The Jury Experience – Death on the Port Side

An interactive courtroom drama at the Anson Rooms in Bristol, in which the audience serves as the jury and reaches a verdict in a murder case that begins with a speedboat outing.

The Jury Experience – Death on the Port Side is an interactive live theatre courtroom drama in which the audience sits as the jury. The case concerns the son of a powerful politician, who was at the helm of the family's speedboat one summer night with a former partner and old friends aboard. Hours later, one of them had died, another was in a coma, and the son faces a murder charge. Lasting 60 minutes, the outing has the audience hear testimonies, examine the evidence and vote at key moments. Each choice shapes hidden angles of the case before a verdict of guilty or not guilty is delivered.

Because the votes change the direction of the case, each performance can unfold differently. The show deals with domestic violence, emotional manipulation and alcohol use, and includes a distressing emergency services call and moments of intense emotional conflict, so these themes are worth considering before booking. It is a theatre piece rather than a dinner or boat trip, and the audience remains in its seats throughout.

It suits those who enjoy weighing evidence and arguments and want to shape the outcome themselves. Groups of 30 or more can request a private performance. The Anson Rooms is wheelchair accessible and has a dedicated wheelchair zone.