Immersive Events and Experiences That Drive Behaviour Change
Check out our award-winning Immersive events & simulations
With a proven track record of creating large-scale, award-winning experiences, we partner with the renowned theatre company Diatribe to design full-day or evening events for up to 300 participants. Each experience brings together exceptional talent, live music, and production quality that feels as polished and powerful as a West End performance — turning every moment into something truly immersive and unforgettable.
Our immersive experiences go far beyond watching a show. Participants become part of high-stakes, interactive stories where every choice shapes what happens next. By blending live theatre, storytelling, and behavioural psychology, we create experiences that challenge assumptions, reveal hidden biases, and spark real emotional connection. When people step into the story, they don’t just learn — they feel, act, and remember.
“A gripping and thought-provoking experience that made me reflect on how much — or how little — has changed for women in the workplace and beyond.”
Lucy Bailey, The Accused
The Death of Jane Doe
An Immersive Exploration of Mental Health Stigma at the Workplace
Challenge
Mental health stigma can cause real harm — especially at work. People with mental health conditions are often misunderstood or treated unfairly. We worked with Met Police Lewisham and The Innocence Project to create an immersive experience that helped people face their own assumptions and see how bias can affect others.
Strategy
The experience started with a press conference. The police and a grieving family member made an emotional appeal about a young woman’s death. As the story continued, participants met different people — including those living with schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder.
Each meeting showed how prejudice and bias can change how people are seen and treated. Participants were asked to think:
Are you seeing the truth — or your own assumptions?
Solution
This award-winning event gave people a clear look at how stigma works in real life. It encouraged open, honest conversations about fairness, inclusion, and mental health.
The project was praised for its strong emotional impact and realistic approach. It won the CorpComms Award for Best Communications by a Public Sector Organisation (2016) and was created with the Goldsmiths Forensic Psychology Unit.
Feedback
“When else can you have an honest talk with someone living with a serious mental health condition, except through immersive theatre?”
“A powerful and eye-opening experience that shows how easily stigma can harm lives.”
2. The Accused
Sexism, Justice, and the Psychology of a Murder Trial
Challenge
Sexism has long influenced how women are judged — at work, in society, and even in court. This immersive experience explores gender bias, power, and perception through the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK.
Strategy
Set in a 1950s courtroom, participants step into the role of jurors. They experience how gender expectations, media stories, and legal bias can shape justice.
Using real trial transcripts and historical records, the event combines live theatre, music, and film with an interactive experiment. It shows how outside pressures — like press coverage or expert opinions — can distort views of guilt, motive, and responsibility.
Solution
More than 600 people took part in this award-winning event. They explored how sexism affected Ruth Ellis’ trial — and how similar biases still impact women today.
Through direct interaction with key figures, participants experienced the subtle pressures and double standards women face, asking:
Was justice really served?
The event was developed with the Courts and Tribunals Service and created in partnership with the Goldsmiths Forensic Psychology Unit.
Feedback
“Made me realise how far we’ve come in understanding the human mind.”
“A brilliant and thought-provoking experience — engaging from start to finish.”
“Beautifully produced and organised. The acting, direction, and setup were first-class.”
3. Top of the cops
Punk, Protest, and Power: An Immersive Business Chaos Experience
Challenge
How do bias, power, and pressure affect decision-making in tough situations?
Set in the gritty world of an underground 1980s punk gig, this immersive event throws participants into chaos — where reputation, ethics, and control constantly collide.
They must balance competing interests, handle crises, and manage media attention — all while keeping the show alive.
Strategy
Participants dive into the backstage drama of a gig spiralling out of control. Rival bands clash, organisers argue, and a family feud erupts in public.
They meet a range of vivid characters — a desperate manager, a mysterious rival, a father-and-son in conflict, and an eco-protest group threatening to end the night.
Every decision shapes the story, showing how bias, reputation, and values can change the way people lead under pressure.
Solution
With multiple rooms to explore and a live gig unfolding in real time, this experience tests how people think and react.
Through immersive storytelling and interactive choices, participants tackle real-world challenges — from crisis management and ethical leadership to brand protection and environmental responsibility.
The event was developed in partnership with the Goldsmiths Forensic Psychology Unit.
Feedback
“A high-energy, thought-provoking way to explore bias, crisis management, and the power of narrative in business.”
