Murder Mystery The Poisoned Garden took place on the rooftop of John Lewis in Oxford Street during November 2017. I went along to solve the murders and curse of the Winter Household that was produced and performed out by Blackwatch Entertainment. The question is who done it and how can the curse be broken?
The Poisoned Garden by Blackwatch Entertainment –
who done it?
The story was about a curse that was bestowed upon the Winter’s a Victorian family. The whole rooftop was transformed that evening into an eerie 19th century garden. It was up to me and other detectives (guests) on the night to step into the garden and try to crack the curse and many other mysteries of the night.
Like all Murder Mysteries we were given a fact sheet with a brief history of the family and what happened.
The Winter Household Family History
Firstly upon our journey we are given an Elixir Punch by a Victorian butler to get us into spirits. Everyone of the Winter family is dead and so they are ghosts but they are unaware. The reason they have not moved on is because of the curse so their souls are trapped. It was up to all of us to solve the mystery and crack the curse to release them.
I just loved the way that this story was set on the rooftop gardens of John Lewis and how the sheds were used for rooms with them all being decorated really well.
The actors/actresses resided in the sheds mostly throughout the night apart from the two child twins (played by adults) that kept running around the garden and trying to point out things of interest without giving too much away.
As like many murder mysteries there is more than meets the eye. I won’t reveal what happens and how the curse is solved as I don’t want to spoil the outcome just in case Blackwatch Entertainment decide to bring this Murder Mystery back to John Lewis or at another location.
Who done it?
So all I will say is that there are affairs going on between Iris’s husband William, flowers are an importance, listen to the twins and the painting is a very important significance to the entire story. I though managed to solve the mystery and broke the curse.
The Ethicurean
After solving the we were all treated to a three course dinner by the The Gardening Society’s resident restaurant The Ethicurean.
The chefs Mattew and Ian of The Ethicurean and me
The Ethicurean is run by brothers Matthew and Iain Pennington who have a permanent restaurant in a Victorian walled garden in the Mendip Hills. However for a limited time the award-winning Ethicurean restaurant ran a pop-up on top of John Lewis Oxford Street rooftop garden. All their ingredients are seasonal, ethically-sourced and all taking cues from historic London recipes, the hearty and imaginative menu offers a selection of sumptuous autumn and winter dishes with a taste of Somerset.
However this dining experience had a twist as all the garnishes (plants, fungi and flowers) to choose from for each dish may of been poison to provide that more exquisite flavour. So the next question was would I choose wisely and survive the night or will I come to meet my death like one of the members of the Winter family who was poisoned.
Creepy dolls head sits upon the dining table
London Pecuiliar, Yellow split pea and mushroom soup.
Beware your choice from the poison garden for your garnish. Will you choose Cartwheel Flower salt or Levisticum Officinale salt?
Dinner
Lamb cannon, glazed carrot & beetroot blood.
All mushrooms are edible, some are edible only once. Will you choose the Jack O’Lantern Mushroom powder or Slipper Jack Mushroom powder?
Served along with Persian spiced bulgur wheat salad.
Which oil though the Corn Smut or Castor bean oil?
Mortuary pudding.
Garnish with Casket Sprays. Flower for your death. Choose between Carnation petals or dried Wolfsbane?
All the food that was served was exceptional from the look to the taste.
I thankfully chose all the correct garnishes so I survived the night.
Would you of survived the night in your selection of garnishes?
Click here to see if you would of?
I highly enjoyed the whole night from start to finish. Like always the acting by all characters where played really well and really giving you that feeling that you have stepped back in time. This though is not the first time that I have been along to one of Blackwatch’s murder mysteries as the one before this was at Leeds Castle in Kent called ‘Murder on the Home Front’. Click here to read that blog. I look forward to attending another one soon.
So if you loved reading about Blackwatch Production – The Poisoned Garden and you love the idea of a murder mystery then I highly recommend attending one of theirs as all their productions are excellent and the stories are always well thought out. To read and book one of their future events click here.
Me and my friend Denise
Question being who will win and be the greatest detective on the night?
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
6.25… Beautiful .