Watch this, and get excited.

Why did the scarecrow win an award?

Because he was out-standing in his field.

This comedy segue is just to highlight the biggest major change to proceedings – some of the cast are out in the field. Literally, there’s a bunch of actors running around in a field somewhere, joining in the fun and games by mobile phone camera. With the help of the evergreen Detective Slaughter at HQ, and Constable Butcher at the scene of the crime, you and the other Zoom detectives are trying to figure out why there’s a dead clown in a clearing, and most importantly – whodunnit?!

This is where the ‘Choose Your Own’ bit of the show name comes into play. If you’re of a certain age and from the UK, you might remember the (in-desperate-need-of-reviving) TV show, Treasure Hunt. A team in the studio told Annika Rice to get in a helicopter and fly to places to solve clues. Now you get a chance to do the same, sans helicopter. At certain points a poll appears in the screen, and collectively you vote to decide where Butcher heads next, and what he investigates. It’s awesome, it really gives you a feel of agency, of flexing your little grey cells to steer the investigation.

Like a puppet on a string

This new format is great. Watching the cast have to truly adlib and brave the hideous weather was both testament to their ability to stay in character, and mildly hilarious. While I never believed there was a dead clown in a public space, there’s just something immersive about seeing someone over the shoulder of the constable and telling them to go and talk to them, or taking a first-person view of a chase.

Technology was the biggest problem, with the quality of the video and audio left to the mercy of the mobile networks, but even that added to the authenticity. As soon as the show was over I found myself thinking ‘I wish I know what would have happened if we’d investigated X instead of Y’. Whatever you do though, these clever Play Dead London folks will make sure you know enough to be able to solve the case with the clues and nuggets of evidence that come your way.

Choose Your Own Deadventure is excellent. I’ve enjoyed all of the Play Dead London shows, but this one was my favourite. The chatter in the communal chat channel was new and really funny, watching Butcher running around in the rain was great, and the mystery itself was clever. Once again I headed to the vote with three suspects I was sure could have done it. Go with your gut, guys, is the only advice I can give without spoiling things.

If you like murder mysteries, I urge you to try Choose Your Own Deadventure. You’ll laugh, you’ll commiserate if the weather is bad, and you’ll not have taken part in anything else quite like it. Play Dead London are one of the masters of the Zoom murder mystery, and this latest mystery just serves to cement them in place.

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As is the case with other online mysteries I’ve taken part in, Shake, Rattle and Roasted is played out over Zoom. Buy your ticket, join the event at the time on the email, and don your virtual deerstalker.

Fifties Mystery – Happy Days?

I won’t spoil things for anyone thinking of attending, but for an overview this show is set in 1950s America, and the setting and characters really brought to mind a mix of Happy Days and Grease. A popular member of the school has been murdered (gasp!), the suspects have been gathered, and through the use of very progressive technology for the time, we – the detectives – can interview them.

As I’ve come to expect from Play Dead London now, the world they give you a window into is really nicely realised. The characters feel really developed, and there’s nothing you can ask them during the series of interviews that they won’t be able to answer in character. I really enjoy the gradual reveal of clues and evidence as the evening progresses, and the way the second set of interviews take on a different feel when you’ve uncovered more facts and rumours.

As I said above, I’ve been to three of these events now, and despite still not having got one right (I really must trust my instincts…), I’m really impressed with the range of characters the actors can play. I’ve heard so many accents and seen so many exaggerated archetypes of personalities, I’ve honestly no idea what they’re going to do next, but it’s great fun finding out.

In Closing

I had some technical trouble during the event, and had to switch to another computer. My problem nothing to do with the event, but even when I kept dropping out and having to rejoin, someone from the team was on-hand to help, get me back into my interview room, and do the whole thing in character. It’s little touches like this which really highlight the professionalism this company has added to this enforced change of direction for their delivery.

I had a great evening in the company of a welcoming, friendly, funny cast, and had a great time interacting with my fellow detectives. If you’re looking for something different to do one evening, or want to add some variety to your bubbled evenings, I couldn’t recommend Shake, Rattle and Roasted enough. Or any of Play Dead London’s shows to be honest, I know they’re revisiting some of the older ones again soon, so there’s no better time to grab a notepad and pen, a glass of your favourite thinking juice, and get your mystery on!

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If you’ve not been to one of these online murder mysteries yet, it’s pretty simple. Make sure you’ve got Zoom installed on whatever device you’re using, and at the agreed time, join the meeting link you’re sent when you buy your ticket.