“An 80s punk gig as a masterclass in leadership and reputation management? Pure genius.”
4. The UnfoldinG
Step into the Auction – Nothing is as it Seems
The Unfolding is a bold, hands-on theatre experience that takes participants deep into the world of complex decision-making.
It helps people move beyond simple “yes or no” thinking, teaching them to hold two ideas at once — to see that sometimes winning means rethinking what success really is.
The experience draws on psychology, economic game theory, and immersive storytelling to explore how people behave when the pressure is on.
Strategy
Participants enter a high-society auction, led by the mysterious final will of a billionaire. But things are not what they seem.
Every bid carries hidden risks, and power quickly starts to shift. What begins as a smart game soon turns personal — revealing instincts, values, and bias as the tension builds.
The Unfolding combines theatre, psychology, and game-based learning to help participants see how competition, collaboration, and human nature shape every decision.
The Psychology of an Immersive Auction
Bid on the unknown: Are you bidding for luxuries, secrets — or something much deeper?
Face real dilemmas: How far will you go to win? What does “winning” truly mean?
Shape the story: Your choices don’t just matter — they decide how the night unfolds.
As the game continues, alliances will break, motives will shift, and the final bid may cost more than expected.
Will you play the game — or will the game play you?
The Psychology of an Immersive Auction
5. The Sellafield Simulation
A High-Stakes Resilience and Strategy Ecosystem
Challenge
How can organisations make the right choices in complex, high-risk environments where there’s no single right answer?
This week-long immersive experience challenged a London-based consultancy to design a sustainable energy transition strategy for the Sellafield region — balancing economic growth, environmental impact, and political pressure.
Strategy
Participants stepped into the roles of key decision-makers — from government regulators and nuclear experts to NGOs, investors, and trade unions.
Each day brought new challenges, live negotiations, and shifting priorities. Teams had to build alliances, manage public perception, and secure vital funding using a custom in-game currency called ISOTOPES (ISOs) to measure influence.
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
Teams faced surprise events — including a nuclear leak and a political shake-up — forcing them to adapt in real time.Negotiation and Stakeholder Management
Every meeting, deal, and media interaction carried real consequences. Collaboration, ethics, and innovation were key to success.Live Leaderboard and Strategy
An in-game market encouraged smart risk-taking and information sharing, testing how well teams could balance reputation, alliances, and profit.
Solution
The experience put participants inside a realistic, high-pressure simulation, mirroring the complexity of large-scale decision-making.
It helped them understand how bias, negotiation, and teamwork shape outcomes — while building resilience and confidence for real-world challenges in energy and sustainability.
Feedback
“An intense, eye-opening challenge that tested our ability to think quickly, negotiate smartly, and plan for the future.”
“The closest thing to real-world business diplomacy I’ve ever experienced.”
6. Future-Proofing the Entertainment Industry
Challenge
How can the entertainment industry stay ahead of AI regulations while keeping a balance between innovation, ethics, and economic growth?
A client based in Canary Wharf wanted a future-ready strategy to manage upcoming challenges in film and TV.
The answer was a week-long immersive simulation that explored how the industry could shape fair, effective, and sustainable AI governance.
Strategy
Participants took on the roles of key players — streaming platforms, film studios, AI developers, unions, and ethics groups.
They had to negotiate new AI rules in a fast-paced, competitive environment, using real-world problem-solving and teamwork.
Throughout the week, teams worked through:
Identifying the biggest challenges facing the industry
Shaping regulatory proposals through live stakeholder negotiations
Turning creative ideas into practical policies
Presenting final AI governance frameworks for review
To succeed, teams used TOKENS, a custom in-game currency, to book meetings, form alliances, and win regulatory approval.
A live leaderboard rewarded collaboration, negotiation, and strong strategic decisions.
A Scenario Week on AI Regulation
Solution
By the end of the simulation, participants created a realistic AI regulation proposal that balanced business needs, ethics, and public policy.
The experience built strategic foresight, crisis resilience, and adaptive thinking, helping industry leaders prepare for the fast-changing world of AI in entertainment.
Feedback
“A high-stakes, fast-paced simulation that made AI regulation feel real, challenging, and incredibly insightful.”
“Brilliantly designed — it pushed us to think critically, adapt quickly, and understand the real pressures of AI governance.”
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Book a call to find out how SIDESTREAM can deliver real behavioural change within your organisation.