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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village will become the setting for a giant interactive historical mystery when international theatre company Live History comes to Warrnambool on October 10 and 11.
In Time: an Immersive Maritime Mystery will see attendees follow clues, solve puzzles, uncover hidden stories and interact with live performers as they work together to complete a maritime mission before time runs out.
Since launching in Canada in 2015, Live History has performed at over 300 venues across 10 countries, with each show created specifically for the museum or historic site where it is performed.
Live History founder Jasmine Bowen said the idea for the company came to her while visiting a museum in Bermuda in 2014. After spending some time there, she eventually realised she was the only visitor.
“I used to go to museums every weekend with my grandma, and they were packed. They were amazing places to hang out,” she said.
“I wanted to find a new way to bring audiences into museums, to bring history to life, to make it immersive and to make people feel like they’ve stepped through time.
“We've done everything from the bronze age in a crannog in Scotland all the way up to shows that have characters in the 1990s.”
She said that the Live History team enjoyed delving into the history of Warrnambool and the Shipwreck Coast to prepare for the show, including the stories behind some of Flagstaff Hill’s rich collection of shipwreck artefacts.
“(Flagstaff Hill) is an amazing site with lots and lots to explore,” she said.
“We were really spoiled for choice there in terms of what we were going to to bring to life, and each one of those artefacts has a person connected to it, a story connected to it.”
Visitors will receive a mission briefing when they arrive before being given an hour to explore the site, complete tasks, solve clues and interact with performers.
Ms Bowen said the format often helped people discover stories about their own communities.
“A lot of the comments we get are from locals who say, ‘I’ve lived here my whole life and I didn’t know that part of the history’,” she said.
“Come prepared to immerse yourself in the experience. Talk to the characters, solve the puzzles and just enjoy your time in the past.”
In Time: an Immersive Maritime Mystery will run at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturday October 10 and Sunday October 11, with timed group departures at 15 minute intervals.
The experience is suitable for all ages, with the puzzles and deduction best suited to ages eight and over.
Regular Flagstaff Hill admission fees apply, with free entry for Warrnambool City Council residents via the Local Ambassador Program.
To find out more visit www.flagstaffhill.com.