Put on your investigator’s cap once again as Sight Lines Entertainment presents Murder at Mandai Camp: The Case Reopens , the sequel to Mandai Camp: A Supernatural Murder Mystery that ran three days in June 2020.
Written and directed by award-winning playwright-director Chong Tze Chien , the returning cast sees the addition of Benjamin Kheng (Vocalist of The Sam Willows, Fly Entertainment Artiste) as the key CID officer who reopens the case. Set to be Asia’s first virtual horror-mystery escape room with live-action gameplay, the sequel pushes the boundaries of theatre in the digital realm with 360° views, augmented with immersive surround sound and choose-your-own-adventure mechanics.
The genre-defying experience will stream for 90 minutes on-demand between 8.00PM and 4.00AM daily , from 22 December 2020 to 2 January 2021 . Tickets will be available at an accessible $20 per audience-participant (excluding booking fees) from 24 November 2020 . Accompanying the production is a Mystery Draw of SG$1,000 ; viewers who have collected all the key evidence and identified the true culprit will qualify for the draw automatically.
A collaboration with local cocktail institution Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall completes the experience at home with two themed bottled cocktails, inspired by the production. The Scent of Plumeria and Pisang Noir (2 bottles at $75; 4 bottles at $130, excluding GST) are available for pre-order and purchase on their webstore. The cocktail packages will come with an exclusive clue to solve the mystery.
Interactive, immersive & investigative
Derrick Chew (Executive Producer, Sight Lines Entertainment) and Chong continue to embrace the wonders of technology, allowing Singapore’s performing arts to thrive in the digital realm. Along with creative technologist Adrian Oliveiro (Xctuality) and Stereoimage Studios , The Case Reopens will cement itself as a new brand of horror-mystery entertainment. “The success of the first Murder in Mandai Camp spurred our continued exploration in merging the arts with technology. Our mission has always been to offer new exciting experiences to art lovers and developing new audiences and, in turn, supporting the local scene with jobs, opportunities and the platform to nurture new and young talents,” says Derrick Chew, Executive Producer, Sight Lines Entertainment.
Joined by new audience-participants, seasoned viewers also make a “return” as the lead investigator, tasked by CID Officer Lemuel Ng (played by Kheng) to apprehend the culprit behind the untimely demise of young recruit Ilhan Rozells (Irsyad Dawood). The story picks up immediately after the prequel and the series of unfortunate events that plagued prime suspect Recruit Tan Chee Meng (Bright Ong), former Lieutenant Haziq (Erwin Shah Ismail), and the unassuming Captain Ronald (Ronald Goh).
Set within the investigator’s office, viewers will meander through spine-chilling narrative through interacting with physical evidence, footages and even flashbacks. The story unfolds in a non-linear manner, its flow determined completely by the audience.
In this choose-your-own-adventure gameplay, playwright and director Chong Tze Chien immerses audiences into the role of the investigator who is tasked with collating clues and key pieces of evidence to ultimately arrest and incarcerate the offender. The highly interactive format will have the audience-investigators revisit the infamous Mandai Camp case in full 360° view and toggle between different evidence and videos peppered with surprises on the screen of their device.
Amping up the experience is the implementation of Spatial Audio by Stereoimage Studios. The state-of-the-art surround sound technology matches audio (environmental and speech) with the viewers’ perspective, adjusting with every turn and click.
A SG$1,000 Bounty: The Mystery Draw
With society still reeling from the gruesome tragedy, the pressure mounts as the public has its eyes on the audience, as the investigator, to bring justice to the victim. As the case drags, the parents of the deceased recruit, the Rozells, have offered a S$1,000 bounty to one investigator who uncovers the truth.
Open to Singapore and international audiences, the Mystery Draw will begin from 22 December 2020, 8.00pm and conclude on 2 January 2020, 5.30am (last entry at 4.00am). An achievement system within the live-action gameplay will identify nimble-witted viewers that stand a chance to win when they successfully collect all key evidence and identify the culprit.
With a limited duration of 90 minutes and no do-overs, no two playthroughs will be the same. Audiences are encouraged to enlist family and friends to tackle this horror-mystery, combining their experiences from each playthrough in the bid for the truth. Tickets can be purchased till its last run on 2 January 2020, 4.00am (last entry, ends at 5.30am), giving audiences ample opportunities to qualify for the S$1,000 reward.
A F&B Collaboration with Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall
Accompanying the experience are two bottled cocktails by local cocktail institution Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall.
Exuding a mysterious fragrance, The Scent of Plumeria (250mL, serves 2-3 pours) is an inviting blend of gin, sloe gin, Lillet Blanc, citrus, and orchids. Garnished with a banana chip, the Pisang Noir (250mL, serves 2-3 pours) draws one in with a velvety combination of rum, sweet vermouth, banana, Mozart dark chocolate liqueur and charcoal powder. Each bottle will include two servings with bundles available in 2 (one of each flavour) and 4 bottles (two of each flavour).
Bundles will also offer an exclusive clue to assist the case. The clue will be sent to viewer’s in the guise of a tip-off via email upon purchase.
A brighter and bigger cast
The returning cast of veteran actor Erwin Shah Ismail , multidisciplinary performance-maker Bright Ong , and emerging young talents Irsyad Dawood and Ronald Goh is joined by homegrown actor and musician Benjamin Kheng .
Known as the vocalist of popular local pop band The Sam Willows, Kheng has impressed many with his growing list of acting credits in television, film and theatre. Highlights include his role as the dreamy Romeo in Romeo & Juliet (Toy Factory, 2014), four vastly different characters in the musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home (Pangdemonium, 2017) and the titular character in the Dick Lee biopic, Wonder Boy (2017).
As part of Sight Lines Entertainment to support the local performing arts scene, the production has continued to engage and nurture the next generation of performers and theatre practitioners. Emerging talents Irsyad Dawood and actor-cum-singer-songwriter Ronald Goh, who are currently students of Lasalle College of the Arts, signify the beginning of many more young talents gracing Sight Lines Entertainment’s new brand of production.
As part of The Future Stage’s vision to inspire, inform and entertain audiences, Xctuality continues to play an active role as creative and tech experts and solutions provider, such as integrating the aforementioned gameplay experiences. They continue to work hand-in-hand with the best entertainment and industry partners, including ticketing giant SISTIC, to merge tech seamlessly with the local art community as well as event presenters and producers.
Tickets for Murder At Mandai Camp: The Case Reopens will be available to audiences ages 18 and above. Tickets (from S$20) will be available via SISTIC from 24 November 2020, 9.00Am till 2 January 2020, 4.00AM (last entry, game ends at 5.30am).
Cocktails from Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall will be available for pre-order and purchase from 24 November onwards. Store pick-up is available and islandwide delivery is at $5/order.