I attended BuckBuck Games preview of their latest immersive humorous Alice in Wonderland type game The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar in which I got to follow a white rabbit to hunt for Russell the smoking caterpillar on a complimentary basis.
BuckBuck Games
BuckBuck Games have been designing and running unique immersive experiences since 2014.
Their storywriters, actors, puzzle designers, model makers and art directors all work toward one goal and that is FUN.
Their latest game is The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar.
This brand new immersive game debuts at Owl & Hitchhiker pub in Holloway, combining immersive theatre, escape rooms and murder mystery together. Guests will be competing, cooperating, trading, bribing and blackmailing their way through curious characters, clues and contraptions as they hunt down the smoking caterpillar.
The Hunt for the smoking caterpillar is “Crystal Maze on crystal meth” and this latest trip certainly does promise to plunge teams down into the rabbit hole!
Owl & Hitchhiker Pub
The Owl & Hitchhiker is a tribute to two of the locale’s most famous sons, Edward Lear (a poet) and Douglas Adams (an author). Slamming them together results in this quirky lively London boozer where you can ponder the meaning of life, the universe and everything. “Drink Me” and Eat Me” at this bar.
There’s a lot of nonsense to explore at this pub at the end of the universe.
The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle”
We were warmly welcomed by staff of the Owl & Hitchhiker pub and was presented with some grub to eat along with a indulging glittery pink drink of Prosecco labelled ‘Drink Me’.
“Do I dare I ask?”
Do so and you will soon find yourself following a white rabbit to the peculiar realm of Wonderland to seek out a smoking caterpillar called Russell.
The White Rabbit presented us with a bag of gold and a card before running off to greet other teams as he was late, late! for a very important date! with no time to say ‘hello, goodbye,’ as he was late, late!
However we ended up being late ourselves for a very important date as we did not follow the White Rabbit up the stairs and we was told by one of the members of staff a little while later that we should of gone upstairs and started the hunt for the smoking caterpillar.
So with the immortal words “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late! for a very important game”.
Thankfully we was not to late as the Baron had just started his introduction. We was welcomed by The Baron, whom is a gambler and lover of gold and was there to issue us all with permits to hunters the smoking caterpillar as for any hunt you need a permit.
He then gave each of the hunting games of the hour some betting odds in who he thinks would be the quickest at finding Russel the smoking caterpillar.
Me and Beth at the ready for the hunt.

Credit by Stephanie Trowell Photography
With just 60 minutes the Mad Watch of The Baron began to tick down.
Immersing ourselves through this theatre type escape room we entered into a bizarre world of challenges and met some very peculiar characters.

Credit by Stephanie Trowell Photography
There was The Alchemist who was seeking potions, the Fool which had literally lost his marbles, the Beauty who just loved having her portrait drawn and the Baron who desperately wanted the smoking caterpillar Russel.
We had to gather gold, gamble, bribe and even blackmail with characters and teams our way towards victory all in aid of finding the smoking caterpillar to be victorious!

Credit by Stephanie Trowell Photography
Along the hunt I wonder which way I ought to go?
On occasion we was thinking and saying things like Alice from “Oh dear, everything is so confusing.” and “This is impossible” but once we got into the depths of this mysterious world we started to put things together as “Some go this way. Some go that way.”
“Who are you?”
We did not manage to find Russel the smoking caterpillar ourselves as alas another team did but we did end up meeting him.
Least we did not have to ask him “Who are you?” as we knew from the Baron from the off-set that he was called Russell.
Russell is such a cute blue caterpillar I wonder what importance he was to the Baron.
Will you discover Beadle’s lost marbles? Poppy’s tongue? Tumeric’s yearning for true happiness?
or will they simply serve the Baron’s Wonderland wealth?However the big question is will you discover the Smoking Caterpillar Russell
or will you just end up loosing marbles by the end of it?
“Book me”
If you hunger for “curiouser and curiouser” interactive theatre experiences, then enlist your team for the hunt.
The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar can be played on various dates at Owl & Hitchhiker.
However you can also have The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar come to your event as it customisable.
Multiple teams play at the same time, with up to 25 people exploring various avenues over the hour-long experience.
For a discount of 10% add the code GOLDSNUGGET
Don’t be slow like a caterpillar and book your game now before it slithers away by clicking here.
Thanks to BuckBuck Games for letting me and another member of Love Pop Ups London come along to your preview of The Hunt for the Smoking Caterpillar. The experience was complimentary but all views are my own honest opinion.
Click below to read the blogs from other community members whom joined me on the night. All their views are of their own honest opinion
I loved this experience! Check out how I got on here: https://isthisseattaken.net/hunt-for-smoking-caterpillar/