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Murder MysteryFor our Murder Mystery party, we wanted a story that incorporated the characters of the hosts (Jay Gatsby and Elinor Glyn) and allowed for everyone to participate. As the commercially available "Murder Mystery Kits" are generally intended for guest-suspects to share stories at dinner, and we wouldn't have a sit-down dinner, such a kit was not the best choice. We also anticipated far more guests than would be appropriate for suspects. We decided to have a set number of suspects who would act out scenes throughout the night, and the guests could win additional clues by participating in party games. We would write the story ourselves. The SuspectsJay Gatsby and Elinor Glyn threw a party to ring in 1926. At the end of the night, both hosts were dead. Their ghosts remained on earth, unable to remember anything from the evening or to find peace, and a week later they hosted another party to determine who killed them.These were our nine suspects: Veronica Gatz, Jay's first love: Woman who married Jay in his youth, only to be abandoned after he became wealthy. When he ignored her at one of his parties, she was filled with rage. Miss Carmine Scarlet: Sexy starlet who had a tumultuous affair with Elinor, but the rumors surrounding the affair and its end ruined her reputation and career. Both of her ex-husbands met violent, untimely deaths. William Darling: A wholesome man who hates the decadent hollywood lifestyle that Elinor embraces, not to mention her lewd novels! Felt she would be better off dead than continuing to live in sin. Alice White: Actress desperate to work with Elinor, jealous of Clara Bow's position, and a little on the crazy side after Elinor's repeated snubs. Her obsessive behavior was only increasing before the murders. Boss Tweed: Liquor supplier for Jay's parties, recently fired after demanding more money. If only Jay had known about his even slimier friends. Jeeves The Butler: Jay's butler, angry over his low wages and a violent drunk. Often heard to mumble under his breath that Jay will get what's coming to him. Bernice Fray: An event planner and gangster moll. She is angry at Elinor for refusing her services of protection and boose. Temperance: A violent temperance activist who heartily disapproves of Jay's parties. She made quite a scene at the last party when she threatened Jay, the Butler and Elinor with a corkscrew. Colonel Mustard: Jay's patriotic friend during the Great War, who became very angry on learning that Jay was a war profiteer. He considers this worse than deserting, and we all know what the consequence is for that... It was fun coming up with motivations and backgrounds for the characters, who we assigned to regular guests who volunteered for the roles. Because the backstory was so complex, we circulated the following story among the guests who wanted to play so that they could get an understanding of the undisputed events of the evening, and understand all of the suspects. The Undisputed Happenings of the Night of the Murder of the Hosts of the PartyJay Gatsby and Elinor Glyn's spirits remember nothing of the night they died. Jay's body was found, with no signs of violence, in his study. Elinor was found in the conservatory, strangled.These are the happenings that everyone agrees on. First, a mysterious beauty (Bernice Fray) appeared at the party. Carmine Scarlet whispered loudly to other guests that Bernice was in the mob or something. Bernice heard some of the gossip and made a loud proclaimation that she was "just a caterer." She took Elinor around the garden on a walk as the party got started. When Elinor returned alone, she appeared troubled and headed to the bar for a stiff drink. At the bar Elinor met with Jay, and Temperance appeared and freaked out. She made a big scene about how evil alcohol is and threatened to stab Elinor and Jay with a corkscrew. William took this opportunity to bring up the other wrongs of Elinor's life. He said something to the effect of, "Darling, she speaks the truth. Marry me and I will take you away from this life of sin.” Elinor refused and splashed her drink in his face. Boss Tweed then confronted Jay about the bar, “you’re still serving my liquor but not giving me money?” he said. He challenged Jay to a duel at midnight in the Study. As the party becamne more lively, Veronica Gatz appeared, which initially made Jay happy. He exclaimed, “oh, my old flame!" and danced with her once. After that, he ignored her the rest of the evening. Later in the night, they had a heated discussion where she tossed him into the fountain and he laughed and said he forgot she had a bit of spirit in her. Alice White begged for an audition in front of the whole party and made a scene. She also said “You’ll be sorry if you don’t put me in your next movie!” Carmine Scarlet began to argue with her, saying "No, you want nothing to do with Elinor! She ruined my career and my reputation and I will get her for it somehow!" To end the spat, Elinor said, "Ladies, Ladies, you both can have me!" and escorted them into the conservatory. She would not be seen alive again by the rest of the party. Meanwhile, Colonel Mustard decided to have a few words with Jay about the horrible news he discovered about him, and the two men go up to Jay's study. A while later, the Colonel leaves the study, alone. Jay would not be seen alive again. Around this same time, Jeeves the Butler took a bottle of champagne and two glasses in the direction of Jay's study. In the main hall, William was very upset about Elinor going off with Alice and Carmine. He ranted to the other guests about her decadence and storms out to the conservatory. Guests report seeing him pause to talk to Alice and Carmine, both looking very worn-out and dirty, in front of the fountain before heading out to the conservatory. Guests also report that he called out after Elinor outside. Boss Tweed does go up to the study at midnight for the duel, and returns silently... Playing it OutOnce everyone understood the backstory, there was a party to be had! Periodically throughout the night, the characters performed little scenes where they revealed things.First, Boss Tweed and Temperance got into a spat. Veronica and William went from a violent girl fight to crying in one anothers arms over their lost loves after sharing the sentiment that if they couldn't be with their loves, they would rather they were dead. Bernice and Carmine reveal that Bernice (the party planner) carries pruning shears on her person at all times. Carmine, Alice (who left with Elinor before she died) and the Colonel (who escorted Jay away before he died) had a heated discussion. Jeeves had a lovely soliloquy where he revealed his hatred for his boss but also that Jay was with a cat when he arrived in his study. Alice accused Bernice of being a gangster. In the last scene, Veronica and William revealed one anothers shady behavior before seeking their loves one last time that fateful night. In addition to the acting, guests won more clues through playing party games. Thus, for some guests it was revealed that the Colonel hasn't killed anyone since the war, Temperance was volunteering with the hungry during the murders, when Jeeves left the study there were two living people in it, Boss Tweed's duel never took place, Alice and Carmine were too enraptured to commit murder, and William really couldn't see Elinor in the dark. They might also have learned that Bernice really was a gangster, and that it was Veronica who ordered Jay's champagne. The first to discover that it was Veronica who killed Jay by poisoning his champagne after he rejected her, was Russ. The first to discover that it was Bernice who used her shears to cut the vines she strangled Elinor with, was Christian. The murder mystery wasn't as well received as it could have been, but it was a fun time and it was interesting to devise the story and characters. It worked. |