Professor Paul Marrane is dead. Dropped like a stone on the floor of a bank. And we are all here for the reading of his will and to be gifted his final, precious belonging. But first, we must all prove ourselves worthy by going on a treasure hunt around Chrisp Street Market in Poplar and solving some fiendish puzzles.
If you like mysteries and interactive games it's a fair bet you'll already have come across A Door in a Wall but, if not, let us enlighten you. They set up treasure hunts in real-world locations and this is their latest offering. Meet up in a solicitor's office in Poplar, pick a 'faction', read the booklet and then disappear off into the streets for several hours. We're not going to spoil anything for you, but if you follow the clues you could end up bantering with the military, playing a game of chess with human pieces, making chemical reactions and dodging through a marketplace, mobile phone clutched to ear, while trying not to collapse in a fit of giggles.
Obviously, a lot of the fun is in racing around trying to make head or tail of a set of cryptic clues — and there's so much to do you won't complete all the trails. But you'll also end up marvelling at the intricacy of the game and the level of detail. Your next hint could be anywhere: in the window of a local shop, under your feet or in the seemingly-blank gaze of a shop assistant (does she really work here, you wonder, or is she part of the game?). After all that it almost doesn't matter, when you gather back at the office, what the final backstory was. We said almost.
A Door in a Wall: The Life and Death of Paul Marrane runs until 31 May, various dates and times. Tickets £30. Team Londonist played on complimentary tickets.
