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The show, The Candidate, examined and subverted the concept of ‘the family’. This concept was derived from the Langham Club, which for many years has functioned as a communal, intergenerational living room, with all the love and fall-outs, gossip and giggles, fond memories and baggage you’d find in any tight-knit community with a lot of history. The show involved about 25 performers, aged 21–84, five live musicians and several designers. A couple of the club’s long-standing members performed in the show too, including the bingo lady, who starred as herself. The club was open to members during show nights, so the audience were never quite sure who was a performer and who was a punter, or what was spontaneous and what was rehearsed.
The Candidate was a site-specific, immersive theatre piece that was devised and staged by Persona Collective in 2019 at The Langham Club; a traditional working mens club on Green Lanes, near where we all live in Haringey, north London. The club has existed for over 100 years but its numbers are really declining. We became members and spent several months hanging out there, getting to know the regulars and attending bingo nights before developing the show.
The Candidate is the first and last piece of a perpetual cycle. It is a surreal exploration of the family concept, where characters act as family members to fabricate a false reality.
The story is a metaphor for a failed socio-political and financial system in which the role of the family is to prepare themselves to form part of an absurd and competitive system, with no way out. Here, the strange pathologies of human behaviour are dissected and the characters find themselves falling down a symbolic rabbit hole, slowly losing control of events and culminating in an intoxicated awakening that is a celebration of human affairs and rituals.
The Candidate was a site-specific, immersive theatre piece that was devised and staged by Persona Collective in 2019 at The Langham Club; a traditional working mens club on Green Lanes, near where we all live in Haringey, north London. The club has existed for over 100 years but its numbers are really declining. We became members and spent several months hanging out there, getting to know the regulars and attending bingo nights before developing the show.
The Candidate is the first and last piece of a perpetual cycle. It is a surreal exploration of the family concept, where characters act as family members to fabricate a false reality.
The story is a metaphor for a failed socio-political and financial system in which the role of the family is to prepare themselves to form part of an absurd and competitive system, with no way out. Here, the strange pathologies of human behaviour are dissected and the characters find themselves falling down a symbolic rabbit hole, slowly losing control of events and culminating in an intoxicated awakening that is a celebration of human affairs and rituals.
The Candidate was a site-specific, immersive theatre piece that was devised and staged by Persona Collective in 2019 at The Langham Club; a traditional working mens club on Green Lanes, near where we all live in Haringey, north London. The club has existed for over 100 years but its numbers are really declining. We became members and spent several months hanging out there, getting to know the regulars and attending bingo nights before developing the show.
The Candidate is the first and last piece of a perpetual cycle. It is a surreal exploration of the family concept, where characters act as family members to fabricate a false reality.
The story is a metaphor for a failed socio-political and financial system in which the role of the family is to prepare themselves to form part of an absurd and competitive system, with no way out. Here, the strange pathologies of human behaviour are dissected and the characters find themselves falling down a symbolic rabbit hole, slowly losing control of events and culminating in an intoxicated awakening that is a celebration of human affairs and rituals.
The Candidate was a site-specific, immersive theatre piece that was devised and staged by Persona Collective in 2019 at The Langham Club; a traditional working mens club on Green Lanes, near where we all live in Haringey, north London. The club has existed for over 100 years but its numbers are really declining. We became members and spent several months hanging out there, getting to know the regulars and attending bingo nights before developing the show.
The Candidate is the first and last piece of a perpetual cycle. It is a surreal exploration of the family concept, where characters act as family members to fabricate a false reality.
The story is a metaphor for a failed socio-political and financial system in which the role of the family is to prepare themselves to form part of an absurd and competitive system, with no way out. Here, the strange pathologies of human behaviour are dissected and the characters find themselves falling down a symbolic rabbit hole, slowly losing control of events and culminating in an intoxicated awakening that is a celebration of human affairs and rituals.
> the halfway house / behind the scenes
> the halfway house / behind the scenes
From March to November 2024, I led a research project funded by Arts Council England’s, DYCP programme, in collaboration with creative technologist Sami Sabik (The LEGO Group). The project explored merging immersive theatre with video game mechanics, focusing on storytelling and audience engagement.
In November 2024, we showcased a multi-location proof of concept The Infinite Game, in an East London industrial estate. The performance blended gameplay and live theatre, allowing audiences to interact with NPCs (actors as non-playable characters), engage with actionable props, and actively participate in key scenes. An interactive website introduced the story and enabled audiences to select their skills before the performance.
