From boozy immersive dive-bars, to fantastical Christmas adventures and festive three-course meals, here are our recommendations for the best immersive shows in London this side of New Years...
With the nights drawing in and the temperature beginning to drop, Christmas is fast approaching. While London has no shortage of festive activities (we're looking at you Winter Wonderland..), you might be looking for something a bit more interactive and immersive. We've made a list, checked it twice, and these are our picks of London's best immersive experiences this Christmas. From family-friend festive adventures to immersive three-course meals and adults-only parties with Santa, these are the top immersive offerings this Christmas..
Phantom Peak: Christmas at the Peak - The Beast of Winter
Hot on the heels of its excellent Halloween season, the town of Phantom Peak will get a festive makeover for Christmas at the Peak. A continuation of the show's ongoing story, this Christmas edition of the platypus-obsessed mining town will have 10 brand-new festive trails for guests to complete. Last year's Christmas season saw storylines including Father Platmus trying to escape imprisonment, the evil Dr. Winter being visited by the ghosts of Past, Present and Future, and Leadbelly - the town's Health and Safety Officer attempting to crack down on unauthorised gift-giving.
This year, there's an add-on experience where guests can visit Father Platmus in their Wintermas Grotto, which we're sure will be a great addition to what is already a jam-packed event. Guests will also be able to compete for the Sleigh Queen crown, join Hogwood's Holiday Film-a-thon, attend the Snow Ball and those looking to sharpen their wits can test their skills in The Wintermas Games. To finish all the trails you'll need at least two visits, but a one-off trip is still a great experience, with the various storylines you complete throughout the 4-hour long experience being wrapped up neatly during the closing ceremony.
This Christmas, experience Phantom Peak’s very own alternative festive celebration, Wintermas! Step into a town brimming with Wintermas joy as the townsfolk prepare for the arrival of their very own seasonal being, Father Platmus! The town is in lockdown, with all your favourite characters gathered together to make sure the town is set for the big arrival. Imagine entering a vintage Victorian postcard from a parallel world, complete with an odd and slightly old-school Father Christmas figure, festive platypuses knitted by Serbian grandmothers, and a huge tree festooned with all kinds of whimsical Phantom Peak frippery!
📍 Canada Water 💰 From £39.99
🕒 24th November - 30th December 2023 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com
Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure
Secret Cinema return to London after an excursion up to Birmingham earlier in the year to mount a brand new, original show called Wishmas. The hour-long walk-through experience (which may be the new norm for the company..) will have guests journey alongside new wishes on their way to Father Christmas' workshop.
The experience includes a ride on the Wishmas train, encounters with Wishkeepers and Robin, and of course a face-to-face with Father Christmas himself. There are various ticket types on offer, with upgrades including a private audience with Father Christmas and the chance to make your own memento in a crafts workshop.
Wishmas is a captivating 60+ minute walkthrough experience that seamlessly blends the best of theatrical entertainment with the immersive wonder from Secret Cinema and Punchdrunk alums. Here, you'll encounter beloved and festive characters as you journey through the story of your Christmas wish. Wishmas is a breathtaking new standard of Christmas adventure, promising an unforgettable journey, teeming with incredible characters and mesmerising sights.
📍 Waterloo 💰 From £29
🕒 14th November 2023 - 7th January 2024 🎟️ Book via wishmas.co.uk
Humbug: The Immersive Christmas Dive Bar
The co-founder of Backyard Cinema and one of Immersive Everywhere's executive producers are bringing a new immersive experience to London this Christmas. Humbug - an immersive Christmas dive-bar, is opening in Waterloo this November and will welcome guests into a 4-hour long party with the big man himself.
Split into two halves, with live music, festive DJ and singalongs following the 2-hour main show, this adults-only experience will see guests try to help Santa regain his Christmas spirit in his favourite watering hole alongside a cast of characters including the disgruntled dive bar waitress and a mailman who's lost all their letters to Santa.
A mix of immersive storytelling, Christmas cabaret and festive cocktails, it promises to be a fun-filled party with something for everyone. Cocktails on offer will include 'The Grinch' and the 'Bah F****ing Humbug', which comes with a mince pie on top!
