Who Sleighed Santa? A Murder Mystery Party Pack – By Matthew Taylor,
Steve Clark & David Lovesy
Really Horrid Production
Company
An
especially Festive Murder Mystery! When Santa Claus announces that he is going
to “sell out” and join the financially lucrative commercial world, other members
of his staff are more than a little put out! But would any of them stoop so low
as to commit murder most foul on one of the jolliest chaps in the entire world?
In a word, yes!
About this pack
This
is a taster pack, containing extracts from the full pack. The full should
provide everything you need to produce your very own murder mystery event.
The
pack is intended to be used as a sit down meal where the principal characters
will act out a set of event sand arguments to the assembled guests.
Please
remember from the outset that this is intended for an improvised performance. There is no script or set lines included for the cast to
learn. Instead, your cast is expected to use the information included in this
pack, develop their ‘back stories’ further, and staying completely in character throughout,
improvise the action, dialogue and arguments themselves. This means that your
performers are less constrained and restricted, can react and interact with the
audience and guests at will and should have a lot more fun!
This
document includes:
A Plot Overview.
General Staging Notes on how best to plan and
stage your Murder Mystery event.
Overview of the
Characters
(including suggested costumes and ‘props’).
An
extract from the Plot Narrative to show how plot should
flow and how events should be woven in.
An
Appendix containing an example of one of the detailed Character Back Stories.
The
Downloadable Resources pack that accompanies the full pack contains Adobe
Acrobat .pdf image files and allows you to produce additional materials and
resources that will help bring the event to life and enhance the plot.
These
include:
*Printable
Table Cards to list the key characters to assist the audience.
*Printable
Promotional brochure for SantaCorp.
*Printable
Leaflet for GNOME.
*Printable
Name badges for the characters.
*Printable
Business cards for some of the key characters.
*Printable
‘who dunnit’
Solution Sheets for your guests to
complete.
You
can feel free to customize the details of the scenario. Names and titles of the
characters are more fixed if you choose to use the resources provided but
should not cause any problems for you. This murder mystery is a light hearted
affair and is intended to be as daft and as silly as possible; a comic
entertainment rather than a serious Agatha Christie style detective story.
The
plot subject, the secret pasts of the characters and the characters themselves
are designed for laughs! All the characters have been
given motives and reasons to commit murder and in fact it could have been any
of them that did the deed. As such there are no complicated or involved clues
for the audience to have to try and deduce or follow!
Plot Overview
Santa Claus, who has spent hundreds
of years giving presents away for free, has started to grow disillusioned with
his lot. The magic is disappearing from Christmas, and as the world becomes
more and more greedy and commercial, he’s been starting to wonder if it’s
really worth carrying on as he has. He has therefore elected to “go commercial”, and has been making plans
for the launch of SantaCorp – wherein he plans to start making a profit finally
by selling toys for eleven months of the year, and only giving them away at
Christmas. The main reason for his public appearance at a press conference and
dinner tonight is to announce the formation of SantaCorp to the world. However,
there are plenty of people also at the event not so full of Christmas cheer…
Other notable guests include:
Betsy Claus: The real brains of the outfit
– Santa’s battleaxe of a wife.
Mavis The Elf: Factory Manager of Santa’s
workshop, a disillusioned worker.
Mary Christmas: A glamorous tabloid
kiss-and-tell lovely.
Ralph Dollop: Santa’s filthy old
reindeer handler.
Richard Brimstone: Bearded billionaire and
air-travel mogul.
Doris Hanker: Brimstone’s frustrated
Personal Assistant.
Lord Lancelot
Ffarquarsson- Smythe: CEO of Santa’s main toy manufacturing rivals, CheeryToys Inc.
Richard
Brimstone is also especially keen to hear Santa announce that his Maiden
Airlines have landed the lucrative contract to distribute the billions of
SantaCorp presents – so it comes as quite a shock to him to learn he’s been
snubbed! However, this is nothing compared to the shock Santa’s current staff have
in hearing about his plans for the very first time at this press conference!
