Murder at Merkister Hall – Large group script

We can customise this game.  However, sadly we do have to charge for this service as even minor customisations take between 1-2 hours to process in the office and we need to buy toilet roll and biscuits as much as the next person…

It’s hard to give “ball park” figures for what different customisations would cost however we’ve attempted to HERE.

Remember… if you just need 1 extra person, or 1 less person, why not add in the inspector as your extra guest.  The inspector can usually be male or female as the “for real” inspector can simply invent a new name for themselves.

Some hosts prefer to play the inspector role as it means they can work on the catering while the round plays out amongst their guests.

The inspector/facilitator role is essential for the game to work. He/she facilitates the entire evening.

The other characters can be taken from the audience and briefed before game play starts, OR you can select a group to play your suspects in advance of the night and give them time to get fluent in their roles and answers.

The rest of the guests are fully included in the game as they’ll be asking questions throughout the night.

Essential Cast:

Detective Inspector Napp – The policeman sent to solve the crime
Efficient in his own peculiar way, Detective Inspector Napp has an unusual method of solving crimes – he involves everyone!

Brigadier Balderdash – Lord of the Manor.
Pompous, with very upright military bearing, Brigadier Balderdash is always seen in a well starched collar and his tweed suit.

Lotta Balderdash – Wife of Brigadier Balderdash.
Tastefully clothed and very reserved, Lotta Balderdash is refined and elegant.

Bruce Bugatti – Racing car driver Always in a tearing hurry, Bruce Bugatti is very debonair, but also fairly untidy.

Anna Glipta – Local Artist
Never without her artist’s smock, Anna Glipta often has her sketch pad to hand and paintbrushes in her hair.

Rev. Al Ation – Vicar
With a stiff white dog collar and wearing traditional black, Rev. Al Ation is always on duty for his flock.

Miss Jane Marbles – Maiden aunt and amateur sleuth.
In twin set and pearls, with a tweed suit, there is nothing remotely sinister about this spinster (except that dead bodies seem to turn up in her close proximity!)

Additional characters in the 9 cast game:

Doug Oles – Archaeologist.
Fresh from his current dig, Doug sports his boots, trowel and being young, huge levels of enthusiasm.

Nicole De’limelite – Film Star
Sophisticated and elegant, Nicole has all the latest fashions.

Additional characters in the 11 cast game:

Max Outputt – Industrialist.
Dressed formally for dinner in a dinner suit, Max is never parted from his Financial Times.

Penny Pusher – The Balderdash’s secretary.
Plain and unimpressive, Penny is a quiet non-entity and easy on the eyes.

Additional characters in the 13 cast game:

Gerry Atrics – Local doctor.
Never without his doctor’s bag, Gerry Atrics has a calm bedside manner and often wears a suit.

Iona Caine – Schoolteacher.
Strict and with glasses that are more regularly looked over than through, Iona has a modest dress code but is really quite stunning.

These games require 7-13 cast and involve the rest of the audience by getting them to ask pre-set questions – which are provided to them on paper by the inspector at the start of each round.

They run in a similar way to a dinner party, so are an ideal first choice for novice hosts and acing teams with little or no experience running large scale events.

These games work best as a sit down event with 6-12 tables of guests, with a suspect on each table.

As a rough guide these mysteries take approximately 2-3 hours to complete with a three course meal.

During the game the audience will listen to five short sets of dialogue from the cast and pose pre-scripted questions (which the cast answer with pre-scripted answers). There are three rounds which can be evenly spread throughout the night or, if preferred, the question and answer rounds can be bunched together into one large round.

At the end of the final round the guests are given time to decide who is the murderer, and once the guests have decided who did it, how and why (i.e. the murderer and motive) they will complete the answer sheet and hand it in.

How these games usually run.

Introductory Round: Introductions by the cast and the facilitator “inspector character”.
Rounds 1, 2 and 3: Scripted dialogue from the cast, followed by pre-set questions and answers.
Concluding Statements and solution: conclusions by the cast and denouement from the inspector.

There is one “inspector character” who acts as facilitator during the event and is essential to the cast.

Reducing the cast size will reduce the length of time required to solve the mystery.