The Key of Dreams is a luxury, overnight immersive experience – part theatre, part gaming – in which audience members investigate occult mysteries, join secret societies and uncover the dark secrets of the house. It takes place at a 17th century manor house in Wales, occupying the entire house and the grounds.
You arrive at Treowen Manor in Wales (a 90 minute train journey from London Paddington), as a researcher from the Friends of Miskatonic University. The Manor is in itself a character, full of mysteries & secret corners.
From the moment you set foot on the grounds, you become immersed in a world that takes inspiration from the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and draws on elements of folk horror. You are given full agency over your journey throughout this universe; there is no right way to approach this experience.
The Key of Dreams is produced by Lemon Difficult, a company that creates “bespoke and intimate journeys that push the boundaries of creativity and innovation” (as stated on their website).
The company was founded by Ivan Carić in 2020, after he quit his corporate job which he had held for almost two decades. After the death of his father, Carić decided to look at careers outside of his corporate background, and to further explore his interest in the intersection between drama, theatre, hospitality and games. He particularly loves what he calls the ‘liminal space’ between these different areas, as he describes in his interview here. Lemon Difficult’s first venture was the Locksmith’s Dream in 2022, which was followed by the The Key of Dreams in 2024.
- Watch: Ivan Caric on The Key of Dreams
- Read: What is the Key of Dreams | the 24-hour immersive event
I attended the experience last weekend and interviewed some of the other participants about their experiences. In this video, they share their views.