Squabbling
and bickering leads to threats, anger and revelations of dramatic secrets,
which in turn spill over into murder! Unthinkable though it may be, Santa is found murdered, followed by another member of the gathering!
Eventually,
the killer is finally revealed to be… [someone who can be revealed by buying the full pack or attending
a performance!]
General Staging Notes
Casting/rehearsal
Your
chosen performers should be issued with a copy of this entire pack. You should
hold as many rehearsals as required depending on experience of performers (3
to 5
recommended). The first rehearsal should concentrate on reading through this
pack and getting a feel for how the event is structured and the role that each
character has to play in the plot. Before the second rehearsal the performers
should further prepare their back stories. We provide example stories in the
Appendix and you can use these or write new ones. At the second rehearsal these
should be read out by each performer in character.
As
it impossible to rehearse the whole event without that all important audience to
react to, you should concentrate on cementing motives and the order and content
of the arguments. These can be rehearsed by the performers, more to prove they
can improvise and keep up a convincing performance than word for word content!
Facilities
required for the performers
The
performers need a separate private room for their use. They will use this prior
to the event to get changed and prepared and will use the room during the event
where they can exchange notes and discuss any change of tactics. The murder
victims will also use this room once deceased! The performers will eat the same
as the audience. Food for the deceased victims can be brought to the main table
and then sent away (and taken to the private room!) for extra comic effect.
Recommended
event format
The
evening works best if structured round a sit down meal. If the event is being
staged in hotel this may be a formal served multi-course meal, but if this was
being staged in a hall or private venue you could lay a on a simpler meal or
even a table buffet. However guests should have a table to sit at to watch and
enjoy the action.
Pre-dinner
drinks
Before
moving to the seated area, we recommend pre-dinner drinks. This gives an
opportunity for the guests to mingle and more importantly meet the characters
informally before the action begins (see Meet and
Greet
below).
Dining
area:
Top table: set for 8 places, used
by the principal characters. Positioned in a central location so that all the
other guests can see the action. Ideally a clear area in front of this table
should be provided to give space for the actors to perform freely.
Tables for the other
guests:
Depending on facilities and space it is recommended that the tables are spaced
to give room for the actors to move around and between them and so to be able
to interact with the guests. Although structured around a meal, there is no
predefined timing for the action and the courses. If this is a restaurant based
event then the serving staff should just be instructed to serve the courses as normal
and not wait for any events/action (this saves upsetting the chef!)
As a broad
guide your event should run as follows:
Improvisation
As
already explained, there is no set script for this Murder Mystery scenario. Your
performers are expected to improvise their dialogue, interactions and behavior
based on their back stories and knowledge of the plot and their interpersonal
relationships. This is not as daunting as it sounds! Your performers need to
get into character and remain in character throughout. All conversations with guests
should be as the character they are playing.
You
are bound to get some comments about ‘who dies first?’, ‘are you the murderer?’ at the start of the
evening. The trick is to act confused and surprised! What are they talking
about? This is a special occasion!
If
guests start asking you questions that you don’t know the answer to then you
can simply make excuses and walk away or steer the conversation in a different
direction. You don’t have to admit your feelings outright, but can hint at your
relationships with the other characters, making passing comments about your
reaction to something to trigger a response and a question.
The
most common difficulty is when someone slips up and gives the wrong info from their
back story (and guests will sometimes probe into your ‘past’ in depth). Sometimes
this is not of consequence but other times it could be important, a date, a
place or something that your character should know too. If when quizzed you
give the wrong corroborating account of events, this can lead to red herrings
as the guests think you are lying deliberately. Therefore, if possible, if you
realize you have let slip something on the spur of the moment that is nonsense,
try and draw the other character(s) aside in time and tell them the new story.
