THE DISTRACTION AGENTS

A selection of buff envelopes with numbers stamped, pale green card and white booklets arranged, with a black pouch closed with a small brass padlock

Third Angel presents

THE DISTRACTION AGENTS

Creative Team

Devised & written by the Company

Performed by:
PALADIN: Umar Butt
LOCKHART: Nick Chambers
DAPHNE: Stacey Sampson
FREYA: Rachael Walton

Conceived by Alexander Kelly & Rachael Walton
Films Directed by Brett Chapman & Rachael Walton
Dramaturgy by Stacey Sampson
Camera, sound & edit by Brett Chapman
Art Direction by Bethany Wells
Stage Manager & Covid-19 Officer Louise Gregory
Published Objects designed by Alexander Kelly, Rachael Walton & Bethany Wells
Sound Consultant Heather Fenoughty
Publicity Design by Wayne Gamble
Stills: Brett Chapman

Executive Producer: Hilary Foster
General Manager: Laura Holmes
Projects & Communications Co-ordinator: Jonathan Fry
Admin & Production Assistant: Sam Turner
Digital Marketing Manager: Helen Varley
Digital Consultant: Holly Close
Additional PR: Michelle Thomas

Do you have what it takes to become a Distraction Agent?

You caught our attention. You are special.

We’re looking for people who see the world in a slightly different way. People who notice things others don’t. And we think that might be you. We just need to, well, get to know you a little bit better. See where your strengths lie. You could be a great asset to us. And we could change your life.

The Department of Distractions, a clandestine organisation that claims its job is to plant stories in the world “to make life more interesting”, is on the search for new recruits… and they think YOU might be just what they need.

The Distraction Agents is a game, a challenge, a puzzle and a story in a box.

Trainee agents received their resources package through the post, and instructions via email and online films. Operational Distraction Agents then guided them through daily challenges. Trainees who successfully tackled the tasks revealed the code to unlock a prize!

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The Distraction Agents originally ran in 2021 as a five-day experience, with Trainee Agents receiving instructions throughout the day. It ran again in 2021 and 2022 as a ‘play when you want’ experience.

If you bought The Distraction Agents it will remain playable at least throughout 2023/24.

You can read more about the creation of The Distraction Agents and companion show The Department of Distractions in the Performance Research article Watching The Detectives.

With thanks and gratitude to our playtesters:

Frances Babbage, Cissie Barclay-Green, sean burn, Inigo Chrisp, Rob Fellman, Red Foster-Kelly, John Green, Louise Green, The Holmes Family, John Hunter, Laura Jeffery, Ivy Jeffery, Olive Jeffery, Lora Krasteva, Laura Lindsay, Jess O’Neill, Jim McDonnell, Julie Mitchell, Rachel Perry, Tom Robbins, Barry Ryan, Sarah Sharp, Moe Shoji, Kirsty Surgey, and the Third Angel Future Forum: Jessica Bellamy, Emily Dawson-Masterson, Daisy Hall, Ada Urbaniak, Katie Whitham & Arthur Woodward.

The Distraction Agents was supported by Arts Council England through our funding as a National Portfolio Organisation.

Reviews and Responses

“…This experience is top quality. The videos were all of a high production value and starred actors who felt compelling in their delivery of their story. Everything in the package was also quality, and the reward for completing the experience was a nice little keepsake…”
ReviewTheRoom

“Imaginative. Resourceful. Tenacious. The way she smiled made me believe those things of myself….But this wasn’t just a puzzle, it was a story…”
BeckyBeckyBlogs

“We could tell you all about Distraction Agents but we’d probably then have to have you killed. Suffice to say, this is a very well put together escape room-style puzzle game…”

From players:

“Thought-provoking, fun, unusual, addictive… there’s so much in here to enjoy and experience… we really enjoyed the combination of an immersive story and interactive elements, all packaged up physically and visually in the most delightful way. Bravo!”

“We REALLY enjoyed the whole thing. It was lovely to have something to do that used our brains AND was fun.”

“Great mix of puzzles; the package and materials were very appealing and really enjoyable to interact with.”

“…a proper interactive experience that is accessible, fun to immerse yourself in and innovative. It is something you can do on your own but is much more enjoyable with other people. It’s a game. It’s a show. It takes as long as you want to commit to it and there are some moments of interaction that makes the entire project sparkle.”

“Fun, different experience, amusing, interesting, playful, thought provoking, changed the way we look at things”

“I loved it - pure escapism, focus and classic problem solving that truly distracted me from the stress and anxiety of the outside world!”