Screamworks, London's premier immersive horror creators, return with Open House - a new experience for Halloween that fuses immersive horror and escape rooms.
In recent years, ScreamWorks has earned a reputation for creating London's best immersive horror experiences. Their debut show, Bloodbath, launched in late 2022 and was unlike anything else on offer in the capital at the time. It pushed the boundaries of immersive theatre to an extreme and saw visitors being force-fed, tied up, undressed, and chased through an air vent on their hands and knees.
Last year saw them launch The Ghost Hunt - another exceptionally scary immersive horror experience that had guests make their way through a Victorian house illuminated only by torchlight. Set within the abandoned home of the Luff family, who all met their end in bloody murder-suicide in 1937. Visitors were invited by paranormal investigator Hector Phoenix to explore the family home and discover the truth behind what caused their horrific deaths.
"I think it's the scariest show we've done yet by far. We're building on the things that have worked so far in our experiences, but it's always been about psychological fear more than anything else."
ScreamWork's Gary Stocker on Open House: The Escape Room
Bloodbath by ScreamWorks (2022)
For 2024, they return with Open House: The Escape Room. The experience is a combination of immersive theatre and escape room elements. ScreamWorks CEO Gary Stocker describes it as their most exciting immersive concept yet, and the culmination of everything they've learnt in the last few years.
"I've always liked escape rooms for the fact that they really are quite immersive and give you a little bit more agency," says Stocker "but then there are some massive challenges with them that we've been butting our heads against - trying to tell a story in an escape room is almost impossible. People want to play the games, but they're so disruptive to the story because you can't really make someone believe that they're in a real story and then suddenly you go 'throw these ping pong balls into this cup to get a clue'. We needed a format where the games could work and coexist, but still allow us to tell a story."
The Ghost Hunt (2023) by ScreamWorks
The official description for Open House: The Escape Room is as follows...
East London’s most haunted house is up for sale, and seasoned ‘escape agent’ Jason Shepherd has teamed up with ScreamWorks to present one of the most innovative house-hunting events of the season: Open House – the escape room. What better way to explore and experience the highlights of this unique property than to be locked inside for up to two hours, with a delicious drink from our brand sponsor and a host of fun games and challenges to complete? Possessed by the previous inhabitants for almost half a century, this enormous Victorian mansion is dripping in history, full of characters, and the perfect forever home for a young couple or family looking to take their lives to the next stage. With a bathroom to die for and a suite of bedrooms that will guarantee you rest in peace, this captivating property won’t cost you an arm and a leg! While the house has a guide price of £666k, the current vendors are keen for a quick sale and are willing to accept any offers whatsoever.
Bloodbath by ScreamWorks (2022)
Open House will run between 60 to 90 minutes depending on the choices visitors make. They will have complete freedom to choose their path, and those who are curious enough may uncover hidden secrets leading them down even more terrifying routes. Gary Stocker is eager for people to explore these options:
"It's perfectly possible to come to this experience, play the games, and leave thinking that there was nothing else to it. However, there's a game inside the game to be found. For those people who are curious enough to explore and find it, they will end up having a completely different experience. We've decided to reward the curious and, in many respects, punish them too. We'll reward you by making you feel like you're going to die."
Bloodbath by ScreamWorks (2022)
Each group will be guided by Jason Shepherd, the property's "escape agent," who serves as both guide and game master as visitors complete a series of puzzles and tasks. For each completed task, there's a small gift from one of the show's brand sponsors, plus a complimentary drink during the house tour.
Screamworks will also provide digital copies of photos and videos taken during key moments of the experience, accessible via a portal on their website. According to Stocker, this addition was developed in response to frequent requests from visitors:
"It's a really nice addition because when everyone leaves our shows, they always ask 'Is there any chance I can see some footage from the CCTV cameras of this bit?' We basically have a full-time team actioning customers' requests at the minute for the footage. So now that this is launching, it'll happen automatically."
Ghost Hunt by ScreamWorks (2023)
Tickets for Open House are priced at £45.00 per person, with options for either public or private time slots. Each slot can hold between 2 to 7 people, and returning visitors will receive a discount if they wish to come back and try alternative paths through the experience. You can book via screamworks.london
Photos from ScreamWorks' previous productions.
Open House runs in Bethnal Green from 27th September 2024 until 3rd November. Tickets start at £45.00 per person and can be booked via screamworks.london
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