When South African comedian, radio presenter and TV comedy writer Angel Campey decided to celebrate her birthday, she knew a standard dinner party wouldn’t cut it. No, this was a night that demanded something special — something outrageous, theatrical, and filled with plot twists. Enter Murder Mystery Guide and my Print and Play Design the Future Group game: a high-stakes evening of deception, ridiculous backstories, and, of course, murder.
Setting the Scene: A Luxurious Conspiracy
Angel hosted the party in her Cape Town home, where she set the mood with a stunning rented tablescape from Rosy’s Event Design & Decor. Because why not have murder and luxury? It was the perfect contrast: elegant dinnerware, candlelit ambiance, and a group of comedians playing the world’s elite, scheming to determine the future of the planet.
Dinner was canapé-style — an excellent choice because let’s be honest, who has time for a full plated meal when you’re busy lying about your alibi? The small bites kept us moving, mingling, and deep in character as we plotted, accused, and dramatically gasped at each new revelation.
The Plot Unfolds… with Maximum Chaos
In Design the Future Group, guests play as powerful (and often unhinged) figures attending an exclusive secret conference where the fate of celebrities, nations, and trends is decided. The night was led by me playing the murder victim’s new PA, while Angel and friends assumed their over-the-top personas. Of course, no high-powered event is complete without a scandal — so, naturally, the evening’s keynote speaker, Jim Ball, ended up dead before he could make his big announcement. Classic Jim.
From that moment, the room turned into a scene straight out of a detective novel — if detective novels were written by stand-up comedians fuelled by wine. Each guest took turns revealing others’ secrets, interrogating each other, and crafting the most absurd justifications for why they definitely weren’t the murderer.
Murder, Mayhem, and Mel Jones’ “Muuuuuuuurdaaaah”
Now, hosting a murder mystery dinner for a group of comedians is like watching a pack of wolves tear apart a script. Nothing goes as planned, but everything is absolutely hilarious. At one point, Mel Jones dramatically stretched out the word murder into a theatrical “Muuuuuuuurdaaaah,” and before we knew it, the entire group was chanting along like we were extras in a Victorian melodrama. Honestly, I might incorporate this into every future game — it was that iconic.
Ready to create your own unforgettable mystery night? Grab your Print and Play game now and let the fun begin!
The Apocalypse Plan
If you thought the game itself was the highlight, think again. At some point during the evening, we took a brief detour into an entirely separate conspiracy: planning for the impending apocalypse. Because why stop at one fictional scenario when you can create a backup dystopia?
Apparently, the best way to survive is to invest in luxury bunkers and wait out the inevitable nuclear catastrophe. This led to a serious (read: completely ridiculous) debate over what our secret code word should be when referring to our diabolical plan to bring on the Apocalypse. Should it be something subtle? Something menacing? Something that sounds like a fancy cocktail? We landed on affectionately calling the big day “New Year”. (Somehow I feel confident that if society does collapse, this group will be the first to claim their underground throne.)
The Big Reveal & The Winners
As the evening reached its climax, the final accusations flew across the table. Some guests were more convincing than others — it turns out too much protesting your innocence comes across as highly suspicious, while simply adopted the “smize” technique can help to charm your way out of suspicion. (Yes, I just learned what smize means, and yes, it is perfect for murder mysteries.)
Make your murder mystery extra special by ordering a bespoke game, where the plot is unique and characters are written for each of your guests.
When the murderer was finally revealed, half the room gasped in shock, while the other half were unsurprised. We wrapped up with votes for Best Male Character (“The General” – Kagiso Mokgadi), Best Female Character (Mel Jones playing an assassin), and Best Dressed (Cashlyn Bankmore and her “assets” – Bailey Georgiades). Let’s just say that the murder mystery costume choices ranged from powerfully chic to questionable at best, but all of them were impressively committed.
Why You Need to Host Your Own Murder Mystery Dinner
If you’ve ever wanted to experience true dinner party entertainment, forget awkward small talk and predictable toasts — murder mystery dinners are where it’s at. They’re immersive, dramatic, and, if you’re playing with comedians, absolutely unhinged in the best possible way.
Want to host your own unforgettable game night? You can grab Design the Future Group or any of my other hilarious, high-quality Print and Play games from Murder Mystery Guide. Just download, print, and prepare to question all your friends’ trustworthiness.
Angel Campey and her friends proved that murder mystery dinners aren’t just fun — they’re legendary. And as for the luxury apocalypse bunkers? Let’s just say I’m keeping my options open and staying close to “Migli”!