AN IMMERSIVE performance will give Warrington audiences the chance to decide the fate of a defendant in a dramatic murder trial.
Murder Trial Tonight is a unique theatrical experience that will be making its way to Parr Hall next year.
The interactive performance is based on the true story of a dramatic murder case, and audience members become the jury.
Starting on screen, the experience will give the audience background to the case, in which a woman returns home after a night out to find her daughter murdered on the doorstep.
The daughter’s boyfriend has been charged, but it’s up to the audience to decide if he is guilty or not guilty.
Then, on stage, both the prosecution and defence will present their cases, cross-examine witness and immerse the audience in a fast-paced courtroom experience.
Ian Houghton is one of the cast members that will be taking to the stage in Warrington on March 6.
“The concept is brilliant, and I was lucky to be cast last season as the defence counsel,” he said.
“I had a blank slate on which to build my character and had great fun with him. So, although the show and the case in itself is scripted, each night it could be played slightly differently.
“A defendant might be a big more tearful or they might play something a bit differently. It keeps you on your toes every night.”
After playing the defence barrister in the last show, Ian will now be taking to the stage as the prosecutor and is looking forward to taking a seat on the other side of the bench.
It’s not just a performance in the cast’s eyes, though, as the cast really do fight to win the case every night.
“The slate is wiped clean, and we go again,” he said.
“Every night we are trying to win the case. Every night we go out there, not just to say lines or anything like that, we are both going to win the case.”
One of the most fascinating parts of the show is when the audience decide their verdicts, which Ian says creates a great atmosphere in the theatre.
“The hubbub in the audience is absolutely amazing whilst their casting their votes,” he said.
“We don’t know when we go back on stage what’s the verdict of a particular night’s audience is going to be. So, our reaction is 100 per cent genuine when we find out whether the audience has decided guilty or not guilty.
“You normally get lots of cheers and boos from the audience in terms of whether they think they’ve got it right or they were on the winning side.”
But, regardless of what the audience decides, the truth will be revealed at the end of the performance – but was the right verdict made?
“It’s a wonderful social experiment as well to see what leads audiences to make certain decisions,” said Ian.
“A lot of the verdicts last year fell between the 60-40 bracket. But I do remember one night in Edinburgh where there was one vote in it.
“It really does prove that on a jury, every vote does count.”
Murder Trial Tonight will start at 7pm and run until 10pm – tickets can be found here.