The Infinite Game immerses the audience in a fractured reality of a 1960s scientific experiment gone awry. Set in a malfunctioning industrial estate, characters struggle with time loops and psychological manipulation, blurring the boundaries between simulation and reality. As time, memory, and identity unravel, the audience becomes a crucial part of the mystery, shaping the narrative as it unfolds
"...I felt like a kid in a playground. The performance-game offered endless possibilities, inviting me to uncover new characters, hidden clues, and unexpected twists at every turn. It was a world of constant discovery, with each moment revealing something fresh and exciting. The story and the NPCs drew me in, and what stood out most was the strong, compelling narrative that anchored it all. This is definitely YOUR WORK'S SIGNATURE!..."
- Juan Sanchez Plaza
"...The moment I left the first part, after I left the bouncer and the street opened up to reveal the dice-players in the foreground and NPC’s wandering around down the street ahead, gave me a sense of exploration and what was to come. Felt like the classic moment in RPG games where you leave the tutorial area, a dark dungeon or cave, and see the big open world stretched ahead of you. Referencing Oblivion, Elden Ring etc..." - Sam Harding
Reviews: The Infinite Game
"...The scene in the warehouse factory, when the two NPC's investigate a player was fantastic!. It reminded me of the onboarding in 'Far Cry 2', This scene shifted me from everyday thinking to fully immersing in the game. I loved it!..."
- Regan Petrie
"...Receiving quests in letters and engaging with other players trying to figure out what to do next was definitely the highlight of getting immersed in the game..."
- Karolina Burlicowska
"...I felt empowered and free to explore. I felt wonder at the amazing location, the NPC's were incredible. I loved the interactive props, specially the moment I had a conversation with a retro machine!, really would have loved it to go further."
- Brian Schwab
"...The Infinite Game is unlike anything I’ve experienced. As a fan of immersive theatre, it stands out. The characters felt like real video game charcaters The atmosphere was reminiscent of 'Fallout', but with the unique twist of being fully inside that world. I can't wait to see where it goes!..."
- Olivia Rook
Exploring the Intersection of Interactive Storytelling: Video Games and Immersive Theatre.
Picture 1 – 'The Control Room'
Picture 2 - Video Game Intro
Picture 1 – The Control Room at The Infinite Game. "Players" engage in conversations with machines, to uncover new elements of the unfolding narrative.
Picture 2 - Video Game Intro before the performance.
Video 1 - 'Dream-walking scene', audience members with the skill 'Electro-sleep machine' find themselves in a 1960s lab, taking part as scientists in a simulation experiment.
Pick your skill.
Before the performance, the audience receives an introductory video game through a retro-futuristic terminal. A summary of past interactions is given, followed by a dice roll granting each person a skill "super-power" to help them navigate The Infinite Game.
You will need a torch
Video 2 - 'Dream-walking scene'
"While writing The Infinite Game, I became immersed in the industrial estate environment. As I wandered its streets, capturing images and observing daily life, I noticed a blend of the familiar and the imagined. The industrial sounds, cracked pavement, distant traffic, and trains all revealed new layers of reality, as if the landscape itself invited me to uncover alternate worlds."
- Rocio Ayllon, Artistic Director
Persona Collective seeks to involve local communities, including both amateur and professional performers, in co-creating its shows, while also using buildings and spaces that are either overlooked or at risk of slipping from living memory. Shows and performances are developed using ‘devised theatre’ techniques.
Lead Artists
Rocío Ayllón - Artistic Director & Researcher
Sami Sabik - Creative Technologist
Video & photo documentation
Edmund Fraser - Photographer
Finn Boxer - Cinematographer
Advisory Team
Don Meadows - Design Master (The LEGO group)
Ivan Isakov - Valkyrie Industries
Brian Schwab - Blizzard Entertainment
Laurent Couvidou - Build a Rocket Boy
Cast & Creators
Jasper Ajoupa
Jocelyn Affleck
Lucas Bartholomew
Emily George
Austin Hubbard
David Hyatt
India Jean-Jacques
Lucrezia Paci
Alessandro
Nicole Ormerod
Sam Ripley
Patrick Vaughan
Special Thanks to:
Locations space
Print Outlet (Abraham)
Mission Coffee Works (Rob)
Pride Scaffolding
Security booth (Rebaz)
Sound equipment:
The Gulls (Music band)
Community Support
RARA (RARA) collective.