There’s an immersive theatre experience in central London perfect for spooky season… even if that’s still a couple of months away. Though you’ll be hard pressed not to draw comparisons to JK Rowling’s infamous Harry Potter series when you step through the gates of Hexmoor Wizarding Prison, the story comes into its own very quickly.
Hexmoor is an immersive theatre and cocktail experience in the heart of Shoreditch. Created by Inventive Productions – the company also responsible for Moonshine Saloon and Avora – you’ll take on the role of a dark witch or wizard confined to a magical prison for your crimes. These crimes can be determined by you, and you can build a backstory as inventive as you like – the actors are fully willing to improvise.
I’ll keep this as spoiler-free as I can, but Hexmoor will introduce you to a cast of zany characters. There’s prisoner Sitwell, who is convinced there’s a dark conspiracy going on under the cover of darkness in Hexmoor. There’s penitentiary head Cornelius, who is full of bluster… or is he? There’s American prison guard Jamie, a non-wizard on an ‘innocent’ exchange programme from Indianopolis Zoo. And finally there’s tiefling prison torturer Aephon, whose gruff exterior is just that, right?
Heading into Hexmoor in itself proved a challenge. Located on the same street as Avora, which I’d previously experienced, the experience is actually tucked away in Alcotraz, the non-magical prison bar experience run by Inventive Productions – though this isn’t entirely clear from the outside. You enter through the same door, tell staff you’re there to experience Hexmoor, and get taken into a shared cell with your other future inmates. We found ourselves wandering down the same two streets a few times before we finally located the entrance.
This is where things get spooky. You’ll be led downstairs to a dark dungeon to await pick-up from the guards, and as soon as you step through the intimidating double doors leading into the penitentiary itself, you’ll become immersed in a fantasy world that looks like it’s lifted straight out of the pages of a horror novel.
When you get inside, you’ll be met by prison warden Cornelius, who hands out your striped convict jumpsuits – beware, they seem to be one size fits all, and mine was rather snug – and be allocated a cell. With only two of us in our group, we were assigned to share with another duo, which proved to be beneficial seeing as though they weren’t afraid to ask the actors questions to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Of course, the cocktails are a big part of the overall experience. A standard ticket will get you three cocktails, served by one of the magical prisoners (she’s in for murder, but don’t let that deter you). Expect colour-changing concoctions, light-up beverages and more. They fit the story, too – each cocktail is supposed to dull your innate magic, making it safer for the guards to contain you. Hexmoor has thought of everything.
The standard ‘apprentice’ ticket (£48) comes with three drinks, while the ‘enchanter’ ticket (£57) will get you a fourth “extra-special” cocktail served by prisoner Sitwell himself. There’s also the ‘sorcerer’ ticket (£80), which includes a custom wand delivered to you within Willbott’s Wand Shop – a side room off Hexmoor.
The experience is perfect for Halloween season, with a dark plot and spooky setting perfect for the approaching autumn nights. With actors who truly make you feel as though you’re a magical convict imprisoned for a crime of your choosing, forget the bustling streets of central London – you’re in Hexmoor now.
