First, write one of 4 things on enough pieces of paper that each person gets one. Depending on numbers 3/4 will be Mafia, 1 Policeman, 1 Doctor and all the rest will say Citizen. Give each group member a part and explain that no one else is to know who is who as tha aim of the game is to root out the "mafia" from amongst the "citizens". Explain that at night a the mafia will kill someone, the doctor will save someone and the policeman will investigate/ find out about someone.
Ok. Tell everyone to close their eyes. Say something like: "Citizens of ___ go to sleep". Next invite the mafia, and only the mafia to wake up. Between them the members of the mafia will "kill" one of the group. Get them to agree on and point to their victim. Tell them to go back to sleep. Next ask the doctor to wake up. Ask him who he wants to save, again asking that it be communicated through gestures. Should the person being killed and the person being saved be one and the same, the murder will have been averted and so the process will have to begin again. Finally wake the policeman up. He will point to the person he's investigating and you will either nod indicating yes that person is mafia, or shake your head, no they're not.
Finally ask them all to wake up. Say something like: "Last night in ___, there was a brutal and bloody murder and _____ was killed. We know that 4 people among you are members of the mafia and responsible for this murder. Citizens who do you want to accuse?"
It'll take a few minutes to catch on that it could be anyone and the accusations will begin. "I accuse X because he has a wonky moustache" or some such. X will then have to defend himself. Nobody is to
admitt to being mafia and they will soon catch on that it is either the loudest people who are accusing everyone, or the quietest that don't want to draw attention to themselves, that are guilty. As each
accusation is made and the individual makes his defense a group decision will need to be made on whether or not to send that person to prison. Ask everyone to vote and the majority decision sticks. Once
they get sent to "prison" ask them if there were in fact mafia or notat which point they must tell the truth. As each person gets sent down or at appropriate intervals, stop the proceedings as another day
ends, and a new night and a new murder occur.
Expalin that both the Policeman and Doctor are allowed to tell what they know, but also expalin that a crafy mafia member might lie and say he's the policeman to try to point the finger away from himself. The Mafia may also accuse one another, as each person is only really concerned to keep themselves out of prison. Also one a peron is dead, or has been sent down they are no longer permitted to participate as they may know, or think they know things. The mafia are likely to kill anyone they feel is on to them. There's no set pattern to how the discussion should go just let them argue it out among themselves, giving advice if and when you feel it's necessary.