And if you don’t have time to do so, and you get ‘caught’ out, make light of the situation and play
for a laugh; ‘Have
we really been married for 5 years and not 8, well it seemed like even longer
to me…!’
You
will find there is plenty of opportunity to whisper in corners with the other performers
(and when out of the room) to check tactics, prompt actions and arguments (‘right, we need to
reinforce our hatred of one another, let’s go and have a fight in the middle of
the room’).
This is often necessary to keep things on track!
The
Arguments
The
arguments that are used to move on the plot, reveal motives and skeletons in
the closet and the complexities of the characters’ inter-relationships can be
split into two types:
Public: The
confrontational/explosive challenge as one character rounds on another to
contest something that has been said or announced. These can be very public and
devoid of subtlety and a slanging match over the tables and even across the
room often develops. Once these start the guests will quickly fall silent and
pay attention.
Private: These are the type that
build from a quiet conversation into a row as things are said that should not
be or revelations are made. These can be more subtle. The characters start
talking together, beside a table of guests and get louder and more heated as
things develop. Gradually the whole room is drawn into the conversation.
In
general the arguments only need to be staged once but if the venue is very
large or there is a lot of back ground noise from the guests you can stage the
argument and then move to another area of the room to continue the quarrel
(repeating the salient points once more).
Overview of the
Characters
Santa Claus
Male:
Playing age any really, due to costume! Costume: Father Christmas outfit. Father
Christmas: A cheerful white-bearded chap. He has spent hundreds of years giving
out presents, but is starting to get drawn more and more into the modern world –
models, stardom, commercialization etc. “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” etc. Always seems jolly,
but does that hide a darker and more despondent side?
Betty Claus
Female:
Playing age 50’s. Costume: Dowdy, frumpy and old fashioned. Santa’s wife:
Loyal, solid and dependable. Betty is seen by many as the real brains of the whole
operation. However, she has a fiery temper – you certainly wouldn’t want to
cross her! Betty is stating to worry more and more about Santa’s
dissatisfaction with his lot – would he really jeopardize their business just
through his boredom? Maybe it’s time she pulled him in line…
Mavis the
Elf
Female:
Playing age early 40’s. Costume: Pointy ears, stripy leggings, waistcoat etc. Factory
Manager at the Grotto for many centuries now. Mavis is very bitter at the lack
of progression in her job and gutted that she isn’t being considered as an
eventual successor to Mr. Claus who, let’s face it, seems to be going on and on
in the position. As a result, she has become an embittered, resentful, often
drunken, mess. Is murder the only way she can see herself sitting in the top
chair? She is also a left-wing elf, a real old school trade unionist. Mavis is
constantly moaning about the employment rights of elves (and ‘elf and safety
regs) and she hands out leaflets on the subject and hints darkly that if
working conditions don’t improve soon drastic action will have to be taken. She
has recently been selling secrets to Lord Lancelot.
Mary
Christmas
Female:
Playing age late 20’s. Costume: Flamboyant, maybe revealing a bit more cleavage
than it should! A festive themed outfit with bauble earrings and plenty of
tinsel! A serial tabloid-kiss-and-teller dressed extremely glamorously! There
is much speculation as to why she’s there, but all is revealed when she admits
she has been having a passionate affair with Santa for the last five years.
Naturally there is consternation! Her threatened expose of Santa’s private life
also reveals terrible conditions in the grotto and the whole business, which
cast Mavis and Ralph in a very bad light (Mavis telling secrets to Lord
Lancelot – true, and Ralph mistreating the reindeers – not true!) In fact,
although the affair was originally set up by Lord Lancelot himself, Mary has
fallen in love with Santa, and is devastated when he rejects her.
Ralph
Dollop
Male:
Playing age late 40’s. Costume: Filthy grime-encrusted clothes, flat cap. Wellington
Richard
Brimstone
Male:
Playing age 40s. Costume: Colorful jumper, snazzy designer gear. Multi-multi billionaire
owner of Maiden Airlines (and a whole host of other industries – Maiden Megastores,
Maiden Finance, Maiden TV, even a very unpopular soft drink called Maiden
Cola!) Richard is at the event expecting to be named as the supplier of all
SantaCorp delivery needs – a huge financial success. But how would he react if
Santa were to renege on the deal?
