Although we offer a wide catalogue of cases across time and genres designed to fit most venues, we know that for some events an extra special touch is needed. This is why we also offer Bespoke writing services, where we can create an event especially for you, and over the years we have developed numerous shows tailored to our clients’ needs and desires. These events can either be dining experience settings, or as seen in this blog post, can be a fully immersive set up utilizing your whole venue!
Case Study: Murder on the Underground (Fever/ The Postal Museum 2021)
In 2021, we were approached by Fever, the international ticketing and events company, for our expertise in creating a bespoke Murder Mystery set in the Postal Museum, Farringdon, called ‘Murder on the Underground’.
The Postal Museum holds a rich history of the UK Postal service, alongside the unique layout of Underground tunnels and platforms which make the perfect setting for a Suspect interrogation. The only issue?
This show would require 2 moving trains which guests would need to use to reach said platforms. So, we had to take a different approach to the project, normally our cases are constructed so vital information is heard at certain points, which is slightly tricky to do when guests are speaking to suspects at different times.
After many a confusing whiteboard drawing, we came up with the plan of drip-feeding clues and information so the order would although provide a unique playing experience, not impede any group in solving the case. Our team, alongside the Postal Museum, planned a schedule to have the run show like clockwork, making the Mail Rail Trains no longer a hinderance, but a highlight of the experience. We also utilized another element of the Postal Museum, with an interactive Puzzle section with their Pigeon Holes, to pick up an extra clue to try solve the case.
Murder on the Underground ran for 52 Performances, to overwhelming positive feedback from guests.
Case Study: Peril at the Peligoni Club (Peligoni Club, Zakynthos 2023)
Moving above ground from the Tunnels and up to the skies! In 2023 we were contacted by The Peligoni Club in Greece, who were looking for something with a little more murderous touch to their annual House Party event in September. They wanted a Modern Murder Mystery, set in the Club and spanned across all areas for the guests to explore. The only issue is a site visit is rather tricky when the venue is 1400miles away!
So, after a few consultations with the venue team, our team began to construct a visual idea of the layout and got working on the concept. We developed a show that spanned from the Tennis Courts to the Sea View Yoga Studio, even incorporating the Car Park for one suspect! The Suspect line-up became a combination of a Family attending the Club, alongside staff members working at the Club for that unexpected surprise for visiting guests.
But being a free-flowing immersive experience (something we became proficient in from our Cyanide in the Speakeasy residency) speaking to suspects sometimes isn’t quite enough, there needs to be that little bit more. So, every suspect came with their own secret mission, cue a night of chaos of guests having to try steal evidence from other Suspects, TikTok dances in the car park, and a few interesting games of Tennis in the low evening light (thankfully our tennis coach was near luminous so he was easy to aim for!)
We decided to mix it up for this case, with two killers at play, who turned out they were not who they claimed to be, alongside dropping a few plain as day clues for anyone clued up on their Greek history. The feedback we received from guests was incredibly positive, as they really got stuck into the evening and the excitement of exploring the venues discovering new suspects along the way.
Case Study: A Most Mechanical Murder! (Phantom Peak, London 2023)
Around the same time in 2023, we were approached by Phantom Peak with an offer to do something a little different. They were looking at alternative options for the venue when their current show is not playing, as an offering of something different to their current clientele and to bring a new audience to the wonderful world of Phantom Peak.
So, 5 Days after flying back from the Peligoni Club (just to add to the wonderful chaos of it all), we staged A Most Mechanical Murder at Phantom Peak. But when we say this show was a little different, we don’t mean it lightly!
For those who do not know Phantom Peak, it is a full-scale immersive experience in Canada Water, London. It is a living, breathing town packed with unique buildings, townsfolk in their unique Steam Punk/Wild West world. The only way for us to bring a show that would match up to the venue itself would be to create a story that fits perfectly within the uniqueness of their world, a 1920’s whodunnit just wasn’t quite going to cut it.
But, this also came with another challenge, with this free-flowing experience 5 suspects wouldn’t quite cover it, nor in our opinion would one murder. This was our biggest project to date, with a double murder (one of which being a Robot by the name of LoveBot 5000) and a cast of 10 on our suspect line-up.
With interactive tech elements, secret missions, cones of shame, questionable fortune telling’s and an inescapable Mid-Level-Marketing pitch (which they stand by still isn’t a Ponzi scheme) there was something for everyone on this show.
The atmosphere was unlike anything we had quite experience before, and required utilizing our skills and experiences gained from the past 6 years for this truly unique, one of a kind Murder Mystery experience.
Conclusion: Bespoke Events truly can be unique
In conclusion, if you have a venue and are looking for something different to offer your guests then a Bespoke Murder Mystery could be a perfect option. We have been creating one-off cases for years, alongside shows for venues looking to hold numerous dates. Bespoke writing does take us quite some time to do however, so if you are interest and want to know more drop us a message today!
Sam has been the Creative Director for Moonstone in London since Halloween 2017. Since founding, alongside having written nearly 30 Unique cases, as his Alter-Ego Inspector Rutherford he has lead hundreds of investigations both virtually and worldwide!
