Murder in the Asylum - absurd whodunit script

absurd whodunit script

MURDER IN THE ASYLUM – ABSURD WHODUNIT SCRIPT

It’s another day at Saint Woden’s Asylum. Another day and another mysterious murder has occurred in this absurd whodunit script. The patients at the asylum are dying like flies and nobody has a clue as to who’s knocking them off. In fact, it’s driving Doctor Mario von Woden a little round the twist himself. Let me rephrase that – he’s just very, very, very stressed. He’s most stressed that even the simple task of dictating a memo for the police is a struggle. When a policeman arrives at the asylum and starts interviewing patients and staff, who then die in a number of weird and wonderful ways, Doctor von Woden’s suspicions are aroused….

The original version of Murder in the Asylum was presented Off-off Broadway in New York City at Stagelights II in
1971, with Ray Hagen, Penny Pettis, Fran Berzanski and Saul Fredricks and directed by Jim Carroll.

FURTHER PRODUCTION HISTORY

Spotlight Drama Group, Galashiels, United Kingdom – 2019

Read about playwright James Campbell. Other plays (Jumping the league – comedy about a priest who doesn’t want to be) by James.

Author: James Campbell

Type: One act play

Genre: Absurd whodunit script

Cast: 3M, 2F

Ages of the actors: Adult

Suitable for: All ages

Length: Twenty minutes

Set: The office of MARIO VAN WODEN, MD, Phd, Saint Woden’s Asylum. The office is furnished with baby furniture. A little white table and a little white chair and little red telephone on the little white table. The room is white, with two revolving doors, SL and SR.

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – being serious in the face of absurdity