Next Level Escape - The Show Must Go On

Date: 22/03/2026

Company Name: Next Level Escape

Room: The Show Must Go On

Cost: $65 per person (Team of 3)

Time Allowed: 75 Minutes

Website Link: https://www.nextlevelescape.com.au/rooms/the-show-must-go-on/

Location: Lower Ground, 23 O'Connell St, Sydney, NSW 2000

Best Parking: Wilson Car Park - 6/10 O'Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000

Succeeded: Yes

Room Description: 

The Inner City Amateur Dramatic Society welcomes you to their production of Scenes From Romeo and Juliet. You’ll be a huge part of the play! As stagehands! Underneath the stage! Isn’t that great?

Most of the cast and crew haven’t abandoned the play (hah!), everyone totally remembers their lines, the lead actors definitely don’t hate each other, and the rigging is in perfect condition. Really. It’ll be the most relaxing experience you’ve ever had.

Comments:

The evening of the 22nd saw myself, Dale, and Simon make the trip out to Next Level Escape to take on The Show Must Go On. This marked the final room (for now) for both Simon and I at this fantastic venue, while for Dale, it was his very first experience there.

Before heading in, we took a stroll around and settled into a nearby bar for dinner and a couple of drinks, chatting away about what was to come. Simon and I couldn’t help but hype the place up, explaining just how different Next Level Escape is compared to most venues, in the best possible way.

By the time we arrived, the anticipation was well and truly built. As always, the magic at Next Level Escape begins the moment you’re greeted by your Gamesmaster. After the usual formalities, Chris, our GM for the night, slipped seamlessly into character and set the tone, sending us off into the experience.

A cross between an escape room and an audio play, The Show Must Go On presents a genuinely unique format that pushes the boundaries of escape room storytelling in some really clever ways.

The experience alternates between narrative-driven audio segments and puzzle-solving sequences, with each given room to breathe. During the audio moments, the lighting drops and the focus shifts entirely to the story, allowing you to fully take in what’s unfolding. When it’s time to solve puzzles, everything becomes clear and purposeful, without the need to constantly recall large chunks of narrative. It’s a really well-balanced approach that keeps both elements strong without one overshadowing the other.

Throughout the experience, our Gamesmaster (acting as the assistant stage manager) seamlessly blended pre-recorded audio with live, improvised interaction. Chris would occasionally enter the space to retrieve props or interact with us, which fit perfectly within the theme and added another layer of immersion.

The premise itself is an absolute winner. We played as stagehands working beneath the stage, scrambling to keep a live production running as things inevitably began to fall apart. It’s a fantastic concept, and one that’s executed brilliantly.

From a design perspective, this is a textbook example of how to theme a room properly. Every surface felt intentional, and every puzzle made sense within the world. Nothing felt out of place or forced in “just because” and everything had a purpose. The puzzle mix was strong too, combining classic hunt-and-seek elements with clever logic-based challenges to keep things varied and engaging.

While the experience leans heavily into its narrative, there’s also a surprising amount of tech involved, all of which integrates seamlessly into the environment. At the same time, there are some really well-crafted low-tech puzzles that were just as enjoyable to solve, striking a great balance between the two.

As expected from Next Level Escape, humour is threaded throughout the experience, and The Show Must Go On is no exception. Chris’ performance, at times overly dramatic in the best possible way, elevated the entire room. The theme lends itself perfectly to Gamesmaster interaction, and it was handled brilliantly here, adding both to the immersion and the fun.

It’s also worth noting that this isn’t a traditional timed escape room. Instead, the experience runs for approximately 50–75 minutes. We clocked in at around the hour mark, without using any formal hints. Although we did receive a couple of subtle nudges from Chris, delivered so naturally they barely felt like hints at all.

We walked out just as impressed as we have been with every Next Level Escape experience. This is a venue that continues to innovate and push boundaries, and we’re already looking forward to whatever they come up with next.