A murder mystery may not sound appetizing to Syracuse University students that love to eat out. But at the Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Syracuse, guests play detective and guess “whodunit” while they feast.

The year is 1603. In the Grand Hall of the Royal Palace of France, the king is presenting the Order of the Peacock to Count Bokoo — this is after Bokoo foiled a musketeer’s plot to overthrow him. Or at least that’s what the Acme Mystery Company wants guests at the restaurant’s weekly murder mystery dinner to believe, for a few hours.

Every Thursday night, visitors with a special reservation dine in a sectioned-off room of the restaurant to enjoy “All for One and One for Death,” a show performed by the Acme Mystery Company. Seating begins at 6:45 p.m. and programs, salad, bread, a small pencil and a “clue” lie on each set table. After the guests are comfortably seated and munching on their salad and bread, the actors come out to mingle in full character, complete with English accents and medieval costume.

Although the room, colored with warm oranges, bronzes and reds with rich wooden paneling and door frames, holds no set and very few props, the actors easily transport the guests to another time.

“I’m excited and I’m waiting to see how it is,” said Pam Johnson, one guest who had never seen the show. “It should be upbeat and fun.”

Characters including King le Fromage, Queen Annalicious, Count Bokoo, Dark n’ Tanning and Lady Lila gradually join the scene, set in the royal palace. All the dinner guests are scum, the peasants of the city, silent and ignored at first while witnessing the night’s events unfold. But the show soon takes a twist and guests start to play an active role in the development of the story line. Some are even given slips of paper with lines to shout out throughout the performance.

“It’s very interactive,” said Bonnie Arnold, a guest who had seen the show before. “Even if you’re quiet or shy, they do bring you out and quickly get you into character,”

Audience members can choose from a delectable menu of traditional Italian entrees: meat and vegetable lasagna, veal and eggplant parmesan and a spaghetti medley, and once the servers take all orders, the show begins. Three intense scenes follow, ending with the murder of one of the cast members, after which guests can enjoy their meals during a brief intermission.

After dessert, the show resumes, the plot thickens and easy digestion is interrupted by sudden shouts and harsh accusations of crime by the cast. Storming the stage, Count Bokoo petitions the audience to condemn someone to guilt by writing down a name and motive in the provided program inserts. Once the inserts are collected and the murder’s revealed, Count Bokoo awards “Agatha Crustie” certificates to guests whose guess was right on target.

Originally called the Acme Murder Company, the group of entertainers began with a few ambitious performers.

“We were feverishly writing scripts. It’s all our own material,” said Bob Greene, managing editor. “We were doing everything we needed to do to form our own company. We were in the right place at the right time.”

The Acme Mystery Company will perform this particular show for six more weeks and then begin a seven week stint of another production, “Big Louie.” The shows are extremely popular in the Syracuse area.

“It brings in a lot of business,” said Pat Wager, the general manager of the Spaghetti Warehouse. “It’s usually sold out. A lot of people return when the next show starts and usually there are a lot of young guests.”

Next month the show will come to Syracuse University, hosted by the Residence Hall Association. The show, which costs $20 and will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 15 in Brockway Dining Hall, will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, said Tony Bartocci, a sophomore information studies major who is RHA’s director of community service.

“I’m excited,” said Allison Green, an RHA adviser. “It seems like a lively group.”

Published on January 27, 2003 at 12:00 pm