Riotous. Raucous. Outrageous. Havoc is running amok – but what does that really mean? Sometimes all it takes is to look at something differently to see its true possibilities.
Featuring performance, digital and audio interactions, and immersive experiences, as well as visual and written storytelling, the walking trail took in seven ‘Havoc hotspots’ across the town – from a secret room hidden behind a bookcase, to a large-scale pavement drawing session in the park, to a pop-up micro disco on the quayside.
First off, we devised a story world to draw children in. Havoc was a wild, untamed child with a big heart, on the run for causing ‘trouble’. Following Havoc’s clues and tracks around the town, storywalkers would discover her creative distractions, sparkling imagination and playful humour, to gradually realise the importance of being brave, being bold and thinking differently.
Working with designer Phyllida Bluemel, we devised and created an official ‘Dossier of Havoc’ – printed with fluoro riso inks. This set the scene and pointed storywalkers to the first briefing location but also doubled up as the official festival highlights programme with a map and performance highlights as well as a QR code to access the full programme online.
We also collaborated with Grapevine software to bring the trail to life using WhatsApp. Storywalkers could take a picture of an image left for them and send it to Grapevine to receive both text messages and audio notes instructing them what to do next. For example, in the library foyer hotspot, they received an audio note from the founder of Battersea Arts Centre Beatbox Academy demo-ing the fundamentals of beatboxing before encouraging them to pick up the mic and take to a mini ‘stage’ to experiment with making beatboxing noises themselves.
As well as eye-opening fun for children aged 4+, the whole Havoc experience promoted the broader Festival and Falmouth’s town and businesses to a new demographic. With 100+ storywalkers taking part, and impressive digital engagement through the day, the walk exceeded stakeholders’ expectations and targets.
