More and more escape rooms are using actors. Many escape room enthusiasts are absolutely thrilled about this and look forward to new adventures where they can interact with real people instead of just puzzles. However, others consciously do not want to be in a room with „strangers“. Tastes vary, of course, so it's impossible to say whether acting enhances every room or sometimes gets in the way.
In which Escape Rooms is there acting?
Many escape room operators primarily use actors in spooky and horror-themed rooms. Confidential and The Little Theatre Herne but have shown that acting can also be fun and provide amusement. In the Escape Room „The Eternal Light“, where the entire small theatre is used, you are accompanied by the ghost of an old caretaker. However, there are no creepy elements at any time, so the caretaker, named Eddy Klemme, is more of a help and guide to the group, while also advancing the story.
In several escape rooms, the game master takes on a role at the beginning, for example, locking in the prisoners as a guard. Or they might appear in a window or the like from time to time to give hints or, for example, to retrieve an item that is needed for the next stage of the puzzle.
We've listed some examples where acting makes sense in escape rooms and how you can interact with the actors.
Acting in an escape room can be tiring!
A professional actor is used to playing a set role with a fixed script and fixed sequences. In an escape room, however, a lot of improvisation is involved. Furthermore, an actor is usually alone here and plays only for a small group instead of a large audience. If the group then doesn't interact with the actor but just solves puzzles in their presence, this can also be frustrating for the actor. But it can also be tiring for the players if they are constantly interrupted by someone during their puzzle-solving or simply can't concentrate due to the presence of an unknown person. This is often intended, especially in scary and horror scenarios. Many horror rooms would certainly be solved quickly without the use of actors, as the puzzles there are generally not as complicated as in escape rooms without actors.
What is the best way to interact with an actor?
If someone wants to enhance your experience by using acting, then accept this invitation. Respect the actor and try to engage with the performance. For example, treat the person as the role they are embodying. Questions for a helpful private detective, such as „Can we please have the next clue?“, are not as appropriate here as asking if the experienced detective has perhaps noticed anything else that could help solve the case.
Especially in horror escape rooms, there are often strict rules. Actors must not be touched, and you are often meant to flee from them. You should take this seriously, as this is the only way to have full fun in the escape room. Imagine a horror film like Alien, where no one would run away from the alien. Of course, an alien in an escape room is just a person in a mask, but it greatly enriches the experience if you perceive the alien as an extraterrestrial life form and let yourself be hunted. And it is exactly the same with a horror escape game. „Alien Contact“ by Confidential Herten. You should really leg it here before the alien catches you.
An actor is not the same as acting.
In some escape rooms, actors interact with the group the whole time. In others, this is limited to individual short scenes or just the start of the game. With The Code Agency in Düsseldorf is there with Hecate's Tears for example, a room where there is very brief interaction with an actor – who is also invisible in this case.
Many game masters also use interaction with the group when giving hints to encourage acting. It's simply more fun when you're speaking on the phone to a grandchild of the deceased, in whose house you're trying to find the will, rather than the game master simply pointing out to look under the table. This is of course possible and an easy and simple opportunity for many escape room operators to enhance their rooms quickly and efficiently, especially in escape rooms where you interact with the game master via audio. In escape rooms like Lost Pirates from Top secret in Düren or The alley from Escape Room Ruhrpott one has a little helper with them and can also get tips from them.
Of course, there are also escape rooms that wouldn't work at all without acting. Trapped in the Shaft (formerly Nuclear Outbreak) at Secret depot in Dorsten This is a prime example of where the escape room would lose its complete character without acting. The same applies to the rooms of 66 minutes in Neuwied, which, without acting, would be completely different.
No matter which escape room you choose, you shouldn't be afraid of actors, but rather see it as a unique opportunity to enhance your experience. Even though the price for escape rooms with actors is often a little higher, this is absolutely justified for what you get. And if, for example, you don't want to be scared, let the game management know in advance so you can enjoy the game to the fullest.