Alternative to Murder Mystery Party?

[Screamingabdabz]

Once a year we usually host a murder mystery party with a game-for-laugh group of adults who are willing to dress up and play the parts. It’s hard work getting the house set up but it’s always great fun and everyone enjoys it.

As we’ve done it a few times now, I’m wondering if anyone has a suggestion of an alternative, where people could still come as a character but the activity has a different focus?

It's not dress-up, but one of our friendship circles enjoys quiz nights. Each couple (or single) makes up a round of a quiz, and we play the round over the course of the evening. Some rounds will be your classic pub quiz rounds, some will be... rather different. We've had toilet paper fancy dress, Taskmaster-style rounds, Blookets, Kahoots, weird food-/booze-tasting, blindfold food/booze-tasting, all sorts of things. Naturally things get more chaotic as the evening progresses 😁

Sorry to hijack but how does the murder mystery work, is it a recording? do you
take part or host the event? I’d love to give this a go.

We use the Talking Tables ones. I host as the narrator and put a bit of flare into it. We dress the house in the style of the theme (and zone it) and everyone brings the right energy. There are three rounds of evidence which correspond with three courses of a meal. If everyone enters into the spirit it’s really great fun.

My tip (as host) is to really familiarise yourself with the script and how the night will work. As soon as everyone arrives and has a drink I get into character so the ‘plot’ works straight away.

Thank you! Sounds great fun.

If you like the mystery part, then you could all get together and solve a Mystery Agency game. You could still dress up for the theme but no scripts needed, just working together to solve a mix of online and physical object clues. We love them!
https://themysteryagency.com/

You could try an escape room in a box? Some of these are themed/historic and more about working together to solve puzzles

Thanks for the ideas folks! Much appreciated.