Hello Teachers, librarian and fans of Neil Flambé!

Hello Teachers, librarian and fans of Neil Flambé! Kevin Sylvester here, author and illustrator of the Neil Flambé Capers (published by Simon and Schuster). Throw Julia Child, James Bond, Gordon Ramsay and a young Sherlock Holmes into a blender. Hit mix and out comes Neil Flambé. He s cocky, obnoxious, but incredibly talented, both in the kitchen and on the hunt for criminals. And another case has just shown up, but Neil needs help. This kit has all the ingredients you need to cook up your own Neil Flambé mystery party. It s a little bit scavenger hunt and a little bit Sherlock Holmes. Neil Flambé and the Bard s Banquet is the 5 th book and it all about Shakespeare and the Bard features big in this party. There is a script for the story as well as bios of the various suspects, and photos and artwork you just need to print and tape to a wall. There are misdirections and hidden clues, and they all have a foodie flair, with a serving of Shakespeare on the side! Enjoy and bon appetit! Kevin Sylvester

Neil Flambé Host your own mystery party! A Very Shakespearian Search (HOST GUIDE) TABLE OF CONTENTS: pp. 3-4 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS p. 5 - MATERIALS LIST pp. 6-7 HOST OPENING SCRIPT pp. 8-25 PHOTOS AND CLUES TO BE PRINTED AND HUNG UP AROUND SEARCH AREA. (pp. 18-19 need to be printed and the ripped up.) p. 26 SCRIPT FOR GUARD AT ROYAL PIE TASTING. pp. 27-32 ANSWER KEY FOR THE CLUES WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR FOLLOW- UP CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SHAKESPEARE. BOOKLET FOR KIDS download separately from NeilFlambe.com website. 2

Neil Flambé Host your own mystery party! A Very Shakespearian Search (HOST GUIDE) INSTRUCTIONS: (These are just basic. Feel free to go as crazy as you d like adding or subtracting stuff, or just changing to suit your needs). 1. PRINT a booklet for each team or child. Each booklet contains the plot of the mystery as well as the bios and images of the chef suspects. They will use this booklet to keep track of the clues and to solve the crime by eliminating the suspects one- by- one. 2. PRINT AND HIDE the photos, eye surgery poster, fire of London poster, and the mysterious notes (clues) the culprit leaves behind. These are all numbered and labelled in the Host Guide part of this document. There is an explanation with the clue about where the clues need to go. Most of the poetry clues are designed to be placed next to the photos as if they are information panels for the photo itself. They are easily recognizable as the clues inside the blue boxes. There are four photos, two posters and one etching each contains a clue inside that the kids have to find. You can tape these up in a gym, library, or even hidden around the hallways. They can go up on their own, or can be hidden in a packed bulletin board so that the kids have to search for them. The Macbeth poster (with king image) actually gets ripped up and scattered. The eye surgery poster needs to be put up near the photo of Oxford Street clue so that the kids can make the connection easily and quickly. NOTE TO HOST YOU WILL NEED TO ADD THE LOCATION OF THE NEXT CLUE BY HAND TO THE TAGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EYE SURGERY POSTER. YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO ADD INFORMATION SIGNS TO EACH PHOTO SORT OF LIKE YOU SEE IN A MUSEUM. There s a pager of suggested descriptions but feel free to add your own. 3

3. Print and then tear up the Macbeth poster and clues that accompany the poster. The pieces are then scattered underneath the etching of the London Fire and the kids have to work together to tape it back to one piece. NOTE TO HOST YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE A DESK OR CLEAR SPOT ON THE FLOOR FOR THE KIDS TO RE- ASSEMBLE THE MACBETH POSTER AND CLUES. 4. Using chalk draw a series of arrows (try to keep them hidden so no one stumbles on them by accident) leading from the Macbeth poster area to the photo of the Romeo Juice Bar. NOW YOU ARE READY FOR THE ACTUAL PARTY! 5. Divide sleuths into teams (or they can solve the mystery by themselves). Four or fiver per team seems to work well. You will need some adults to guide the kids through the search and keep them on track. You can have an adult guide lead each group to keep them on track. You will also need a volunteer to act as the guard at the royal pie tasting at the end. (You can use real pies or pretend pies, or whatever food you d like, actually). 6. Read the script with the first clue hidden in a cookbook and then start the search. 4

