A Slight Case of Murder at Next Door Lounge

Awhile back I told you all about my visit to Next Door Lounge. A fun speakeasy in Hollywood it hosted the fun dance troupe LA Follies for a series of performances. Now, the lounge has something new up it’s sleeve – murder! (insert scream here)

photo courtesy of Next Door Lounge

The year is 1949. The setting – a Hollywood premier of the new noir The Hollywoodland Murder. The film is a based on the real life case of the Black Dahlia and before we can enjoy a frame – mayhem ensues.

I was invited by Next Door Lounge to attend The Hollywood Land Murder and since I’m a lover of all things classic Hollywood I eagerly accepted. Shannon and I arrived one evening and enjoyed a fun cocktail hour at the lounge.

Man, does Next Door Lounge make a good cocktail. The Debutante (vodka, strawberry, lime and rosemary) and The Eastside (gin, cucumber, lime, mint) were absolutely delicious. As we imbibed the stars of the evening came out and mingled with the crowd.

Why, here I am enjoying a cocktail with Freddy Copper, the director of the film.

Soon, dinner was served and the show began. Now, I expected a typical dinner theater experience and thought I would simply sit back and watch the show. Not so! The Hollywoodland Murder is an interactive game. Yes, there’s acting but there’s also riddles, clues and scavenger hunts for the audience to participate in. The room is divided into teams who compete to be the first to solve the murder.

Because of the team atmosphere, it’s best to attend The Hollywoodland Murder with a group. There were several parties of 4-6 and I could see them having tons of fun working together to decipher the puzzle. I was in a larger group and it was more difficult to follow the clues. It was  a fun evening nonetheless. Fantastic cocktails, a tasty dinner and a noir themed puzzle? Not a bad way to spend a few hours.

The Hollywoodland Murder runs Saturday evenings at Next Door Lounge. Click here for ticket info.