Are your regular train journeys totally monotonous? Does the snack trolley fail to satisfy your hunger? Then, you need to book a trip on The Murdér Express! Set in the fictional train station of Pedley Street, under the very real train arches between Whitechapel and Bethnal Green, The Murdér Express brings together comedy, gourmet dining, and a 1920s murder mystery for two hours of tasty fun.
The storyline of this award-winning immersive dining experience is simple: a group of people board a train, and one person is killed before the train reaches its destination. But, whodunnit? The comedic actors immerse themselves with us regular folk, and we all bring the story to life – plus we customers get a slap-up meal too. We visited this murder mystery experience in London ourselves; read on for our review of The Murdér Express.
Why should you visit The Murdér Express?
The set design was super cool, and the commitment to detail was everywhere. And I mean everywhere. I had a laugh to myself in the toilet cubicle as I noticed the sign that instructed me not to flush paper towels… or legal documents, poison, or candlesticks. Aboard the train, I felt as though I was moving, as the screens above the tables depicted countryside scenery that flowed from table to table as actual scenery would. Any dramatic scenes would be accompanied by flickering of lights, making this London meal all the more an immersive dining experience.
The whole evening was tongue-in-cheek, with a nod to our much-loved murder mystery troupes. Throughout the evening, the innuendos and double meanings rolled off the characters’ tongues like a train on tracks and had us cackling throughout the carriage – as well as questioning some characters’ abilities in…ahem… marital relations.
What is the food like at The Murdér Express?
The food aboard The Murdér Express was impressive. Regular train trolley food, this ain’t. The chefs are billed as ‘the best of the best‘ from previous iterations of the experience, and it truly showed. Each of the three courses was well seasoned, and presented beautifully. I enjoyed my starter of cauliflower curry – a surprise to me, as I’m not usually a fan – the dish packed good flavour, and paired soft cauliflower with crunchy poppadom really well.
My favourite course was the main. I knew it would be from the moment the waiters walked down the carriage, the delicious aroma wafting with them. The chicken parcel, filled with tomato, tasted fab, while the potatoes had just the right amount of garlic to them. The fried chicken skin was a great touch, as it added extra flavour and texture to each bite.
The dessert was a light conclusion to the meal (and the storyline). A reimagined apple pie, it was just the right amount of sweet. I liked that the scenes of the show took place around the eating times – not during them – so you could focus on your meal (and chatting with your group), before recouping to watch the show play out in between food service.
Before you board the train, there is a bar area where you can get drinks – be mindful that, unlike your meal, drinks aren’t included in your ticket. You can also order drinks from this same bar to your table throughout the meal. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to try the cocktails, but we’d previously been told these were all in line with the theme.
Is there much audience interaction during The Murdér Express performance?
Yes, there is – and much of the audience participation elements had us in side-splitting sputters of laughter. The Murdér Express team seemed to do a good job of judging the groups and who would give as good as they got, so we didn’t feel awkward or worried about being approached.
Overall, The Murdér Express was light-hearted fun, with exceptional dining to accompany. The characters were funny, and offered an escape from daily life with their comedic take on a murder mystery. Expect brilliant food and belly laughs aplenty throughout the evening.
The Murdér Express: An Immersive Dining Experience
