Socks Murder Mystery report

 Well, parts of it were excellent, and people have only been saying nice things so far, but honestly I couldn't tell you if the Socks' Interactive Murder Mystery worked or not. I'm really glad we took the risk of doing something new and experimental, but it really was a bit too complicated and not in the Socks' usual style for my liking.

I have to thank James Pharoah and the Quarry Theatre in Bedford for teaming up with me to run it. It meant that we definitely reached a new audience. We ended up with 55 ticket buyers, of which I think half might be newcomers to the Socks' Zoom shows (they were most likely punters who'd previously seen the Socks live in Bedford).

We took the script of Situation Murder's Ten Little Chefs, last staged circa 2003, and adapted it for the Socks to perform. Between them the two Socks played four characters as well as themselves, with some very variable accents. Because the audience were muted most of the time, I couldn't tell if they were finding stuff funny, and it was the costumes that were producing most of the slapstick. The murder mystery story was very long and, possibly hard to follow.

I think, if people had turned up expecting a traditional Murder Mystery, they'd have been a bit put off by the comedy routines I front-loaded it with (it was 15 minutes before the drama started). And if people expected the Socks doing funny stuff, they might have been a bit bored by the long drama in the middle. But, as I say, I don't know. Nobody's said anything but nice stuff so far.

When we broke the audience off into Breakout Rooms, I hadn't briefed them all on what to do before they went (though I was pleased with the technical process, which I stayed on top of). And whether the Socks' improv answers to the punters interrogation questions were entertaining I don't know. It's very hard to tell when you're on the Socks' side of the set.

I was worried in advance that we didn't have enough material to fill an hour (I was convinced the murder drama itself was no longer than 15 minutes). In the end we went on for 1 hour 20 minutes!

The running order was:

10 minute Countdown video (Minging Detectives music, which I'd forgotten is excellent)

Opening gags (mostly from Minging Detectives)

I'm A Sock (song on video)

Into Murder Mystery gag material

Prick With A Fork Intro video

Long scene of drama, video sting, another long scene of drama. Murder.

Winter Wonderland song (video)

First Poll of Whodunnit

Into Breakout Rooms - Constable Sock visited each room as voice only (on iPad)

Interrogation of three suspects

Second Poll of Whodunnit

Denouement Scene - The end.

Coppers Cabana (song on video)

Thanks and wind up (then 90 minutes in the virtual bar afterwards)

So big thanks to everyone who came, I look forward to our next show being all comedy all the way through!

Next show: Talking Of Changing The Subject, March 19th: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/511549