Neil Flambé Host your own mystery party! A Very Shakespearian Search (HOST GUIDE) MATERIALS LIST or WHAT YOU LL NEED: (the basics) Color printer to print photos and posters. These photos can be printed in black and white, but color will probably work better. Tape - to piece the Macbeth poster and corresponding clue back together and to hang up the other posters, photos and clues. Pens or pencils for the junior sleuths to keep track of their sleuthing in their booklets. Pies (optional) with labels You can have a variety of pies, cupcakes, tarts for the royal tasting at the end. The pies can be any flavour but at least one of them has to be labelled QUINCE AND DATE PIE. This is the type of pie from the final clue in the game. Cookbook (any will do) the first clue is hidden in a cookbook. You can have fun with this but the clue is found by the host and the read out to the sleuths to start the search. Chalk to draw arrows from Macbeth poster area to juice bar photo. Romeo and Juliet (book) the kids need to search for a specific line from the play to convince the guard they are allowed into the tasting. The guard will hand them a clue and they need to search the play to find the line that matches. You can also get a guard uniform for the guard at the royal tasting. You can even have a volunteer act as the Queen! 5

Neil Flambé Host your own mystery party! A Very Shakespearian Search (HOST GUIDE) OPENING SCRIPT FOR HOST Hello everyone. Super chef and super- sleuth Neil Flambé needs your help! Someone is making poisoned pies, using a secret 400- year- old recipe they found hidden in the stacks of the Lillian Smith Library. It was known as the Monarch- Murder- Pie. It was first cooked as part of a foiled plot to kill Queen Elizabeth during a performance of Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet. The story is that Shakespeare himself solved the crime and foiled the plot winning the favour of the Queen. During a performance of Romeo and Juliet: the actors says this line. (It s from Act 4, Scene 2) Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers. The actor was going to lick his fingers then hand the pie to the Queen to eat. She, thinking the actor would never eat a poisoned pie, would eat as well and they d both die. Shakespeare, sensing the pie was an addition to his prose, figured something was up and stepped in to fight the actor. The recipe was thought lost for centuries, but an evil chef has found the recipe tucked into an old cookbook and has murder on his or her mind. The Bard Bakery is hosting a royal pie tasting on this very day! The chef has disguised herself or himself? - as a royal pastry chef and has baked a Monarch- Murder- Pie. Security won t let you in just because you say one of the pies in poisoned. You need to figure out which chef is evil and which pie is poisoned. You need proof. 6

Of course, like all evil chefs, he or she wants everyone to know what a genius he or she is so she or he has left clues to his or her identity hidden near the crime scene. One clue will lead you to the next and each will reveal one thing will help you eliminate one of the suspects. Which pies are safe to eat? And which one contains the poison? Which of the 6 super- chefs is a regicide renegade? You can solve the mystery, but can you solve it before the pie- party begins? Grab a pencil and a guide- book and begin searching for clues. Warning. You will still need to show the security guard at the bake- off that you know your Shakespeare or (he/she) won t let you in to warn the Queen! And you can t skip any of the clues or you won t know which chef is the true criminal! I should tell you that the evil chef has already left one clue- tucked into the cookbook that held the killer recipe. I will read it now If you search the Merry Wives, You ll know the place they live their lives. A ditch surrounds this stony place, It s there that you should walk apace. What could that be talking about? (ANSWER: A castle. Kids need to find something with a castle. Note this is photo #1) (NOTE: At this point guides and kids can set out looking for the first clue.) 7

Neil Flambé Host your own mystery party! A Very Shakespearian Search (HOST GUIDE) CLUES TO BE PRINTED AND HIDDEN CLUE #1 This note is tucked in the cookbook and opens the search. The clue tells them they need to find a picture of a CASTLE (the games store) somewhere in the search area. This is read as part of the opening HOST script. If you search the Merry Wives, You ll know the place they live their lives. A ditch surrounds this stony place, It s there that you should walk apace. PHOTO #1 IS ON NEXT PAGE NEEDS TO BE PRINTED 8

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Clue #2 Poem near photo of Castle Games store (from previous page) this clue now leads to a photo of Oxford Street. (HOST GUIDE) Cut and place near photo. CASTLE GAMES BY NOONLIGHT photo by I. M. Puck The Castle was too easy to find. You clearly have a stellar mind. But look now for a famous school I couldn t afford, It s also the name, Of a famous Lord. PHOTO #2 IS ON NEXT PAGE NEEDS TO BE PRINTED 10

