Review: Spies Among Us
- ThomM
- Jan 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 7
Put on your fedora, pull up your collar, and watch your back, agent. You're on a mission.
Immersive Scene Los Angeles 2026 review
Everything is harder in the rain, especially tracking a rogue spy who has betrayed the agency. With visions of Jason Bourne and James Bond fresh in our minds, Immersive Scene Los Angeles and two of my colleagues rendezvoused in Little Tokyo for a secret mission. As a torrential downpour cleansed the city streets for the third time in as many days, we took on the role of undercover agents as part of the follow-along immersive experience called “Spies Among Us.”
Sure, another sunny day in L.A. would have made the assignment easier, but something about the gloomy weather and dark midday skies perfectly suited our shadowy operation. It could have been Prague, Paris or Hong Kong, but it was L.A, home of Philip Marlowe, another investigative icon. The tension was as thick as the clouds as we approached our handler, discreetly tucked into a doorway, awaiting our arrival.
We had been alerted of how and where to find our agency contact through some not-so cryptic texts and emails. And there he was, casually reading a newspaper, waiting for our passwords to confirm we were part of the team and ready for duty. With a touch of weather-induced sarcasm, I smiled and said (spoiler alert) “Beautiful day for a mission.”
Soon, we were off to another area of the historic Japanese neighborhood, not far from where we’d had some excellent ramen just an hour earlier. A spy runs on their stomach, but I digress. Our handler had taken all of our cell numbers for mission updates and also informed us that we were in search of a former colleague who had gone off the grid, possibly for nefarious reasons. It was up to us to find the traitor and report back. Hopefully, it would end there, and we wouldn’t be required to eliminate the problem. Whatever the case, we’d have to find them first.
Over the next two soggy hours we flat-footed it up and down city streets in search of the lone wolf spy (I’d reveal their name but the agency would toss me out - or maybe worse - if I revealed it). Suffice it to say, we had numerous close calls and run-ins with the wily and wandering turncoat but couldn’t quite close the deal on positively identifying them or their true reason for going solo. Were they good or bad, villain or victim, and were we working for the right side in this caper? Along our roughly two-miles of wearing out the soles of our water-logged shoes, we were continually updated by a series of texts and calls from other agents offering clues, directions, mis-directions (be careful of bad spies sharing false leads) suggestions, tasks, and even dire warnings. It seemed someone was on to us, and we too were now being followed. Let me tell you, when the clean-up squad is hunting for you, everyone, including the random guy I approached on the street with a few code words, looks like they could be involved. (Note: the random civilian was just that and mildly laughed when I tried my scripted sleuth code words on him). Still, I had to solve this case fast and time was running out in the ever-moving mystery.
In fact, due mostly to my general incompetence as a freelance operative, I relied considerably on my two co-spies as we followed maps, located buildings, decoded puzzles, listened to phone-delivered directives and even had up-close encounters with the very person we were trying to find. We eventually solved the case! My two colleagues – whose identities I’d never reveal – did the heavy lifting. They deciphered messages, identified potential threats and targets, and did so while maintaining perfect umbrella coordination. My general role in the whole escapade was to try and blend in as a tourist, keep my umbrella from looking like inside-out origami in the wind, and approach total strangers with clues meant for others. The latter caused fits of hysterics from my two partners in crime, but let em’ laugh because I had the pleasure of facing off with the rogue spy in the end. As Bogart himself might say, “Time for a well-deserved bourbon and coke. Hold the coke.”
"Spies Among Us" is an engaging micro-production that will please fans of immersive experiences, especially those who enjoy outdoor escape room-style adventures. The trust vs treason storyline is involving and captivating and often funny, placing you right at the center of the action. While most of your mission involves digital communication, the two live performers you’ll encounter - Victoria Strange and Prescott Gadd (also the show’s creator) - are fully committed to their undercover roles and are fun to interact with. The whole experience is priced very reasonably, making it a great value when considering its originality, level of participant involvement, and modest cost to join in the roving narrative. Adding one or two more live performers could enhance an already unique experience even further, but as it stands, the show is an enjoyable interactive romp that you should add to your calendar. Cell phone required, trench coat optional.
Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)
Immersivity: 4.0
Secret Location
Downtown/Little Tokyo
Ongoing - Saturdays by appointment
Tickets: $39
