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LOEVESTEIN OCCUPIED!
[Real Life Escape Game for Slot Loevestein]
WHAT
Escape game experience for large groups because with the existing escape room, with only a maximum capacity for 7 players, cannot serve them.
WHO
Families, bachelor parties and corporate events
STORYTELLING
Use the story of the Bossche Geus Herman de Ruyter who successfully managed to take over the castle on December 10, 1570 by order of William of Orange. Dressed as monks, they requested shelter from the lord of the castle, Arnt de Jeude.
PARTNERSHIP
Slot Loevestein (Principal and SME)
PROJECT RESULTS
- A real life escape game
- 8-24 participants per run, maximum of 48 participants simultaneously
- Two sets of game materials and costumes
- Trained game facilitators
- 19 unique puzzles
- 90-minute experience
New escape game at Slot Loevestein stays true to history
Bron: bd.nl, Jens Verhagen en Bertjan Kers Foto Ricardo Smit
POEDEROIJEN - Not escape à la Hugo, but break in like Herman. Loevestein will soon have an "escape game. While puzzling, players enter the famous castle dressed as historical characters. ''Sail, fight, sing and plunder. And we are loyal to no one."
The game Loevestein Bezet has not yet begun and the participants are already discussing what to do with the loot up for grabs. "10,000 gold pieces, what would you buy with that?" is how 'Herman de Ruyter' cheers up the 20 or so test players of the new escape game.
Herman is actually Carel Ketelaars of the company IntoTheMirror, the developer of Loevestein Occupied. And when he starts talking, it is no longer October 2018 but the night of Dec. 10, 1570. In an exciting tone: "The castle and the riches of lord Arnt de Jeude, those are our goals today."
The game leader is dressed in a robe, just like his "henchmen. In fact, the real Herman de Ruyter took Loevestein with a devious ruse, dressed as a monk. He did so by order of William of Orange, who considered the castle, together with the towns of Woudrichem and Gorinchem, to be the 'Key of Holland'.
Ontsnapping
"We stay as close as possible to that history during the game," says Loevestein curator Sunny Jansen about Loevestein Occupied, which builds on the escape room hype. Loevestein has also had such a room for the past year, which is entirely devoted to Hugo de Groot's famous escape from the castle. "In this game, you don't escape like Hugo, but break in like Herman."
The need for a "game" in addition to a "room" had been there at Loevestein for some time, says Jansen. ,,The advantage of a game is that we can accommodate larger groups. Previously, we often had to sell them 'no'. These kinds of games are immensely popular. A world has really opened up for us."
The same goes for participants, who see almost an entire history lesson pass by while puzzling. About Protestants, iconoclasts, princes and Sea Beggars, for example. These are the four factions into which players of Loevestein Bezet are divided. Each of them has their own task, specialty and - to make it even more exciting - agenda in "conquering" the castle. "Sail, fight, sing and plunder. And we are loyal to no one," stated Eric, promoted to captain of the Sea Beggars for the occasion.
Curator Jansen co-wrote the play's story with Ketelaars. "Every character really existed," she emphasizes. ''Clues that players find, such as a letter written by William of Orange, are copies of real ones. No puzzle is just one. Each one has to do with true events."
Five quarters
There is only one deviation from history. In fact, the occupation of the castle can fail miserably if the players do not manage to crack all the puzzles as well as get their hands on the gold coins within five quarters of an hour.
Moreover, the game ended earlier than where the story of the real Herman de Ruyter ended in 1570: beheaded on the Market of Den Bosch. This to the delight of "fake Herman" Ketelaars. Laughing, "I just start over every day on the capture of Loevestein."