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CLUE #3 near photo of OXFORD STREET pole (hidden on a bulletin board? Or wall?) (HOST GUIDE) Cut and place near photo. OXFORD IN CHARACTER WITH TOWER photo by Hal King IV Oxford was an enemy of Richard the Third, A murdered king who was a bit of a turd. I hate monarchs just as much. And know, the genius chef you seek Needs no help to steal a peek. 12

CLUE #3a Advertising optometrist poster posted NEAR photo of OXFORD STREET. (POSTER IS ON NEXT PAGE no actual clue poem on the poster so kids have to think laterally a bit here.) (HOST GUIDE) NOTE No need to print this page. INSTRUCTIONS: Place the optometrist poster (p. 14) on a pole, bulletin board or wall near the photo of Oxford Street. The kids will have to notice that the name of the doctor is a Shakespeare reference Dr. Macbeth. The tags that you normally tear off to get the phone number will instead say the address or room # of the next clue. NOTE TO HOST YOU WILL NEED TO ADD THE LOCATION OF THE NEXT CLUE (the London Fire Etching. ) BY HAND TO THE TAGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OPTOMETRIST POSTER. You will also need to cut the line between the tags so kids can pull them off without tearing the whole bottom of the poster. (Poster text on poster already) Eliminate the need for glasses! Dr. Macbeth s Laser Surgery No spots! See the trees move! See the witches brew! Call today and get rid of those frames! POSTER IS ON NEXT PAGE AND NEEDS TO BE PRINTED 13

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CLUE #4 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON (etching on the wall of the location or room hinted at by the pull- off tags on the optometrist poster) (HOST GUIDE) (FYI - This is an image from the Neil Flambé #5 book) NOTE TO HOST: You need to (A) place the info sign next to the etching and (B) scatter the ripped- up bits of the larger Macbeth poster near this etching. Kids will have to tape it back together to read the clue on the front AND the clue on the back. The kids might arrive at different times. To stop one kid, or group, from scooping up all the poster bits you can have a volunteer stand near the etching and drop remnants for each kid or group that shows up as they show up. Cut and place near etching. The Great Fire of London etching by K. Sylvestus The place where I first breathed the air, In 1666 burned to the ground. A man named Wren built it anew, To my birthplace this is a clue. ETCHING IS ON NEXT PAGE AND NEEDS TO BE PRINTED 15

The Great Fire of London etching by K. Sylvestus - 1666 LOOK DOWN 16

CLUE #5 MACBETH POSTER AND POEM bits on floor beneath the etching of London Fire. (POSTER AND CLUE ON NEXT 2 PAGES need to be printed and then ripped into pieces). The text on the poster reads. Front (already written on poster) Yes, Macbeth is a name you must never say In a theatre, it s The Scottish Play. Why? cause if you say Macbeth The play will surely end in death. NOTE TO HOST: (Guide can explain the superstition that underlines this belief. Bad luck to call it Macbeth in a theatre.) Once solved tis time to Morris Dance, To find sweet juice named for romance. Yes, Shakespeare s lovers love to talk Look for clues written in chalk. NOTE TO HOST: KIDS WILL HAVE TO LOOK FOR CHALK ARROWS ON THE WALLS, OR FLOOR OR HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THEM. THESE ARROWS LEAD THEM TO A PHOTO EXHIBIT WHERE THEY THEN NEED TO LOOK FOR THE ROMEO JUICE BAR PHOTO. PRINT NEXT THREE PAGES. PHOTO #3 IS ON p. 20. POSTER IS ON NEXT PAGE and CLUES ON FOLLOWING PAGE. BOTH NEED TO BE PRINTED AND RIPPED UP. TIP: Don t rip too finely. The kids need to be able to reassemble. 17

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Poster for The Scottish Play from 1876 by Timon of Athens Once solved tis time to Morris Dance, To find sweet juice named for romance. Yes, Shakespeare s lovers love to talk Look for clues written in chalk. 19

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CLUE #6 on info sign for photo of Romeo Juice Bar (HOST GUIDE) Cut and place near photo. ROMEO ALONE photo by Monty Gu Continue now your swift pursuit, Look closely at this juice of fruit. The missing name will surely vex, And I am from the missing sexe. 21

