True crime enthusiasts in Andover are set for a chilling and thought-provoking evening as MURDER:STAGED, a live talk exploring the psychology and staging of real-life murders, arrives at The Lights Theatre this spring.
Taking place on Friday, 24th April at 7.30pm, the event will be led by Cheish Merryweather, a recognised expert in serial killers and psychopathy who has featured across the BBC.
The two-hour production delves into the growing phenomenon of staged murders—cases where offenders attempt to manipulate crime scenes to mislead investigators. According to Merryweather, advances in public understanding of forensic science have played a significant role.
He said: “The ‘CSI effect’ has created a new type of killer – one that is forensically aware and is out to mislead an investigation. MURDER:STAGED will explore the lies embedded in the crime scene with crime scene walkthroughs.”
The show promises a detailed exploration of some of the most shocking cases, combining in-depth forensic analysis with reconstructed crime scene walk-throughs to give audiences a unique perspective on how investigations unfold—and how they can be deceived.
Adding an interactive twist, each audience will take part in a live psychopath test, designed to measure collective personality traits within the room. The results will contribute to a wider comparison of cities across the tour.
Merryweather added: “The live psychopath test is a great way to find out who we really should be keeping a close eye on. Every audience will create their city’s score—so whether Andover will turn out to be the most psychopathic remains to be seen.”
With a running time of 120 minutes plus a 20-minute interval, the event is recommended for those aged 16 and over. Organisers describe it as an unmissable evening for true crime fans, blending education, psychology and gripping storytelling.
Tickets are expected to attract strong interest as Andover prepares to host one of the UK’s more unusual live crime experiences.