After an introduction and some scene-setting by the host (in-character) you’re squirreled away in a private room with a group of the other amateur detectives, and one-by-one the suspects arrive for five minutes of grilling (or asking odd questions about what they’re wearing).. Then you’re brought back together for some more evidence to be presented, before being ushered back to your private room for one last chance to make the ne’er-do-wells sweat! Finally, you’re all brought together for the finale to unfold, and a chance to vote and reveal your lost calling as sleuth extraordinaire!

What did I think of the show?

Once again, Sharp Teeth showed how well they’ve adapted to this lockdown-enforced medium. Sherlock in Homes 2 was absolutely hilarious, from start to end. The cast are brilliant, and having seen them twice now, it’s easy to see what pros they are, adapting to different characters and outrageous accents!.

The other detectives – i.e. the rest of the attendees – really add to it. The conversations between suspects got pretty hilarious, and one of the cast stayed in character while we had an in-depth discussion about what ice cream one of the other detectives was eating.

As far as the mystery goes, it was great. We got led down garden paths (or more accurately subterranean tunnels), but if you pay attention and ask the right questions, it’s absolutely solvable. This was my fourth online murder mystery, and the first I actually solved! Suck it, Columbo! Overall this is a ridiculously enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours one evening. Grab a glass of your favourite beverage, put your deerstalker on, and let Sharp Teeth whisk you off for a well-needed evening of comedy, escapism, and murder.

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Setting The Scene

My invite came in my email with instructions of what to do and when, and when the time arrived I clicked the link and found myself in a Victorian mortuary with a variety of characters, all of whom were present to watch the autopsy – or dissection as it was then – of a man found recently dead. Things soon took a twist though when the aptly-named Inspector Slaughter arrived to tell us that one of the gawkers was in fact, the man’s murderer!

He then let us know that we were invited along to solve the murder by interviewing the suspects. No time to lose, the game is afoot!

How It Works

If you’ve ever used the Zoom video conferencing system before, you’ll immediately be at home. For the uninitiated however, by using Zoom on your laptop or PC (tablets and phones don’t work as well for this) you connect to the show and watch the thing play out through all of the actors’ webcams. The detectives (you) have your cameras on too, so it’s very interactive.

After the introduction and prologue, we were told we can use Zoom’s Breakout Room feature to visit each of the suspects in their own location. This is the bit you can’t do on a phone, but if that’s your only choice, there is a guide present who can move you around if you tell them where you want to go.

At first this seemed daunting. I wasn’t having my hand held, being told where to go, what to listen to, or any of that. I had to use my own notes and theories, and see if I could solve the mystery. As soon as it started, all of those worries evaporated, and I absolutely love the feeling it gave the whole thing. It felt very personal, like each of us detectives was on a treasure hunt, darting from here to there, across London Bridge trying to put the pieces of the jigsaw together.

The Personal Touch

The actors are what made the whole thing shine for me. They addressed us each by name, and in character. The lady running the “boarding house” (heavy airquotes implied there!) called me Adam, but the Lord and Lady present addressed me as Mister Richards. A couple of times I tried to make one of them crack a grin, but no-one faltered. Play Dead London are a hard bunch to crack!

I wondered how it would work with other people bouncing around between suspects too. I worried it might become too busy, or noisy, but it didn’t. Everyone waited their turn to speak, and far from hindering my investigation, it actually helped me to join a room where someone else already was. They could be asking questions I hadn’t thought of, or following a lead I hadn’t stumbled on myself.

After our allotted time doing our detective bits, we were all gathered back together where some more story was told, and we each had a turn to ask one suspect, one more question. Again, this was a really nice touch that brought everyone back up to speed and meant we all had a reasonable chance of getting the solution right.

The Big Reveal

There was some great showmanship at the end. All the detectives had a couple of minutes to make their decision, then write their answer on their notebook, before revealing it to the room via the webcams. Then the inspector went around the suspects, laid out the case and revealed the culprit. I won’t spoil anything here, suffice to say I didn’t get it right, despite having nearly all the information I needed!

The cast finally broke character to thank us all individually, which was just another of those touches we never would have got in a stage performance, or something with more people. It made me sad to leave the meeting after sharing such a great hour with these strangers.

I thought initially that I didn’t have enough time to see everyone I could, although I realised afterwards that the time just flew by, and also that I wasted some time. I asked to have my Tarot read, thinking I might get some secret insights and clues, but it turns out it wasn’t, and despite a thoroughly pleasant reading, I’d just wasted another couple of minutes of my investigating. Oops!

