Thank you so much for coming on one of my Original Murder Weekends, I am so delighted that you can join us in this very special year, our 30th. It is so exciting that we are still here 30 years since I invented the concept of interactive Murder Mysteries and I am very proud of my baby and my wonderful team. As well as thanking you for coming to the weekend, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the actors who have been with me along the way, without them and all their hard work and support, I wouldn't be here today!
Where have these 30 years gone since I invented the crazy idea of Murder Weekends, it's absolutely flown by! With over 10,000 murders, more than 100,000 guests and now 114 plots, it's been anything but dull. I've travelled all over the world, we've had so much fun and met so many wonderful guests, it really has been a privilege and with plenty of laughs along the way, I can't imagine a better way to spend 30 years!
When I was trying to come up with the theme for the new 2012 plot (thinking up new themes is always one of the hardest things when I'm writing a new plot), the answer came to me when I heard that it was the 35th anniversary of the death of Elvis. I didn't want to do a fan club weekend, as we have done one only recently and then it came to me, Heartbreak Hotel, I have never written a plot about a hotel and thought I could blend Elvis with a themed hotel, add a little bit of Fawlty Towers and a lot of fun could be had!
So the fictitious theme for the new plot is Heartbreak Hotel, a themed hotel in Blackpool that, for the last 30 years has been doing very well, despite the decline of Blackpool as a holiday destination. Opened in 1968 by Jeff Ryan and his family, it was a well run, 25 bedroom hotel, that ticked along quite happily in the famous resort but with the increase of package holidays to the sun Blackpool began to suffer. However in 1982, Jeff, a huge fan of Elvis Presley had a brainwave. With the excitement of the opening of Gracelands, Jeff decided to turn their well run but mundane hotel into an Elvis themed resort, the only one in the UK and the only place that fans who couldn't afford to go to Gracelands could visit. The hotel was shut for three months while the bedrooms were converted in to 15 themed en suite bedrooms, every room themed to one of Elvis's songs. The hotel has been a huge success ever since and despite the decline of the resort, the Heartbreak Hotel is going stronger than ever. Now not only advertised to fans of Elvis, but also there is a 'getting to know you' section on their website, where fans can meet up and over the last 10 years many couples have met and married!
I thought it would be fun if you, our valued Murder Weekend guests, would pretend that you are one of the many valued customers who have visited the Heartbreak Hotel over the last 30 years. Because there are far too many customers to hold the celebratory weekend at the hotel in Blackpool, Jeff decided it should be held at a hotel in the epi-centre of where all the customers come from, which will be where your particular weekend is. You could make up any little story about how you are connected to the hotel, perhaps you met your partner at the Heartbreak Hotel; perhaps you worked as a chambermaid or porter for a summer job; or perhaps you are a journalist covering the story of the hotel's 30th birthday – whatever you fancy, but just have fun with it, it's just a little thing to be able to chat to guests at the reception, but once the first murder happens, you will become sleuths and will have plenty to talk about to your fellow guests.
Don't worry too much about the theme, it is almost incidental as it is just the hook on which to hang the weekend, provide the plot with characters and explain why a group of total strangers would meet at a hotel but, once the murders start, it quickly fades into the background as you turn sleuth to deduce the reasons and motives for a series of untimely deaths. So whether you love him or loathe him, Elvis is almost insignificant and there are no games themed to him, so you won't need to swat up beforehand and we hope you'll enjoy playing along with the main characters.
On Friday we usually have a colour code, and as Elvis had so many songs with blue in the title, I thought it would be good if we all wore dark navy blue, or navy denim – the room always looks so fantastic when everyone wears the same colour. But I also thought it would be fun to incorporate the hotel's title and we could all wear a heart or hearts of some kind; a tie or socks with hearts on; a piece of jewellery or scarf; or if you're feeling creative, perhaps you'd like to make a heart – out of wood, buttons, newspaper whatever you fancy. It is totally up to you but we know how creative some of our guests like to be and I think we'll have some very interesting hearts! We just want you to wear whatever you'll feel comfortable in, and hopefully something that you've found in your wardrobe so that you don't spend any money.
As usual, throughout the weekend, there will be themed games and quizzes with prizes for the winners (but not for 'Googlers'!!). They are not complicated just a light-hearted way to get you chatting to your fellow guests to break the ice and to alleviate the stress on your brains from trying to make sense of the dastardly deeds – after all if we were only sitting around talking about murder, it could get quite boring and depressing! Nothing is compulsory on Murder Weekends, so if you'd rather sit out a game, go for a snooze or visit the Incident Room to study the evidence then that's absolutely fine, we want everyone to enjoy themselves however suits them best.
On Saturday night we always have a themed party (stiff upper lip and all that, carry on regardless despite there having been at least two murders already!) and for this new plot we would like everyone to enter in to the Elvis theme and to come as an Elvis Song – there are so many titles, all of which are listed on Google and there are lots that you can have fun with. Nothing could be easier than arriving without shoes, carrying a guitar and crooning – 'Barefoot Ballad'; come draped in blue tinsel and come as 'Blue Christmas'; or you could go completely mad and dress as a bullfighter wearing boobs, full make-up and come as 'The Lady was Bullfighter'!! Over the years we've found that the simplest ideas are often the best and many of our guests say that half the fun is creating their outfits before the weekend to get them in the mood. If you're stuck for an idea then please get in touch with Geri at our office and she'll do her best to give you inspiration, but please don't hire anything, we'd hate you to spend money unnecessarily, particular as the home-made ones usually win the wine for the best creations. Whether yours is totally minimal or completely over the top, the fun is joining in.
The main reason for the Plot theme is so we can all role-play and get involved, which adds to the realism of the characters and consequently the plot - so please pretend you are guests of 'Heartbreak Hotel'. But don't ask when the murders are going to happen, because as far as the hosts are concerned, there will be no murders!!
The Murder plot lasts for the entire weekend and the actors will be in character from the welcome reception on Friday night until the end of the summing up on Sunday. Over the course of the weekend there will be at least three murders in the complex plot, and so that no-one misses anything they are usually when everyone is together but Saturday morning is free and you won't miss anything by going out shopping or visiting the local places of interest.
We know you'll have a lot of fun, no matter how you decide to play the game, but for those of you who are keen sleuths and want to solve the crime, I have enclosed some tips to help. It is also a good idea to bring along a small notepad and pen to jot down conversations you overhear or evidence you think is important.
* PLEASE NOTE: Could you let us know your full name and the names of any other guests in your party, as we need them for seating plans and to ensure that you are all sitting together. |
