What's the Mystery Here?
The landlord has called all his staff together for a meeting to discuss the future of the pub. On the agenda are things such as an increase in prices, the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the rooms and an idea to re-develop the bar area to make it more sociable. The characters are:
Landlady met land lord 31 years ago at catering college. They have been married for 25 years and have been running this pub together for 21 years. She deals mainly with the administration, public relations and staff.
Landlord He deals with all the financial transactions, advertising and promotional events.
Bar maid She is 22 years old and had been working in the pub since she graduated from university last year. She hates working there but needs the money...
Bar man 26 years old he finished school with a diploma in horticulture and has worked in the pub ever since. He’s miserably single...
Trainee An A’-level student in the local school, she’s the youngest of the lot. She’s not very gifted with bar skills and tends to get in everyone’s way.
Chef Originally from Australia she left a chain of restaurants she set up to experience England. She’s worked in a few kitchens around the cities but fancied trying out country life for a bit.
Brewery rep. A 49 year old head of the local brewery he is the main beer and ale distributor for the area. He started business with the pub 15 years ago as a favour for the land-lord
Regular He has propped up the bar for the last 17 years since his marriage failed because of a suspected but never proved affair with the land-lady.
It seems set to be a night of business, but soon the business turns to murder...