We recap our picks of the five best immersive shows of 2024 as part of our Year In Review series.
#1 - The Manikins: a work in progress (Deadweight Theatre)
Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor
With a cast of two performing for just a single audience member, The Manikins: a work in progress is as intimate a show as you can get. A mind-bending experience that had us questioning our own reality for weeks afterwards, Deadweight Theatre's production was the stand-out show of 2024 and has redefined what small-scale immersive theatre can achieve.
#2 - Phantom Peak (The League of Adventure)
Photo: Alistair Veryard
Phantom Peak's ongoing narrative reached new heights in 2024 with an exception run of seasonal updates. Engaging and accessible for first-time visitors, while being deeply rewarding for long-time tourists, the show's ever-changing line-up of genre-bending trails forms the backbone of this one-of-a-kind experience that isn't being replicated anywhere else.
#3 - Rhythm&Ruse (Immergence/Clio Creative)
Photo: Rhythm&Ruse
Rhythm&Ruse's mix of cocktails, cabaret and close-up magic was one of the best nights out we've had in London this year. While expectations were high for the show as soon as it was first announced, with Punchdrunk alumni including Fania Grigoriou, Sam Booth, Mallory Gracenin and Naomi Banks all involved, the show surpassed them to create an unforgettable evening at The Starling, night after night.
#4 - Bridge Command (Parabolic Theatre)
Photo: Alex Brenner
A show over five years in the making, Bridge Command delivered on the promise of allowing guests to pilot a starship into the deepest corners of space. Teamwork is the name of the game aboard the UCN Takanami and UCN Havock, both of which offer an exhilarating experience for guests that responds to their choices on the fly, creating a unique playthrough every visit.
#5 - Viola's Room (Punchdrunk)
Photo: Julian Abrams
Punchdrunk's follow-up to The Burnt City rejected the format fans had waited so long for before their long-awaited return to London with Viola's Room. With no white masks, no loops and no actors, the show instead invited guests into a linear walk-through fairy tale that required no shoes and socks. It's the kind of show only Punchdrunk could pull off, and continues to cement them as one of the world's premiere immersive producers.
For coverage of all the latest immersive experiences coming to London in 2025, follow us on Instagram, X and BlueSky.
To hear what over 15 immersive creators think the best immersive shows of 2024 were, check out the rest of our end-of-year coverage here.
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