Secret Studio is a new exit game in London, based on Museum Street (where there used to be a fantastic, much-missed board games shop) between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road, at the latter of which the Central line is not stopping until December. The precise address is not released until booking.
The location has one sixty-minute game, designed to be played by teams of three to six. “You and your friends/family are locked inside the headquarters of ‘Secret Studio Films’, a (fictional) down-at-heel schlock movie production office that hasn’t seen a lick of paint since 1979. You have an hour to solve the puzzles inside the room and unlock the mystery to escape! You’ll start by searching, seeing what you can find and how things fit together to make sense. The retro technology will delight you along the way ((…)) There are also spooky scary bits and a few surprises in store…”
That said, the site quotes a lower age limit of eleven (though each team must include a 16+ year old) so the frights can be expected to be family-friendly, and can be removed altogether with advance notice. The retro theme is unusual; while stepping back in time is far from unknown, it’s often a century or so, or to the late 20th century’s steampunk alternate reality. Such a short step back in time, likely to be barely within the memory of some of the players, may well put smiles on faces. The game is in previews at the moment; bookings are made by telephone rather than online and the fee is half-price at £15/player (peak) or £12½/player (off-peak) if “you forgive the odd teething problem and give us a bit of feedback for 10 minutes afterwards”. (And they lower the price for that opportunity?)
“But don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.”
Oh. Whoops.