The Wintertime Hotel

IN A PLACE WHERE SNOWFLAKES FALL IN PERFECT RHYTHM AND THE HOT CHOCOLATE NEVER COOLS, STANDS A HOTEL LIKE NO OTHER.

Following on from the success of Winterwood in 2024, Angel Exit partnered with Theatre Alibi to create The Wintertime Hotel – a brand-new winter experience for the whole family. Packed with peculiar characters, wondrous creatures, snowy surprises and more than a touch of festive magic, this frosty adventure has something for all ages to discover.

Explore the magical hotel at your own pace. Uncover secret passageways, meet Schnickle the snow sprite, peek behind the scenes and take part in mysterious quests. The ice is melting, and as secrets start to thaw Hoolie the bellhop needs your help. Can you save the hotel in time for some festive celebrations at the grand Snow Ball?

A unique festive experience for everyone to enjoy, step into Emmanuel Hall as you’ve never seen it before, and see where your curiosity might take you.

The Wintertime Hotel was dreamt up by co-directors of Angel Exit, Lynne and Tamsin, following on from Easter Holiday workshops with young people at Alibi in Exeter. Led by us, designer Sophia Lovell Smith, and Helen Bovey from Above Bounds we explored, through games and exercises, ideas about where we should go, who’s there and what happens in a brand new imaginary world. We knew the performances would be interactive and immersive for the audiences, and that we wanted there to be quests and a puppet, and so we worked with the young people to find out what they would be interested in, what they found funny, and who they would like to see in the show – The Wintertime Hotel and it’s “humanimal” inhabitants were born!

Visitors to the hotel were invited to wear either their pyjamas or their party clothes whilst they explored rooms including a library, Frost and Found lost property office, a cocktail bar, hibernaculum and Northern Lights Viewing zone. The experience was self guided following on from a welcome in the hotel lobby and introduction to the characters. People visiting were invited to take part in quests involving finding keys, searching for crystals, delivering messages, solving puzzles and clues and ultimately being part of saving The Wintertime Hotel from melting! After GEM (the Glacial Energy Management machine started working again) the experience culminated in a Snow Ball where everyone could dress up, sing and dance.

Over 1900 people visited over 42 performances from 14th December 25 to 4th Jan 26.

Young people were also invited to take part in a six week course with Laura Loft of Big Silly Sing and Helen Bovey of Above Bounds to create a lullaby song for The Wintertime Hotel. The group came to sing live for two performances in December and the song was recorded so all visitors could listen to it on headphones by the hibernation zone of the hotel.

You can listen to the lullaby here

The Wintertime Hotel was dreamt up by a fantastic team of artists and creatives including:

Tamsin Fessey – Co-Director

Lynne Forbes – Performer (Berenice Badger & Miss Nutley Red Squirrel) and Co-Director

Remi Oriogun-Williams – Performer (Reinhardt Reindeer & Hoolie Arctic Hare)

Sophia Lovell Smith – Set and Costume Designer

Rachael Duthie – Production Manager & Lighting Designer

Tom Ball – Sound Designer and Composer

Helen Bovey – Co-Creation Lead (Above Bounds)

Laura Loft – Big Silly Sing Facilitator and Composer (Big Music Collective)

Victoria Horan – Stage Manager (Buff the Beaver)

Lizi Bennett – Design Assistant

Abi Jones – Production Assistant

Ben Yates – Set Builder and Production Carpenter

Adam Bottomly – Set Builder

Em Spoor – Schnickle Puppet Designer and Maker

David Duffy – Fit Up Crew

Mark Jasper – Fit Up Crew

Jay Seldon – Fit Up Crew

Leah Whatmore – Fit Up Crew

Becky Rui – Photography

Front of House Team: Spike Liddington (Door Bear), Jake Celecia (Door Mouse), Beth Drew, Hazel Johnson and a fantastic team of volunteers.

Biographies of the creative team can be found here