COMING SOON: The Order of the Golden Scribe : Initiation Tea

The 2023 run of Patchwork Adventures’ The Order of the Golden Scribe: Initiation Tea earned the puzzle/theatre/high tea hybrid a spot on more than one NoPro Review Crew member’s Best of lists AND a coveted Golden Lock award from Room Escape Artist.

With those kinds of accolades it is little wonder that the show, a light hearted mystery with a bounteous offering of carbs and fragrant tea, is making a return engagement in NYC.

We checked in with writer/director Arlo Howard and producer/creator Shuai Chen about the remount of the hit show which runs weekends from February 11th through March 31 in Manhattan.

Follow @orderofthegoldenscribe on Instagram and on Facebook.

— -

This is No Proscenium’s COMING SOON, a look at ongoing immersive experiences & events. To learn more about how your event could be considered for the feature check out How To Get Covered By NoPro.

—

NoProscenium: Tell us a little bit about your experience! What’s it about?

Arlo Howard & Shuai Chen: The Order of the Golden Scribe is a delicious four course afternoon tea with puzzles that unlock each course and unravel the history of the Order. The mysterious Order of the Golden Scribe hosting this tea believes that you, the guests, are their new group of initiates. At least that’s what’s happening on the surface. If you talk to the right people you can learn a lot more about what’s really happening and decide what you want to do about it.

The whole experience is delightful and playful and allows the audience/players to take charge of the narrative, uncovering whatever their curiosity leads them to. One of the things we love most about this experience is that there is something for people with all levels of immersive interest. It can be a really nice gentle introduction interactive experience for folks who are new to the form but there is also lots to play with for those who like to dive deep.

NP: What was the inspiration for your upcoming experience?

AH & SC: Shuai came to me (Arlo) at the end of 2022 with an idea to create an afternoon tea with puzzles. She is a big lover of afternoon tea and escape rooms and wanted to combine two things that she loves. And then of course, I cannot get my hands on something without wanting to surround the game play with a rich narrative and some exciting audience agency. I’ve seen a lot of immersive experiences where the main thread of play is committing a crime of some sort, or being a baddie of some form. I was interested in seeing if we could create something where it was more exciting to be a ‘good guy’. Could we capture the thrill of feeling subversive but in a positive direction.

As I do with all projects, I did a bunch of research about the topic at hand (afternoon tea) and from that emerged this idea of a secret society that has authored a history that always favors the victors. While this idea could easily get very dark, Shuai is an incredible influence in keeping things light and playful. The blending of our interests has created an experience that is equally delightful and diabolical.

NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this latest experience?

AH & SC: We think that this combination of different types of engagement will be really exciting for immersive fans. The combination of puzzles, interactive play, and food is not something we’ve come across before. One of the things we think is so exciting about this is that there is an entry point for all types of players. Some people come because they love finger sandwiches and scones, some because they love puzzles, some because they love immersive theatre and some come for the culty-illuminati-vibes the Order gives off.

Get NoPro Newswire’s stories in your inbox

Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.

SubscribeSubscribe

The Order of the Golden Scribe does a great job of scaffolding interactivity so that people can come in never having experienced anything immersive before and by the end, feel confident making key decisions on what happens next. And for those who love to dive deep and interact with characters, the cast is incredible so you’ll have a blast.

NP: Once you started designing and testing what did you discover about this experience that was unexpected?

AH & SC: One of the main things that we discovered was the players’ love of chaos. There were certain points where we provided guidance to help avoid total chaos but people gleefully jumped off the track and played in their own way. We found that with a few small tweaks we could easily make space for them to play that way if they so choose. Our development process has been a balancing act of figuring out how we provide guidance to those who might feel more comfortable playing with it, and allowing space for others to forge their own path of play. We are constantly developing to see how we can radically say ‘yes’ to our players.

NP: What can fans who are coming to this, or thinking about coming to this, do to get into the mood of the experience?

AH & SC: Definitely follow the instagram because it will give you a feel for the style. This experience takes place in the here-and-now and it is built into the narrative that you come exactly as you are. But… the Order does have some recommendations for how new Initiates should prepare for the ceremony. If you decide to do any of them, tag our insta @orderofthegoldenscribe ;)

MESSAGE FROM THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN SCRIBE:
New initiates are expected to arrive at their Initiation Ceremony promptly at the appointed hour and in peak condition. We offer this simple guide for preparation:

The evening before:

1. The evening before we recommend incoming initiates have a hearty meal, including all of the key food groups. May initiates choose to go out to a restaurant as a way to bid farewell to lavishness and frivolity before committing themselves to a life as an Order member
2. After your meal, we recommend reviewing some of the greatest works of the Order such as National Treasure.
3. Then it’s time for a relaxing chamomile tea and off for an early bedtime so you can wake rested and refreshed.

In the morning:

1. On the morning of your initiation ceremony, we recommend beginning with some light calisthenics. A sharp body promotes a sharp mind.
2. After this, enjoy a light breakfast. There will be plenty of lovely treats at your initiation so we recommend dry toast, a piece of fresh fruit and a black tea for energy.
3. Initiates are encouraged to arrive in afternoon-tea attire. We recommend simple light colours.
4. Be sure to allow plenty of commute time for your journey to the ceremony. Timeliness is the Golden Way.

We look forward to seeing you there.
From many pens, One Vision, One Story.

Discover the latest immersive events, festivals, workshops, and more at our new site EVERYTHING IMMERSIVE, home of NoPro’s show listings.

NoPro is a labor of love made possible by our generous Patreon backers. Join them today and get access to our Newsletter and Discord!

In addition to the No Proscenium website and our podcast, and you can find NoPro on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and in the Facebook community also named Everything Immersive.