THE LAST GARDEN PARTY (July 2016) is Master Mystery Productions’ eighth show, an interactive murder mystery garden tea party set in the grandeur of Victorian England. Guests got to watch a play and ask questions of the scheming lords and ladies at this last garden party for the esteemed Walliscroft family, particularly after a skeleton turns up in their croquet lawn.
England at the turn of the twentieth century was a period of peace, prosperity, and cloying politeness. In the year 1900, as Victoria’s record-shattering reign eased toward its end, young second wife of “the only wealthy peer left in England,” Phoebe Walliscroft, throws a garden party at their country estate to celebrate midsummer while her husband is abroad. But her party is not going according to plan. First, the village peerage doesn’t respect her since she’s “just an American.” Second, the festivities are dominated by Phoebe’s new and eccentric in-laws. Third, there’s a skeleton under the croquet set…just as they were about play a game! As her troublesome in-laws-turned-suspects trade witticisms, insults, and suspicions, Phoebe and the rest of her guests attempt to piece together this puzzling problem…before this garden party becomes their last.
Status: AVAILABLE
Body Count: 2
Mechanics: Ensemble show requiring 5 actors–3 female, 2 male. Standard mystery play in two acts with each act ending with a question-and-answer session with the audience. Features two endings–“Good Prevails” and “Evil Triumphant”–which are dependent on how well the audience solves the mystery.
Master Mystery Productions 