Murder Mystery Scheme of Work

(ages 12-13)

This 6-week scheme develops characterisation and basic devising skills through a comic murder mystery. Using simplified Stanislavski approaches and restoration comedy context, lessons focus on creating clear characters, exploring motives at a dinner-party scenario and building tension through practical workshops and independent tasks. Techniques used throughout include hot-seating, duologue, tableau, split scene and flashbacks to help students craft and sustain believable roles while developing improvisation and plot awareness.

What Students Will Learn

Students learn to create and maintain characters, use simplified Stanislavski ideas to find motivation, and develop improvisational and ensemble skills. They will explore comic tension and plot development within a black comedy/dinner-party scenario, practising techniques such as hot-seating, duologue, tableau, split scenes and flashbacks to build believable interactions and suspense.

Week 1: The Characters
Introduces character creation using simplified Stanislavski ideas and the dinner-party scenario. Practical activities focus on initial role-building and motivation work to establish the unit's characters and relationships.
Resources Include
Powerpoint Slides
Character Profiles
Props
Spectacles for Dr Di AgnosisMoustache - for Miles O'NaireBeard - for Professor Ed UcationBowtie - for Adam VentureTiara - for Lady SoakalotMaid's Hat - for May Id
Resources
Role on the Wall
Week 2: The Dinner Party
Develops role depth through hot-seating and duologue practice to uncover motives and subtext. Students use hot-seating to interrogate characters and perform short duologues exploring conflicting aims.
Resources Include
Music
Shubert
Props
Spectacles for Dr Di AgnosisMoustache - for Miles O'NaireBeard - for Professor Ed UcationBowtie - for Adam VentureTiara - for Lady SoakalotMaid's Hat - for May Id
Week 3: The Murder
Explores physical relationships and status using tableau and status exercises. Learners create frozen images to show power dynamics and adjust status within scenes.
Week 4: Motives
Introduces angel and devil and split scene techniques to dramatise internal conflict and contrasting perspectives. Students stage split scenes to show simultaneous actions and conflicting intentions.
Resources Include
Powerpoint Slides
Character Motives
Week 5: The Police Investigation
Focuses on timing and narrative structure using dramatic pause, aside and flashback devices. Practical tasks rehearse pauses and brief flashbacks to increase tension and clarify backstory.
Week 6: Courtroom Drama - Assessment
Builds improvisation and plot through devised scenes that push the murder mystery narrative forward. Students practice sustaining tone and building suspense in improvised group sequences.