Doris
Harker
Female:
Playing age mid 30’s. Costume: Uptight power suit, glasses. Brimstone’s personal
assistant to Maiden Industries, Doris is a repressed, bespectacled,
clipboard-carrying nerd who harbors a secret fiery passion for her boss. She
dotes on his every word, and it’s obvious to everyone except him that she years
for him with a surprisingly violent fervor. But are her hidden depths
sufficiently fiery for her to commit murder to try and gain his love?
Lord
Lancelot Ffarquarsson-Smythe
Male:
Playing age 40’s. Costume: Smart dinner jacket. A monocle, even! CEO of
CheeryToys Incorporated, the largest toy manufacturers in Europe . Lord Lancelot has long
harbored a grudge against Santa, but is even more panicked now he has learned
of Santa’s plans to enter the toy market between January and November. He has
had Mavis the Elf spying for him in recent years. He is well known for removing
his rivals using dirty tricks in the past, and indeed he himself has paid Mary
Christmas to fool around with Mr. Claus, but would he stoop as low as murder?
Plot Narrative
Meet and
Greet
All
the guests are important media types and/or potential shareholders in
SantaCorp. They have been invited along tonight to hear plans for the
forthcoming venture. A number of the key members of Santa’s staff and some other
interested parties are also invited. These principal characters need to
introduce themselves and each other to the assembled guests before the event
really kicks off (see General Staging Notes above for how best to do
this).
The
characters should arrive over the space of 15 minutes during this informal
section (Recommended order: Ralph and Mavis, Sir Lancelot, Betty, Richard and Doris , Mary, Santa).
They
should introduce themselves to the guests, and interact with one another. They
can make throwaway remarks about the other characters, sowing the seeds for any
mistrust, dislike and personal conflicts. It is important that during this
opening session the characters get to mingle and introduce themselves with all
of the guests to ensure that everyone feels involved and gets a feel for what
is going on! There should be much nervous anticipation about the new venture,
whatever it may be – and some tantalizing hints from those characters who think
they know what’s up those big red sleeves! Santa is being very secretive about
it all!
Guests
should then be invited to take their seats for the meal.
The speech
Once
the guests are seated for the mea, Santa opens with a speech to the
assembled guests welcoming them to the unveiling of the new season. His speech
must include:
*A
welcome to the guests.
*An
introduction of the other principal characters for anyone who’s missed them.
*A
brief word on the frustration he’s felt with the increasing commercialization of
Christmas and the feeling he’s had of being left behind by modern market
forces.
*His
astonishing new plans for SantaCorp, which will allow him to finally start
turning a profit and competing in the global market place. He distributes promotional
flyers from his sack for all to read.
*Details
of the present delivery contract – it turns out that SimpleJet will do it for less
than Maiden Airlines, so he’s already signed a deal with them. This of course
means he can also make a further bit of money on the side by selling off his
reindeer for glue.
These
revelations will cause consternation. Everybody says Santa has lost it and that
this is a completely mad scheme. His current staff are appalled at the complete
change in their ethos, the Maiden Airlines pair are staggered not to be offered
the contract after all, and Lord Lancelot is simply stricken to envisage such a
hefty business competitor emerging onto his company’s radar!
{From this
point on, arguments develop, leading to two murders! A large chunk of the plot
has been cut here for the purposes of this taster!]
Wrapping it
up
Obviously
the second murder is met with equal shock and this time the mood is more somber
and subdued. Now the murders are complete the final section is an opportunity
to sum up the events of the evening and reiterate the motives and the issues.
The characters can interact with one another and the guests to ensure everyone
has followed what is going on. The guests are likely to quiz individuals on
their feelings and attitudes and motives.
