Getting Into Character for a Murder Mystery Party: Tips & Tricks
Murder mystery parties are an exciting way to spend an evening with friends, bringing drama, suspense, and theatrics into your usual game night. If you're preparing to participate in a murder mystery party for the first-time and want to dive deep into your character--and win the coveted best performer award--, here are some tips and tricks to help you get into character.
1. Understand Your Role
Before the party, take a look at your Character Profile and familiarize yourself with your character's backstory, personality, and key relationships. This will give you a solid foundation to build on. Take note of key details such as:
Personality: Every Foulplay murder mystery game gives each character 3 personality traits, 2 positive, and 1 slightly more negative. What sort of character might display the qualities your character has?
Occupation or Role: What does your character do for a living? How might this affect their behavior or appearance?
Relationships: Who does your character know at the party? Are they surrounded by friends?Enemies? Both?
Secrets: Does your character have any hidden motives or secrets they might want to keep? How might they act if someone confronted them about it? Secretive? Haughty? Annoyed?
2. Choose an Appropriate Costume
A well-chosen costume can instantly transform you into your character and make it easier for you to lean in. Consider:
Time Period or Theme: If the party has a specific time setting or theme, choose clothing that fits the period or mood.
Character Traits: Use your character's occupation or hobbies as inspiration for your costume. For example, a detective might wear a trench coat, while a celebrity might opt for a glamorous outfit.
Accessories: Don't forget the small details—glasses, jewelry, hats, or even a prop like a magnifying glass or a notebook can add authenticity!
You can always use our Pinterest boards for additional inspiration!
3. Develop a Distinctive Voice and Mannerisms
To further immerse yourself in the role, think about how your character speaks and behaves. Consider:
Accent: If it fits your character, practice using an accent or a distinctive speech pattern.
Gestures: Does your character have any specific body language or unique gestures? Do they slouch? Talk with their hands? Incorporate these into your performance to add some flair.
Pacing: Think about how quickly or slowly your character talks and moves. Adjust your pacing to reflect their demeanor.
And don’t worry if you are not a voice actor or an entertainer. People love to see other people having fun with their character, no matter how experienced the performer is!
4. Stay in Character
During the party, commit to staying in character. Here are some tips to help:
React to Events as Your Character Would: If someone accuses you of murder, respond in a way that aligns with your character's personality.
Interact with Others as Your Character: Maintain relationships and conversations from your character's perspective, not your own.
Embrace Improv: While you may have some background information and a set of clues, be prepared to improvise! Your Character Profile will give you a few ideas of what to say and who to talk to, while your Goals and Objectives will give you clues and information to use as you solve the investigation. The rest of the details are up to you and other players to figure out as you move along! Creativity and openness to play along will help make the experience more fun!
5. Engage in Character Development
As the party progresses, let your character evolve based on the whodunnit that unfolds. This could involve:
Changing Allegiances: If new information comes to light, your character might change their opinions of or alliances to another player.
Revealing Secrets: When appropriate, reveal aspects of your character's backstory or hidden motives to add drama and depth to the game. If you don’t spill them, someone else will!
Make Amends, or Double Down: Might your character feel sorry for their part to play? Consider apologizing or being honest with other players on what secrets you have been keeping if you feel your character might have reason to be remorseful. Alternatively, maybe your character still feels their previous or current actions were justified. Consider ways in which your character can emphasize their motives while keeping, or revealing, their secrets.
6. Have Fun and Stay Flexible
Finally, remember that murder mystery parties are meant to be fun for first-timers; there is no need to be an experienced actor or performer or put any pressure on yourself! Enjoy the process of getting into character and embrace the unexpected twists and turns. Stay flexible and open to new interpretations of your role, and you'll be sure to have a memorable evening.
By following these tips and tricks, you'll be well on your way to becoming a standout character in your next murder mystery party! Break a leg, and may the best performer—or the most dramatic —win!