CLUE #7 ALSO placed next to photo of juice bar. (HOST GUIDE) Cut and place near photo. WELL DONE!!!! BUT WHERE TO LOOK NEXT? by the Evil Chef! Antony said his salad days, When he was young and green, Were a time when he was filled with hate, Can a salad place be seen? NOTE TO HOST: ((Guide can explain the actual line "Salad- Days" from Antony and Cleopatra. My salad days, When I was green in judgment: cold in blood, To say as I said then! But, come, away; Get me ink and paper: He shall have every day a several greeting, Or I'll unpeople Egypt. )) PHOTO #4 IS ON NEXT PAGE NEEDS TO BE PRINTED 22

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CLUE #8 on info sign for Veggie Restaurant (HOST GUIDE) Cut and place near photo. Urban Herbivore Veggie Restaurant photo by Cleo Patra Yes, Salad Days are welcome here, But salad I like not! Now you know which chef I am But which pie s filled with rot? RUSH TO THE PIE TASTING IF YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT IN TIME!!!!!!! 24

CLUE #8 hand written inside the front cover of the copy of Romeo and Juliet. (HOST GUIDE) NOTE TO HOST: THE GUARD HAS THIS CLUE AND A COPY OF ROMEO AND JULIET. (THERE IS A SCRIPT FOR THIS INTERACTION ON THE NEXT PAGE) THE GUARD HANDS THE COPY OF ROMEO AND JULIET TO THE KID OR GROUP AND SAYS IT WAS LEFT BY ONE OF THE CHEFS AND THE KEY TO THE DECIPHERING THE CLUE IS TO FIND THE QUOTE INSIDE. KIDS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO FINE ACT 4 SCENE 4. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE LINE THAT MENTIONS QUINCE PIE THIS TELLS THEM WHICH PIE IS POISONED. Print and have ready to show kids at pie tasting THE FINAL CLUE! Romeo and Juliet both did die By poison, baked into a pie? Look to a Romeo and Juliet quote. Act 4 Scene 4, I know it by rote. 25

GRAND FINALE WANDA S KITCHEN (HOST GUIDE - SCRIPT FOR GUARD) There is a security guard standing outside THE PIE TASTING. The kids tell the guard that they have proof Desdemona Othello is a killer! SCRIPT FOR GUARD. GUARD: Which chef do you think is the killer? KIDS: Answer GUARD: Where s your proof? KIDS: The kids tell about the clues. GUARD speaks into his or her microphone. GUARD: All the chefs are gone but they ve left their pies behind. The Queen insists on eating them all unless you can prove which pie in poisoned. And I do have an odd clue that might help. It was left for me by the chef you named. I ll read the clue. Romeo and Juliet both did die By poison, baked into a pie? Look to a Romeo and Juliet quote. Act 4 Scene 4, I know it by rote. And I was given this book which contains the type of pie. GUARD HANDS KIDS COPY OF THE BOOK. NOTE TO HOST: The kids have to find THIS line.. Romeo and Juliet: Act 4, Scene 4 They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. Then they know which pie is poisoned. The Date and Quince pie! GUARD: You guessed right. You can go save the Queen. 26

A Very Shakespearian Search - THE QUEST (CLUE GUIDE AND ANSWER KEY WITH SOME SUGGESTED NOTES FOR DISCUSSION) (HOST GUIDE) OVERVIEW: Kids are given a booklet with the bios and pictures of 6 chefs - three women and three men. Five are okay, but one is a killer in disguise. Women Desdemona Othello Corrie O Lanus Titania Tamora Men Hal Tudor Phil Staff Nick Bottom Something in each of the bios is different from the others, and each clue allows the kids to eliminate the chefs from suspicion one- by- one. By the time they arrive at the kitchen they know which chef is evil but will then need to guess which pie in the killer pie. CLUE #1 COOKBOOK At the library (or room). A note is tucked in the cookbook. The HOST reads this aloud to everyone and then explain the rules about looking for other clues. If you search the Merry Wives, You ll know the place they live their lives. A ditch surrounds this stony place, It s there that you should walk apace. (Clue #1 solution CASTLE - will be a reference the Merry Wives of Windsor. Why? Windsor is a Castle.) The kids have to work out that the clue refers to a castle. They should then look for a photo of the CASTLE games store where they will find a a second clue. 27

