3.Golden Age of murder lives on
Golden Age of murder lives on
Joy Swift’s Original Murder Weekends will reach a unique milestone in September 2008 with its 100th plot. After 27 years, the company is still passionately driven by its founder and managing director Joy Swift MBE, who is celebrating the enduring appeal of the English detective story.
“With our 6000th ‘murder’ imminent, I believe the classic English murder mystery is alive and very, very well”, says Joy. “For the 100th plot, I wanted to do something special to celebrate. I went back to my original inspiration, Agatha Christie, whose books enthralled me as a teenager. And so I’ve finally written my first ‘village murder’ – “100 Not Out” – complete with dastardly deeds in the village cricket team! Bookings are already up for the Autumn, and we’re looking forward to meeting over 2000 enthusiastic sleuths.”
“I believe the classic Golden Age detective story still intrigues and absorbs people. Detective fiction lovers relish the chance to get away from real life, and be completely taken up in the world of the imagination. It’s a great stress-buster.”
Joy invented the murder weekends interactive theatre concept in 1981 and has spawned an industry around the world, with interactive restaurants, murder weekends, murder nights, murder cruises and boxed dinner party games. Since then, Joy’s company has staged murder weekends across the UK, USA, Europe – and (of course!) on the Nile. It’s estimated that over 100,000 people have turned sleuth on Joy’s weekends alone … and some have even cracked 30 or more plots!
“I think the secret of our success is three-fold”, says Joy. “First – we don’t make it easy! People love to test their brains on fiendishly difficult puzzles and twists – we always have at least three murders to solve. That means there’s a real sense of satisfaction in figuring out whodunnit. Secondly – we’re highly realistic. We use TV-quality make-up, topical themes and actors who can be pretty full-on when they’re asked to play adulterers, psychopaths or masochists! But ultimately, the real secret of success is that we have fun! People dress up, make new friends and generally let themselves play! Time and again we’re told how much guests laughed during the weekend.”
Joy Swift is available for interview and makes an excellent sofa guest and interviewee
If you would like to review one of Joy Swift’s Original
Murder Weekends for your publication or programme,
please telephone 0151 924 1124 or email joy@murder.co.uk
