Daniel Craig and the case of the Whodunnit mystery
As you may have realised, we at WhoDunnit Dinners have always loved a good murder mystery. From our point of view the question really should be: whodoesn’t? And well, it seems that at the moment, a lot of people agree with us. The latest Daniel Craig film ‘Glass Onion’, due out tomorrow on Netflix, follows on from the popular ‘Knives Out’ detective blockbuster and brings back his central detective Benoit Blanc (a nod to the iconic Mrs. White from the classic board game Cluedo perhaps?) along with a cast of superstars in new and engaging roles. Also this year we’ve seen ‘The Mousetrap’ come alive in Sam Rockwell’s ‘See how they run’ and the new BBC reality murder mystery TV series ‘The Traitors’ capturing huge audiences’ imaginations.
What is it about the genre of the murder mystery that is so special? A classic murder mystery has an ingenious plot but must also have a list of memorable, eccentric characters. Think of any brilliant Agatha Christie story (Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express) and you will recall the devilishly handsome bachelor; the exotic heiress; the aged spinster with skeletons in her closet and the vicar with secrets of his own.
But if you ask us what makes a whodunnit so particularly appealing, we believe it’s the fact that the audience is properly invested in finding out the truth, alongside - or even before if possible - the detectives themselves, so there is a genuine immersive experience. The audience is expected to turn up and engage, not just sit back and be entertained. The gauntlet is thrown down..let the battle commence! The reader, or the viewer, is part of the show.
From the point of view of our games, the cast of vividly portrayed players in the story make for a fabulous evening of over-the-top costumes and hammy acting. A strong name for each character - as in the case of Daniel Craig’s detective - is a prerequisite; a ridiculous Russian or French accent is the icing on the cake. We hope you all enjoy a merry little murder yourselves, this festive season!