At this point they can t eliminate anyone as a suspect. Once they arrive at the photo of Castle they will see an info sign next to the photo. Clue #2 Poem at Castle leading to Oxford Street. The Castle was too easy to find. You clearly have a stellar mind. But look now for a famous school I couldn t afford, It s also the name, Of a famous Lord. NOTE: The solution is Oxford both a school and an enemy of Richard III from that play. One of the chefs - Hal Tudor lists Oxford as his alma mater. So he is now eliminated as a suspect. He did NOT go to Oxford. The clue also says search for Oxford so the kids now have to look for the photo of Oxford Street. (5 chefs left Desdemona Othello Corrie O Lanus Titania Tamora Phil Staff Nick Bottom) CLUE #3 OXFORD STREET Oxford was an enemy of Richard the Third, A murdered king who was a bit of a turd. I hate monarchs just as much. And know the genius chef you seek Needs no help to steal a peek. 28

(There will be a second poster nearby, this one seemingly unconnected. It will be a poster for an optometrist. The kids will have to notice that the name of the doctor is a Shakespeare reference Dr. Macbeth. The tags that you tear off to get the phone number will instead say the location of the next clue.) (Poster text) Eliminate the need for glasses! Dr. Macbeth s Laser Surgery No spots! See the trees move! See the witches brew! Call today and get rid of those frames! (The Macbeth optometrist poster is a clue that the kids can eliminate the chef with glasses. Titania Tamora.) (4 chefs left on suspect list none with glasses Desdemona Othello Corrie O Lanus Phil Staff Nick Bottom) Kids take a tag from the bottom of the poster which tells them where to go to find the next clue. Kids now head to find etching of London. CLUE #4 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON etching There will be a series of paper scraps on the floor under the etching. If the kids can make them fit together they can reveal the next clue. It s a puzzle. The kids have to work together to fit them together (they will need tape). Maybe ten pieces that they take turns taping together into a poster for a Shakespeare play Macbeth. There will be this on the front. 29

Yes, Macbeth is a name you must never say In a theatre, it s The Scottish Play. Why? cause if you say Macbeth The play will surely end in death. (Guide can explain the superstition that underlines this belief. Bad luck to call it Macbeth in a theatre.) And this on the back. The place where I first breathed the air, In 1666 burned to the ground. A man named Wren built it anew, To my birthplace this is a clue. Can eliminate the chef who is not actually from London - Phil Staff. (3 chefs left all London born. Desdemona Othello Corrie O Lanus Nick Bottom) On the back of the poster. Once solved tis time to Morris Dance, To find sweet juice named for romance. Yes, Shakespeare s lovers love to talk Look for clues drawn in chalk. (Guide can mention that in the book Neil Flambé and the Bard s Banquet, Will Kemp Morris- Danced all the way to Norwich. Morris dancing involves tassels and bells.) Chalk arrows lead from Macbeth puzzle reconstruction site to photo of Romeo Juice Bar CLUE #5 Romeo Juice Bar 30

Continue now your swift pursuit, Look closely for the juice of fruit. The missing name will surely vex, And I am from the missing sexe. The kids have to figure out that the name Juliet is missing from the store s name. It s just Romeo s Fruity Fruit Juice Bar. The missing sexe is female. This eliminates the final man - Nick Bottom - from the suspect list. (2 chefs left. both women.) Desdemona Othello Corrie O Lanus) The next clue is written on another sign near the photo. Antony said his salad days, When he was young and green, Were a time when he was filled with hate, Can a salad place be seen? ((Guide can explain the actual line "Salad- Days" from Antony and Cleopatra. My salad days, When I was green in judgment: cold in blood, To say as I said then! But, come, away; Get me ink and paper: He shall have every day a several greeting, Or I'll unpeople Egypt. )) The clue leads to the photo of Urban Herbivore, where the final suspect clue is hidden on telephone pole outside the store. CLUE #6 photo of Urban Herbivore Yes, Salad Days are welcome here, But salad I like not! Now you know which chef I am But which pie s filled with rot? One of the chefs will be a vegetarian who loves salads Corrie O Lanus and she can be eliminated. Our killer chef hates salad. 31

The kids now know that Desdemona Othello is the killer. The guide tells them that the pie contest is about to start! They must hurry! GRAND FINALE The kids head into the kitchen where there is one final clue waiting. A copy of the play Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet both did die By poison, baked into a pie? Look to a Romeo and Juliet quote. Act 4 Scene 4, I know it by rote. Kids must search for a line that gives a clue (To ramp up the tension one of the kids is about to be forced to try some of each pie.) They kids have to find THIS line.. Romeo and Juliet: Act 4, Scene 4 They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. Then they know which pie is poisoned. The Date and Quince pie! They can then eat the rest of the pies! 32