After a sell out show in 2023, we're were excited to reunite with Speakeasy Project founders James Milligan and Matthew Keeler to supercharge HUMBUG the immersive Christmas experience. We knew this wasn’t going to be your run-of-the-mill festive brand. Moving from an intimate space under the arches on Waterloo's Leake St to the former warehouse space of Boiler House on Brick Lane. The brief for this year? Twice the size and double down on the Christmas spirit.

HUMBUG is a Christmas dive bar for those who’ve outgrown the usual holiday clichés. Santa’s gone rogue, his spirit is in the gutter, and his misfit crew is desperate to haul it back. So, to get this brand off the ground, we didn’t just think outside the box; we had AI help blow the box to pieces.

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AI Engineering with Midjourney

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We’ve always believed in the power of technology to fuel creative thinking. But using Midjourney wasn’t about letting AI do the heavy lifting. It was about collaboration—about learning how this cutting-edge tool can amplify our ideas, not replace them.

With AI, we moved from idea to execution at lightning speed, iterating and evolving the brand in ways that would’ve been far more time consuming using traditional techniques. Blending event photography from the inaugural show with the design vision for HUMBUG 2024.

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Raucously Festive, Unapologetically Different

HUMBUG is where Christmas mischief meets dive bar debauchery. This isn’t a Hallmark holiday movie. It’s a no-holds-barred, glitter-drenched, karaoke-fuelled intervention to save Christmas cheer. And it starts with a simple, albeit unlikely, premise: Santa’s lost his mojo. Enter his ragtag crew, who enlist guests to bring the magic back. There’s singing. There are games. There’s a palpable sense of festive chaos in every corner. HUMBUG is an experience designed for those who believe that Christmas should be loud, a little messy, and outrageously fun.

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New Spaces, New Surprises

After last year’s success, HUMBUG didn’t just want to repeat the magic—they wanted to outdo it. So, we got to work, evolving the guest journey into something bigger, bolder, and more interactive. We took the concept of a Christmas dive bar and turned it into a playground of unexpected moments.

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Surprise and Delight
HUMBUG thrives on unpredictability. So, working with the production team's brief, we wove in moments of discovery. From Instagram friendly Christmas shrines to hidden rooms that deliver their own mini story arch, turning a night at HUMBUG into an adventure with a constantly shifting narrative. Our approach was to make the space feel alive, buzzing with an energy that defied the traditional Christmas experience.

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Working the Budget
Theatre is all about imagination, and to make the magic happen in a space the size of The Truman Brewery meant working the budget for all it's worth. Collaborating with a team as experienced as HUMBUG made it possible for us to ensure every inch of the venue screamed character, drama, and festive chaos. Because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that holiday spirit shouldn’t be subtle. It should be loud, wild, and a little bit rebellious.

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The Result?

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A brand that’s as raucous and unpredictable as the season deserves. An experience that leaves guests a little hoarse, a little glitter-covered, and a whole lot merry. This year Christmas is shaken, stirred, and served over ice.

HUMBUG the Immersive Christmas Dive Bar runs from November 14th - December 31st, at Boiler House, Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, London. Tickets are on sale now. Get yours here.

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