Grab your shoulder pads, sharpen your detective skills and prepare for a murder mystery with a 1980s twist.
Dressed to Kill: An Interactive Murder Mystery, directed by Karen Christl, will run at Mousetrap Theatre from 23 October to 1 November, inviting audiences to become part of the action as they try to work out ‘whodunit’.
Karen, who has directed for Mousetrap for many years, said that although she had been involved in many types of productions, the interactive murder mystery is one of her favourites.
“The basic storyline remains the same, but the murderer changes from performance to performance,” she said. “The combination of scripted dialogue and improvised answers to the audience questions makes this type of play an extra challenge for the actors, and no two performances are ever the same.”
Set in 1983, Dressed to Kill follows an amateur theatre company whose backstage tensions at a fashion show take a deadly turn when a murder is committed.
The cast includes Sheryl Salmon as co-founder of the group Barbara, who spends her time bragging about her daughter’s career in musical theatre; Nixie Farina as Marigold, a talented actress who rarely gets the opportunity to show off her skills on stage; and Kristina Ollenburg as ambitious mother Ruth.
Tom Burrell plays the other co-founder, Larry, a “dreadful ham” who irritates the rest of the cast by quoting Shakespeare, and Logan Lewis plays the confident Lisa, who possesses an unwavering faith in her own acting talent.
Audience Interrogations and Unscripted Suspense
“A key part of the experience is the audience interaction,” Karen said. “Audiences can put their detective skills to the test by ‘interrogating’ the suspects. Because the murderer changes each performance, the questions and responses vary every night, keeping the show fresh and requiring the cast to rely on strong improvisation skills. Unlike a murder mystery on television or film, the audience becomes part of the action by asking their own questions and helping to solve the case.”
The event includes table seating, with attendees invited to bring their own drinks and snacks. There will be prizes for the best team name and best-dressed, along with trivia and games.
“I hope audiences leave Dressed to Kill after a fantastic night out with family and friends, laughing at the delightfully questionable fashions of the era and humming their favourite mid-1980s hits—What a Feeling!” Karen said.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for concession, $15 for children and $15 for members.
Dressed to Kill: An Interactive Murder Mystery
- 23 October – 1 November
- The Sutton Centre
- 157 Sutton Street, Redcliffe
- Book your seats here.
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