Harry Potter themed murder mystery at Falkirk Town Hall

A combination of comedy and puzzle-solving, the Hogwarts’ Mysterious Muggle Murderer performance at Falkirk Town Hall will introduce the audience to never seen before characters from the J. K. Rowling books.

The familiar faces of Hogwarts will also feature prominently as straggling Death Eaters cause carnage before a murder takes place within the school’s protected walls.

The death, set after the events of the Deathly Hallows when You Know Who was defeated, throws the wizardry and witchcraft students into disarray, with suspicion growing over who is responsible.

That leaves Harry Potter-loving members of the audience with the task of taking up the mantle of Auror – the wizard equivalent of a detective – to crack the case.

The crowd will initially be invited to sit back and enjoy some scripted Harry Potter-themed comedy before the murder investigation gets under way and suspects are interrogated.

A prize certificate will then be handed to the winning team and, as an added quirk, the group which comes up with the most ridiculous answer will also receive a reward.

The cast for the show includes actress Karen Bartke, best known for her role in hit BBC One show Scot Squad as Officer Karen.

Kenny Boyle, writer of Hogwarts’ Mysterious Muggle Murderer, said: “The plot is a parody of Harry Potter and we’re all massive Harry Potter fans, so expect us to be poking a lot of fun at the popular franchise and having a laugh at some of the more ridiculous aspects of it, but know that it’ll all be coming from a place of love!

“Because after all, isn’t it love that protects us from dark wizards?”

Hogwarts’ Mysterious Muggle Murderer will visit Falkirk Town Hall on Friday, February 23, at 8pm.

To buy tickets, go to www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/whats-on/events/.

The event, run by the Can You Catch the Killer? murder mystery company, is touring central Scotland and will also visit Ayrshire, Dunfermline’s Carnegie Library, the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, and Rothes Halls in Glenrothes.

The company plans to return to Falkirk for further murder mystery-themed nights centred on cowboys and haunted houses in March and April.

For more information, visit www.canyoucatchthekiller.com.