Bespoke dinners require a minimum of six weeks — the writing, character development, and graphic design all take time to do properly. For hosted Print & Play events, availability is first-come-first-served.

It starts with a quote, followed by a call where Lisa walks you through how the game works and gets to know your group. A rough draft is shared early so you can feel the direction before the final version is completed and sent to graphic design. From there it’s logistics — a WhatsApp group, venue confirmation, start time, and travel arrangements if the event is outside Cape Town.

Confirmed RSVPs, and the commitment to arrive in character. This is fully immersive from the moment guests walk in — every player receives a unique character with their own secrets, motives, and hidden agendas. It’s not an evening people can drop out of last minute, and no two evenings are ever the same because no two groups ever are.

It begins as a mingle over drinks for 30–60 minutes, then moves to the dinner table for the main game. Your guests don’t watch the mystery unfold — they are the mystery. The drama, the accusations, the alliances and the betrayals are all entirely unscripted and entirely real. For groups over 20, a microphone and speakers are recommended. Table décor and a professional photographer are also worth considering.

No period costumes required — and that’s by design. Every Murder Mystery Guide game is set in the present day and leans into the contemporary and the absurd. Modern clothes, maybe a homemade prop or one or two key wardrobe elements to signal your character. The comedy writes itself.

Full payment is required upfront. The fee is non-refundable, but the event can be rescheduled within six months of the original date.

Minimum 8, maximum 24. Beyond 24, guests can’t hear each other around the table — and the dinner table dynamic is central to how the game works.

A private dining space makes a significant difference. The game requires guests to be able to hear one another — background noise from other diners kills the dynamic entirely. A private room also means you control the atmosphere, the timing, and the energy of the evening from start to finish. And it’s fully immersive.

The other thing worth considering: when someone else is handling the food and drinks service, you actually get to enjoy your own party. No running to the kitchen, no managing waitstaff mid-accusation, no missing the moment someone spectacularly throws their best friend under the bus. The smoothest evenings are always the ones where the host has nothing to do but show up in character.

The quote covers everything needed to create and deliver your evening: the full game concept and writing, all character packs and printed materials, graphic design, Lisa’s hosting fee, and travel within Cape Town. Accommodation and additional travel costs are quoted separately for events outside the city.

The quote excludes catering, venue hire, décor, costumes and photography. These are entirely your choices to make — and each one is an opportunity to shape the atmosphere of your evening exactly as you want it.