The Experience
Step Into Regency England
For a few extraordinary days, leave the modern world behind and become part of a story inspired by Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope.
A World of Your Own Making
Imagine arriving at an English country house in 1818, surrounded by acquaintances, strangers and families whose lives are connected by friendship, marriage, ambition and secrets.
In In Perfect Confidence, you become one of these people.
This is live-action role-playing, or LARP: an immersive experience in which participants portray fictional characters and create a shared story through their interactions. There is no audience, no script to memorise and no predetermined ending. Each character has a personal history, relationships, ambitions and secrets, but what happens during the gathering depends upon the choices made by the participants.
You might find yourself falling in love, confronting an old friend, uncovering a family secret or making a decision that changes your character’s future.
The story belongs to all of us.
Life at Noblethorpe Hall
During your stay at Noblethorpe Hall, you will share the daily life of a small circle of families and acquaintances in Regency England.
There will be opportunities for dancing, card games, music, reading, letter-writing, needlework, business meetings, late night drinks and leisurely walks through the grounds. Perhaps you will invite someone to take tea, challenge a rival to a game of cards or seek a private conversation in the garden. These activities are not simply entertainment between dramatic moments. They are where the stories happen. A dance may become the beginning of a romance; an afternoon stroll may provide the perfect opportunity for a confession.
Rather than following a programme of organised lessons and activities, participants are encouraged to take the initiative themselves. Invite others to join you, suggest an activity or simply allow a conversation to lead somewhere unexpected.
Romance, Drama and a Touch of Comedy
In Perfect Confidence combines the emotional depth of Nordic LARP with the pleasures of a more relaxed historical experience.
There is room for complicated relationships, painful confessions, moral dilemmas and powerful emotions, but equally for charming conversation, dancing, friendship, social misunderstandings and the delightful absurdities of polite society.
These are not two separate experiences. Everyone takes part in the same story, portraying a character with their own relationships and motivations. What differs is how you choose to play that character. Characters are written to support different styles of play. You may emphasise a realistic and emotionally complex portrayal, a more exaggerated and comical interpretation, or a mixture of the two. Some characters have intricate backgrounds and secrets and invite their players to help drive the drama forward; others require less preparation and offer a more relaxed experience.
Jane Austen’s novels contain both profound emotion and wonderfully ridiculous characters, and we hope to capture something of that balance.
Anthony Trollope, one of the great Victorian novelists, adds another dimension. His fiction explores the tangled relationships between money, ambition, reputation and morality, and the ways in which financial interests can lead even respectable people into deception. Much of the gas-company intrigue in In Perfect Confidence draws inspiration from his novel The Way We Live Now (1875), a satire of financial speculation, dishonesty and the pursuit of wealth and social standing.
Together, Austen and Trollope inspire a world in which romance and comedy sit alongside financial intrigue, family secrets and difficult moral choices.
Whether you seek intense emotional drama or simply wish to enjoy a few days immersed in Regency society, there is a place for you at Noblethorpe Hall.
How We Play
Our approach to LARP is collaborative, flexible and centred on creating enjoyable experiences together.
We remain in character during the fictional gatherings and conversations, but we do not expect perfect historical knowledge, flawless accents or theatrical acting skills. If someone uses a modern expression, forgets a detail or makes a historical mistake, we simply allow the scene to continue.
We encourage participants to welcome others into conversations, create opportunities for shared play and help one another develop their stories. You can read more about our approach, character design and practical LARP techniques on the Design page.
An Experience for Everyone
Whether you have attended dozens of LARPs or have never tried live-action role-playing before, you are welcome at Noblethorpe Hall.
You do not need to be an actor, an expert in Regency history or an experienced improviser. What matters most is curiosity, a willingness to engage with your character and consideration for your fellow participants.
For at Noblethorpe Hall, even the most innocent conversation may lead to something extraordinary.
Your Story Awaits
Who will you become, what will you discover, and whom will you trust with your secrets?
DISCOVER THE CHARACTERS & FAMILIES