Humbug is a brand-new Christmas adventure, set in a never-before-seen venue, hidden under Waterloo station. After uncovering the secret entrance, travel down a magical tunnel of Christmas lights to discover an unbelievable world of games and festivities. Here you will enjoy a 2-hour interactive show, where you meet Santa and his friends for a fun-filled evening of live performance and Christmas shenanigans. After the show the festivities continue into the night with live music, DJs, and sing-alongs.
📍 Waterloo 💰 From £29.50
🕒 15th November 2023 - 6th January 2024 🎟️ Book via humbugchristmas.co.uk
The Great Christmas Feast - An Immersive Dining Experience
The Great Christmas Feast is one of London's immersive dining mainstays. Now entering its sixth year, the show is quickly become many people's annual tradition - and for good reason. It's Christmas Eve 1894, and Charles Dickens is opening the doors to his home to guests - this immersive production of A Christmas Carol is famed for its world-class storytelling and excellent menu.
Guests will tuck into a three-course meal designed by Ashley Clarke that's described as a 'love letter to Christmas in Victorian London'. From Smithfield Ham Hock Press or Covent Garden Pease Pudding for starters and Michaelmas Duck or Tourte au Magi for your main, the meal is rounded off with Epiphany Tart - a black treacle and sweet ginger tart with Chantilly cream and mulled winter berry coulis. Additionally, there's a selection of Victorian-inspired cocktails on offer including the legendary Smoking Bishop, the mysterious Rumfustian and the urbane Marley & Rye.
With the the backing of live-music performed by violinist Guy Button, cellist Charlotte Kaslin and percussionist
Beth Higham-Edwards, Alex Phelps (Shakespeare’s Globe) stars as Charles Dickens in the immersive show that's seen critical-acclaim and sold out performances for the last five years. You'll see Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas come to life around you through the course of the 3 hour show.
Travel back in time to Christmas Eve 1843 and step inside the enchanted home of Charles Dickens. As night draws in, Charles leads you and your fellow guests through a critically acclaimed immersive production of A Christmas Carol, accompanied by cinematic live music and a three-course Victorian feasting menu. Sold-out for five years and now in its sixth year, every Great Christmas Feast is a special occasion, and the experience continues to evolve. Bigger and better than ever before, a legendary night of feasting, drinking and fantasy awaits. Just remember – Marley was dead to begin with...
📍 West Kensington 💰 From £149.50
🕒 14th November - January 14th 2024 🎟️ Book via christmasfeast.thelostestate.com
Velvet Pines - Immersive Christmas Party
Swamp Motel have long been shape-shifters when it comes to immersive experiences. With every new production they seem to reinvent themselves. From the excellent Zoom-based escape experience Isklander, to The Drop - one of the most innovative and meta pieces of immersive entertainment we've ever experienced and more recently Saint Jude, the AI-infused audio experience that debuted earlier this year, no two Swamp Motel shows are the same. They return for Christmas with a brand-new experience - Velvet Pines. A mix of fine dining, immersive cabaret performances and meticulous set design, this immersive Christmas party is their most ambitious show to date.
With a menu designed by Omar Foster (Masterchef 2023 Finalist), their retro-inspired but wholly inventive three-course menu includes Roasted Jerusalem artichoke, duck miso bourguignon and an iconic Bombe Alaska. By way of entertainment, there's a troupe of artists including aerial performer Angeliki Nikolakaki, performer Ash Weir (But I'm a Cheerleader - Turbine Theatre) and Ginger Johnson (currently on Series 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK) on select dates. Oh, did we also mention there's a yeti on the loose?!
Welcome to the alpine town of Velvet Pines. The storm of the century is rolling in and we’re cut off from rescue. You’ll need to brave the blizzard and take shelter the hotel, populated by a cast of charming characters devoted to keeping your festive spirits up, even if the power in the town is down. Fortunately, this plucky ensemble have everything you need for an unforgettable Christmas party. Enjoy a drinks reception in the hotel... reception, then take your seat in the grand lodge, dripping in 70’s inspired design. The staff will be working hard to keep the emergency generator humming along as the dining hall plays host to a troupe of daring cabaret acts, a charismatic host and a truly sumptuous menu of incredible Christmas food and cocktails.
📍 London Bridge 💰 From £149.95
🕒 9th November - December 23rd 2023 🎟️ Book via velvetpines.co.uk