Review: Laugh and Let Die Play at Home Murder Mystery Kit: The Late Gatsby*

‘The Late Gatsby’ is a Play at Home Murder Mystery Kit from Laugh and Let Die Murder Mysteries. The company, who usually host murder mystery dinners and events around the U.K, have responded to the current ‘stay at home’ guidelines by converting some of their most popular themed events into play-at-home kits, which can be played by members of a household or shared online with family and friends.

Your Murder Mystery kit contains: All of the electronic documents you will need to run a successful event. The documents are in Word format, which I imagine most people with a computer or electronic device can access. These can be downloaded and shared electronically with your cast and guests, emailed or printed and posted.

The organiser’s pack is ideally presented to ensure the planning and event run smoothly. This pack tells you how to choose your cast for the most drama, when to use each of the other documents in the kit and is full of details to ensure a flowing but fun event.

Other documents include an outline of each main character and their script, evidence, pointers for questions which your detective and deputies may wish to ask the suspects and the all-important confession (du du duuuuh!)

You will need:

4 or 5 fairly outgoing friends, preferably who have agreed to play a key role in the event. You can run your murder mystery with just this cast and yourself, but the more the merrier – any extra guests will be deputies who will, along with the suspects, try to crack the murder case.

A way of distributing documents to the key cast members. This can be done via the post or email beforehand, if you’re sure they won’t give the game away (although even the murderer doesn’t know whodunnit until the end of the event), or electronically at the start of your event.

Technology to see each other if you’re in different homes – play via your preferred secure social media video app.

Costumes and props (optional) If your main cast know which character they’re going to play, why not ask them to dress the part?

Food, snacks and drinks (optional) There are tips included in the kit for timing the murder mystery around a full meal. Drinks & snacks are definitely recommended, as the crime takes around an hour to solve and may take a lot longer if your guests really get into the spirit of the game.

My friends and I played the virtual murder mystery in homes across the U.K. via video. We agreed that having some of the documents emailed beforehand would help the game to flow, without too much confusion about how it worked. This approach paid off during the evening, as it had allowed people to adapt their scripts slightly so that they were comfortable, play the characters in their own style and make up their own jokes – although you may regret this!

As the kit was so clear, it guided the entertainment, rather than getting in the way of it. So, rather than stopping to refer back to the instructions repeatedly, we could develop the story, ham up the acting and have a lot of fun. Although cheesy and over the top, the plot and motives made sense and added to the light-hearted intrigue. By the time of the confession, a couple of us had worked out who the culprit was; others were wrongly convinced that their suspect was guilty and others had forgotten we were even doing a murder mystery because they’d been enjoying themselves so much!

Play at home murder mystery definitely relies on the right ‘cast’ to get the most from it, but if you have a willing group of extrovert suspects and a well-organised detective amongst your friends, adding the kit is the recipe for a melodramatic, laughter-filled, great night in.

How can I purchase a Laugh and Let Die Play at Home Murder Mystery kit?

‘The Late Gatsby’ and ‘Murder on the Titanic’ kits can be purchased from Laugh and Let Die on Etsy.
Kits cost £12.00 for electronic copies of all the documents you’ll need to run your murder mystery.

How can I book a Laugh and Let Die Murder Mystery event?

When Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, see the Laugh and Let Die’s website for details of events around the U.K, how to book the company for private functions or to be added to their mailing list.

Photos from earlier ‘The Late Gatsby’ Murder Mystery events, hosted by Laugh and Let Die – with thanks to Rob Ireland, Creative Director.

About Laugh and Let Die

They are a Manchester-based Murder Mystery Event Company and they provide Murder Mystery Events to suit any occasion and run shows of their own as well. Do get in touch with them to discuss your requirements, they have several scripts and are always writing more.  All their actors are professionally trained and must pass a rigorous audition process to perform for Laugh And Let Die. You may even recognise some of them from stage and screen.

Review by: Sharon Corbally

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* We were sent the kit for free in return for a review. All opinions are our own. Photos copyright of Laugh and Let Die