The Game’s Afoot at Madame Tussauds
Les Enfants Terrible is a company known for its unusual take on theatre. Their previous and often hugely innovative works include Ernest and the Pale Moon, The Trench, The Vaudevillains and the more recent immersive spectacle, Alice’s Adventures Underground, which was nominated for an Olivier Award. Now, however, they have come to London’s Madame Tussauds museum with an original spin on the classic whodunit genre.
In The Game’s Afoot, the audience is taken on a thrilling journey amidst the streets of Victorian London alongside detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr Watson. As Scotland Yard’s newest recruits, they are required to indulge in a murder investigation – of which the show’s makers have concocted two that alternate – with precisely one hour to fulfil this obligation. We are equipped with a fancy detective’s notebook, a pencil, a map and one extremely vital clue to solve the case and subsequently made to discover the city and interrogate those dodgy suspects.
Reminiscent in various aspects of what the London Dungeon has to offer, The Game’s Afoot is a more marvellous feat. This is theatre that forces a conscious effort from the theatregoer, something we tend to be unfamiliar with. Here, we become immersed in the excellent scenery, which is so incredibly detailed and scattered with hints that it makes us appreciate the planning involved.
During our attempt to solve the case we are aided by the characters who oftentimes come to whisper some valuable information into our ears – but be mindful of the decoys! Some of these people are purposefully enabling confusion. The performers in The Game’s Afoot have challenging work to do, as it is hugely improvisational: they must know their character in totality and anticipate the possible questions of the audience so as not to destroy the show’s immersive feel.
But it is likewise challenging for us. Those clues are abundant and nothing is truly what it seems. You need to be attentive in your discovery of the culprit, but whether you manage to find them or not, The Game’s Afoot makes for an exciting time!
Kim Varod
The Game’s Afoot is at Madame Tussauds from 18th July until 30th September 2016. Book your tickets here.
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