In Closing

A Deadly Dose is absolutely brilliant. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it by yourself like I was, or in a small group, like others did. The actors clearly knew their trade, the characters were equal parts hysterical, loathsome and believable, and the whole thing was a blast. I’d heartily recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery, or is looking for a different way to spend an hour one evening, now that the nights are drawing in.

After the show finished, I contacted Play Dead London just for my own interest to find out when the next one is. They were kind enough to invite me along to this one for free, but I’d happily spend my own money to do it again.

Embrace your inner Sherlock, Miss Marple or Columbo, and give it a go. You won’t regret it. You can find them over here.

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I was approached by someone from Sharp Teeth Theatre, asking if I’d like to review their online murder mystery, Sherlock In Homes. Now although I haven’t written a review for it yet (because I haven’t finished it), Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Baker Street Irregulars is one my most-played and most-enjoyed games of the year. I’m a massive mystery fan, so the answer was a no-brainer for me – a resounding yes! In the interest of transparency, I’ll say here and now that they gave me the ticket for free, but that hasn’t influenced my opinion at all.

An Online Murder Mystery?

My first reaction was “I wonder how on Earth they do an online mystery”. If you’re wondering the same, wonder no more. At the time of your performance, you join a Zoom meeting. Zoom, if you’ve been living under a rock in 2020, is a free video-conferencing application that’s ballooned during lockdown as a way for friends and family to stay in touch.

When I joined, myself and the other amateur sleuths were greeted by the first of the characters, the very enthusiastic Inspector LeShart. He laid out the structure for us, giving us some background and early evidence. All of that combined with the map and character profiles sent prior to the show via email all set the scene, which for us was a murder at the circus!

The Performance

The Game Is Afoot

After the introductions, we were split into groups and assigned to break-out meeting rooms, and one-by-one the suspects joined us via video chat, and as a group we got to ask questions and make notes in our notebooks. The actors were fantastic, full of character and really funny. As well as sticking to the script and facts, they were really quick-witted and ad-libbed in character perfectly. I don’t want to give away too much here, as I’m hoping plenty of people will want to experience it for themselves, but the costumes, voices and mannerisms were just brilliant. Not pantomime, but just on the right side of larger-than-life to remind you that you’re in the midst of a performance.

Suspects came and went, and our little group slowly wrestled some insights from our questions. Maybe it’s a result of the kind of audience for this sort of thing being like-minded, but all of the other guests were having fun and being polite too. I felt like I knew all of them well enough to have a drink with by the end of things.

After 45 minutes or so, we were all brought back into the main meeting to chat and have a few minutes to go and make a cup of tea, then the inspector revealed some new evidence and recounted the facts the different groups had managed to discover so far. This was a really nice touch, it kept everyone in the loop, and meant everyone could fully enjoy the second half.

Closing In On A Killer

The second half was more of the same, but armed with more evidence and plenty of dodgy stories to ask the suspects about. It was really good how everyone really got into it, and no-one tried to be the ‘alpha’ and take control of the group. I appreciate that could really vary, but for me it made for a really nice atmosphere, and let us all enjoy it.

After the second round of questioning we were all brought back together again for the final vote, and the big reveal – whodunnit!

Closing Thoughts

It’s quite hard to write a review of the mystery itself, for fear of giving away too much. Let’s just say that the story led us down a lot of different avenues, and even as late as the final interview our little team was still undecided. The story was really well put together, and it was clear there was a lot of thought and care put into the writing. Even though 80% of us got the wrong answer, it was still so enjoyable.

The actors were absolutely brilliant. Funny all the way through, with solid characters, and as I said before, even their improvisation stayed in character the whole time. The only negative I could even possibly pick is that one of the performers had a bit of a dodgy connection, leading to some lost audio and video. But when all I can criticise is someone’s wifi connection, I think that says something.

I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. I did the family-friendly 4pm show, and there was still enough nuance in there to give me the giggles more than once, I’d love to see how the adults-only shows go. As I said right at the start, I was lucky enough to get my ticket for free, but having done it once now, I can say without a word of a lie that I would pay to do another one in a heartbeat. It was an hour and a half of fun, interaction, and a great whodunnit mystery, presented by thoroughly likable actors and well-realised characters,

If you’re in any way a fan of mystery and fancy doing something a bit different, please, head over to Sharp Teeth Theatre’s website and have a go. You won’t regret it.

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