Who Dunnit?
At
this point you have a range of options as how to handle the final events. You
can introduce a police officer/inspector, use a member of the staff of the
venue/organizers or let the characters themselves handle the final section. It’s
possible in this scenario that the person who played Santa can return as a
police officer, as he could be unrecognizable without his beard…
If
a policeman/detective is used, he will announce he is just a trainee and needs
some help. He can optionally quiz a few of the guests and the characters and
make notes.
If
one of the organizers or staff members handle this, they simply have to
announce that the police are on their way but will need help. One of the
characters is guilty of a double murder.
If
the characters do it themselves: A lot of fun can be made of the fact that the local
police are a little over-worked tonight and rather than sending an arresting
officer they have sent over a crime sheet and would like the assembled guests
to identify the murder for them (cut-backs etc!)
Solution
forms (and pens) are distributed to the guests and the performers retire to
their room to give the guests time to complete their forms. After giving the
guest 10 minutes or so to make their deductions, the forms are collected and the
characters in the privacy of their room select the winner and the booby prize!
Denouement
and prize giving
The
surviving characters return to the dining area.
A
summary of the events of the night is repeated and the real murderer is invited
to step forward from the line up (you can milk this for tension and laughs by
all characters twitching and almost stepping forward).
Eventually
the murderer steps forward and explains the motive.
The
dead are invited to return (they should bring with them the prizes).
The
chosen winner is announced (and the solution they gave read out) and a prize
awarded (A bottle of wine/champagne).
The
booby prize is announced (and the solution they gave read out) and a prize
awarded (a suitably silly gift—magnifying glass, etc). If there were a number
of amusing sleuthing answers you can read out a shortlist of howlers. The
audience is thanked for their sleuthing skills. The cast take a bow and get a
rousing round of applause.
Appendix A – Detailed Character
back stories
Your
performers can use these as the basis for their stories. Feel free to
embellish, modify and personalize (use your own birthday to save having to
learn a new one, etc.)
Your
performers should learn these, both their own and each others. In particular
they should be familiar with information that they would know about the other
characters (wife’s family background etc.)
Santa Claus
Santa’s
life has always run belief, and so hundreds of years ago he was stronger and
than most other deities—nowadays with the more cynical populace, Santa doesn’t
have very much more power than the Easter Bunny. That said, at least he doesn’t
have to explain away being a six foot rabbit with an egg fixation so he’s
probably more mentally balanced.
Christmas
used to be so much fun – toys for those that behave, lumps of coal for those
that didn’t. You knew where you stood then.
Nowadays,
with all the litigation and the advent of “compensation society” Santa finds himself wide open to court cases if he makes
behavioral judgments on groups of young people. It all has to be a level
playing field – as a result Santa has to make more and more toys for
distribution (with less development resources than at the height of his power days)
and there has been a huge decline in the coal industry.
Santa
doesn’t think he would have made it through as a belief concept without the
love and support of his wife, Betty. They met at a reindeer market in Lapland
in 540 AD, and the relationship is still quite strong even though it gets
harder and harder to find good anniversary presents (they reached their Platinum
anniversary shortly after 610 AD – where do you go from there?)
Here
comes the frank admission – there are things in the bottom of Santa’s stocking
that others may not know about. Santa has been having an affair with Mary
Christmas for some time now.
In
addition, Christmas has just lost the sparkle for Santa. Since the deer and
elves became unionized and all the issue with gifts, the job has become more of
a chore than a pleasure. To that end, Santa is going to embrace consumerism big
time in a bid to maintain his market position.
Santa’s
only previous dealing with the corporate market was a much criticized
sponsorship deal with Coca Cola at the turn of the last century where they
knitted him out in his current stylish red outfit – He hasn’t touched business
deals since but he is going to have to from now on in. Tonight’s the night when
his new plans are revealed! Ho! Ho! Ho!
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