The following reviews are from a 2020 “Airy Botter” limited run at the Adelaide & Perth Australia “Fringe Festivals,” the two largest international arts festivals in the Southern Hemisphere. Note that the presentation at Bristol Faire is slightly different than it was at these festivals.
5 Stars! Guaranteed to be a spellbinding experience!
Calling all wizards! Almost Stumbledoor needs your help at Airy Botter & The Sorcery School Headmaster’s Office Escape Room, to save the children. Now whilst this may sound like it resembles the ‘he who shall not be mentioned’ franchise, it is nothing of the sort: it is much better.
With magic all over the room there is plenty to work on and as always your communication skills will be a valuable asset if you use them correctly.
What is most enjoyable about this experience is the opportunity to work with complete strangers in a pretty intense environment. If working with friends is more your style there is also the opportunity to book out a session with a group of 8 people. Now whilst I know that British wizard has all the young children loving him, Almost Stumbledoor states that rescuing the school is only for mature wizards so please take note that the Escape room is only for Witches and Wizards aged 15+
Whilst I can’t give anything away, I will say that the puzzles are very clever and the theme is done so well. Richard is definitely a very clever man and a very professional and engaging host. Definitely worth experiencing whether it be your first or tenth time participating in an escape room.
Review byTara Forbes-Godfrey for Glam Adelaide Magazine
4 Stars! A thrilling combination of hi-tech wizardry and magical parody
Richard Maritzer has been appearing at the Adelaide Fringe for more than a decade as a member of the Sound & Fury comedy troupe. For the last few years, he’s also brought a travelling escape room and this year that side gig has become his main show.
But in his role as escape room host, he’s still first and foremost an actor. From the moment he greets us it’s clear that he’s going to bring a sense of theatre to the experience, as well as a healthy dose of humour. He knows that this is entertainment, and he makes sure not to take it too seriously.
While many hosts disappear after explaining the rules and basic theme, Maritzer stays in the room with us for the entire hour, inhabiting his role as ‘Almost Stumbledoor’ in an entertaining fashion without being overbearing. His presence means that he’s able to guide us with a gentle hand as we tackle a series of puzzles that are notable as much for their inventiveness as their variety.
Maritzer’s escape rooms have always used plenty of gadgets, incorporating WiFi connectivity to trigger reactions in seemingly unrelated objects. It’s a perfect fit for the magical theme of this room, which is filled with plenty of humour as we attempt to save a fictional wizardry school from non-copyright-infringing dark forces. And while some of his past creations have been fiendishly difficult and relied on obtuse clues, this is by far the most approachable. As a result it’s tough without being impossible, and one of the most satisfying escape rooms in Adelaide.
Review by Alexis Buxton-Collins for Fest Magazine
Cleverly executed to bring maximum satisfaction!
I’m loving having more shows at the charming Girls School in Perth’s CBD, so I was really looking forward to the sell-out show (and very long titled) Airy Botter & The Sorcery School Headmaster’s Office Escape Room.
If you have never done an escape room, then this is a terrific introduction and it will leave you wanting more of the experience. If you know how escape rooms work, then expect much of the same formula of tricky riddles, hidden clues, and working together as a team to solve impossible puzzles and beat the pesky clock: often not at easy feat.
A totally immersive experience in an atmospheric room decked out in a Harry Potter theme, with cool gadgets that make quirky noises and ‘bing’ open surprisingly to reward your efforts, it’s a fun challenge for sure.
Our group of ten – most of whom were strangers who had just met on the night – worked tirelessly in turns on one of the clues that had us stumped which meant we didn’t beat the clock. So sad. Having said that, other teams have beaten the clock and worked through every riddle to solve the caper.
Most nights are sold out so get in quick to be drawn into this titillating adventure!
Review by Annette McCubbin for Cream Magazine (Perth, Western Australia)