Here are some late-breaking guest-attendance scenarios you may encounter when hosting a Dinner Murder Mystery party game.
1. A guest can't make it to your mystery night at the last minute.
If a guest can't make it at the last minute, it depends on what kind of character they've been assigned as to whether it's critical or not. If they have an important part (the murderer, or the investigator/sheriff/constable) or someone that has been categorized as "Very Outgoing" or even "Outgoing"then you'll want to assign someone with a lesser role, categorized as "normal" sociability to that part. It's better to have the more critical character role covered than the less essential character role. In some ways it's a shot in the dark, but you will get through it better than you think you will.
If you have bought the extra packages those characters are more expendable and can be changed to a more critical role in an emergency. You will have to go without that less important role. It generally will work if you just announce to everyone that the character of that part is not available. Or, you could step in and play that role yourself (if you're not already playing a role).
2. A guest comes without a costume to your Dinner Murder Mystery party.
If the other guests are dressed to the hilt and have really gotten into their costumes, maybe a small addition (if they'll wear it) might help. Hats are especially good to use in this way. We've known some hosts to have a small supply of fake mustaches, boas, suspenders, fake pearls, tiaras, gloves etc. If it's important to you these items can be picked up at a dollar store or thrift shop. If the costumes are not a big thing to your party, then maybe it's okay. Note that a fake accent, depending on the Murder Mystery game can help fill out a character a lot. Check out our blog post about this topic here.
3. A guest has to leave early.
This happened to us while hosting a corporate Christmas mystery party dinner, and the early-leaver turned out to be the murderer! Seemed like a disaster at the time, but turns out that the murderer doesn't really have to do anything special at the end of the mystery. The guest that's the most critical is the investigator (constable/sheriff), and even if they leave, you as host can step in and finish.
4. Someone is shouting.
This has happened to us before while hosting a Mystery night... it turned out that the person shouting was just in character and playing their role with gusto.
There are a variety of games that we offer here at Dinner Murder Mystery including a 1920's murder mystery party, cowboys set in a western murder mystery, a pirate murder mystery, a London mystery game, a wine mystery game, and a data computer mystery game.