The Jury Experience – Death on the Port Side

A courtroom drama staged at Liverpool Playhouse Theatre, in which the audience sits as the jury, hears the testimony and votes on the verdict in a case arising from a fatal speedboat accident.

The Jury Experience – Death on the Port Side is a games and mysteries outing in which the audience takes on the role of jurors in a courtroom drama. The running time is 60 minutes. The case concerns the son of a powerful politician, who was at the wheel of the family's speedboat one summer night with an ex-lover and old friends aboard. Hours later, one passenger was dead and another was in a coma, and the son faces murder charges. The final decision, guilty or not guilty, rests with the jury.

Votes cast at key moments during the proceedings open up different hidden angles of the case, so the route to the verdict can vary from one session to the next. Participants follow each witness account, compare statements for contradictions, and weigh the evidence and arguments before delivering a verdict.

The story touches on domestic violence, emotional manipulation and alcohol use, and includes a recording of an emergency call, with moments of intense emotional conflict on stage. It suits people who enjoy puzzles and legal plots. The outing is fully accessible, with a wheelchair zone, and groups of thirty or more can book the stand or a private session.