Our latest family production Enitan’s Game invites audiences to help a young woman rediscover the strength and comfort she once found in a special game created by her grandfather. This game, and a series of interactive tasks and challenges, play a central role in guiding the audience through Enitan’s journey. 

To explore how these games were crafted and woven into the narrative, we spoke with Simon Maeder, our Games Consultant and Co-Writer who shared his unique insight into the show’s development. 

Simon’s Journey to Enitan’s Game

“I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of narrative and gameplay,” Simon explained. Having trained as an actor, and previously working as a performer on Punchdrunk Enrichment’s The Lost Lending Library, his introduction to immersive storytelling was through working with museums. Simon curated and led interactive museum nights, including a murder mystery at the Natural History Museum and an investigation at the Churchill War Rooms. 

Writing role playing games and playing video games in his spare time, he felt like working on Enitan’s Game was the perfect fit: “I knew the world of the company, I knew the world of the show, and I knew how to create puzzle-based events and experiences.”

Blending Story and Gameplay

When asked about the process of designing the games for Enitan’s Game, Simon highlighted the importance of collaboration and integration. “We didn’t want a show where the games felt tacked on,” he said. “The games needed to be part of the story, not an interruption to it.” With the characters, setting, and much of the set design already in place, the challenge was to create games that felt organic to the world of the show while also being engaging and challenging for the audience. 

He worked closely with Designer and Co-Writer Casey Jay Andrews and Director and Co-Writer Omar F. Okai to shape the character arcs, define the audience's role, and seamlessly integrate the games into the story. A key part of this collaboration was with Clockwork Dog, who designed the central board game and the interactive elements that bring it to life.

“The games aren’t just there for fun—they’re a way to reveal more of the story and deepen the emotional journey,” Simon explained. “Each game represents a victory, but there’s also an element of peril.” As the audience and characters play the games, they uncover “charms”—relics from Enitan’s past that hold special significance.

Testing and Challenges

A key challenge to designing Enitan’s games was balancing the entertainment of the children and adults in the audience. Simon explained that “we knew the children had to be the stars of the show, but we also wanted the adults in the room to play a role, helping their children and getting involved in the experience.” His approach to this was to design games that were engaging and challenging for children, offering opportunities for adults to assist but not overshadow. “What I’ve seen happen is that adults often get the solution before the kids, but they hold back, letting the kids take the lead,” Simon explained. 

Once the games had been designed and integrated with the story, the testing process began.  “As a games designer, you want to get to a point of testing as soon as possible,” Simon advised. “Even just talking someone through a game’s outline can give you valuable insights.” The team began by testing the games with simple props and the Punchdrunk Enrichment team, quickly realising that some games needed to be streamlined, while others needed more complexity. They then worked with Unique Community in Wembley to test the games with young people: “Testing with real kids was crucial. Their feedback genuinely changed the way we approached a lot of the games.”

The Audience’s Response

“I’m so proud of how excited the kids get when they win,” Simon shared, reflecting on the reactions he’s had to the games in the show. For Simon, a successful game was one that was challenging but not overwhelming, creating a rewarding victory. He was careful to ensure there was a diversity in the type of games being played – physical challenges, puzzles and word games. The biggest impact is on the shyest children: “Their confidence grows massively when they’ve noticed something but no one else has. They’re compelled to say something, they have to, and they become brave enough to wave a hand or speak to Enitan.”

The Future of Games and Theatre

As immersive theatre continues to evolve, Simon sees an exciting future for the role of games in storytelling. “I hope we can see more and more of it,” he says. “Games engage audiences in a way that stops them from being passive observers and makes them active participants in the story.”

For those interested in incorporating games into their own theatre projects, Simon’s advice is simple: experience as much as you can. “Go to immersive shows, escape rooms, and play board games,” he recommends. “Then, when you start your own project, think about what you liked and what you didn’t, and how you can create something new that integrates games seamlessly into your story. They should be integral from the very beginning.”

Enitan’s Game closes on Sunday 1st September 2024. To keep up to date with future Punchdrunk Enrichment family productions, sign up to our mailing list.