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This article was originally published in September 2023 A former theatre that dates as far back as 1937 in the centre of Camden might soon return to hosting performances after it became public that Secret Cinema has expressed interest in taking over the space to host immersive experiences. The Camden New Journal confirmed earlier this month that the current owners of the site on Arlington Road - The Rank Group, who own Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino, were ‘looking into alternative options for the site’ following a slow return of visitors attributed to COVID and the cost of living crisis. The venue has been operating as a Mecca Bingo for over 60 years and was previously home to a theatre that had upwards of 2,500 seats. The site was split into two separate venues in 1961, with the bingo hall being created in the space formally used by the stall seating. The rest of the venue became an Odeon, and half of the site is still being used as a cinema today following a closure between 1993 and 1997. Secret Cinema was reportedly looking for a permanent space in London after being acquired by TodayTix in 2022 for $100 million. They would be following in the footsteps of fellow immersive theatre company Punchdrunk, who moved into a permanent venue in Woolwich back in 2019. Secret Cinema will be launching Wishmas - an immersive Christmas experience later this year in Waterloo. This is believed to be their only remaining show for 2023, so those eager to be a part of the next Secret Cinema world may be waiting a while. Camden Council will consider the company's licensing application at the end of September. Update as of January 2024: Camden Council have approved Secret Cinema's application to take over the site in Camden Town and the company appear to be gearing up to launch their first production of 2024 within the venue in the not-too-distant future. Update as of July 2024: Secret Cinema has decided not to proceed with the development of the Camden venue. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates and rumours about Secret Cinema in 2024.

With nearly 4,000 shows on offer across the month of August, planning a visit to the Scottish capital is a daunting task. Here's our guide to five interactive and immersive shows at Edinburgh Fringe that are worth your time. Spreadsheets at the ready! The Edinburgh Fringe has returned for 2024. With nearly 4,000 shows on offer across hundreds of venues in the Scottish capital, the month-long arts festival is a daunting event to tackle - even for those who have been multiple times. To help out, we've combined our top five recommendations for interactive and immersive shows at Edinburgh Fringe. While this is by no means an exhausting list, it's a solid jumping-off point for anyone looking to see what the Fringe has to offer this summer. Darkfield - FLight Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic Darkfield has been a staple of Edinburgh Fringe for a number of years now. Staged with a 40ft long shipping container made to resemble the interior of an Airbus A320, FLIGHT is an immersive audio experience that takes place in total darkness. Over the course of 30 minutes, visitors will experience two different realities - one in which the plane lands safely, the other in which it doesn't. It's an intense experience that's unlike anything else at the Fringe. Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to direct your attention to the on-board safety demonstration and ask that you give us your full attention. In the unlikely event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure alternative scenarios will be provided. Next of kin will be provided. Additional desserts will be provided. An extra pillow. Trumpets and gongs. Neither Heaven nor Hell is assured. We’re not responsible for your final destination. The many worlds interpretation of Quantum Mechanics proposes all possible outcomes that could occur are occurring in countless worlds of varying similarity. Maybe there is some comfort in knowing that however ill advised your choices have been - there is a version of you who made better ones and is suffering from less regret and embarrassment. FLIGHT takes place in absolute darkness inside a 40ft shipping container. Its interior exactly resembles an Airbus 320 economy cabin and over 30 minutes explores the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, taking audience members through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes to their journey. There are many worlds in which this plane lands safely. 📍 Pleasance Dome, Potterrow Plaza - Container 1 (Venue 23) 💰 From £12.00 🕒 31st July - 26th August 2024, 30 minutes 🎟️ Book via tickets.edfringe.com Temping - Dutch Kill Theatre Company Temping is an interactive solo show performed by the audience with the collaboration of a Windows PC, a corporate phone, a laser printer and Microsoft Office. The pace of the show is dictated by the audience member: how many emails they respond to, how fast they complete the tasks, and how much of the office they decide to explore. Writer Michael Yates Crowley said, “I was interested in the idea that inanimate objects and technology could be performers. That I could write for a phone or fax machine the way you would write for an actor. Or at least that characters could speak through these devices—just as in our lives, particularly during the worst moments of the pandemic, the people that matter to us appear as messages and phone calls and streaming video. The last two Edinburgh Fringes and the Adelaide Fringe gave us such insight into how different cultures react to the piece. Every performance is unique and it is really fascinating to watch diverse audiences react to the piece so differently." Contrasting the anonymity of recording births and deaths in Excel spreadsheet with furtive moments of human intimacy, this interactive show from Dutch Kills Theater and Wolf 359 examines mortality, capitalism and the value of a human life. Sarah Jane Tully, a 53-year-old actuary, has gone on vacation and the audience member steps in to cover for her. As they update her spreadsheets, they realise her job involves calculating the life expectancy of strangers. Meanwhile, an intra-office romance is spilling out of the printer, the phone bleeps with recorded messages, emails land in the inbox, and all the inner life of Sarah is there for anyone who has access to her cubicle and computer. Temping is a show with no performers, just an audience and the ether. 📍 Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17) 💰 From £15.50 🕒 3rd-25th August 2024, 50-70 minutes (audience dependent) 🎟️ Book via tickets.edfringe.com Non-Player Character: A Virtual Reality Musical A leader in combining live theatre with virtual reality and gaming, Non-Player Character: A Virtual Reality Musical is the latest in Brendan Bradley’s experimentation with innovative storytelling tools to reach new audiences.  Since 2010, he has been writing, producing and performing a range of online series and from 2017 has been looking at more ways to merge technology into live performance. For this version of the show, Bradley is offering other artists taking part in Edinburgh Festival Fringe the opportunity to be the four ‘Players’ taking part in the musical each night, similar to a Twitch “let’s play” but live, on-stage.  A boundary-pushing fusion of immersive, improvised theatre and video games where no two performances are the same; this virtual reality musical invites the audience to influence the narrative through on-stage and spectator participation. Award-winning actor and creator Brendan Bradley portrays a non-playable character (NPC) of a fictitious video game who is joined on-stage by four ‘Players’ wearing VR headsets, along with seated spectators and audiences watching from home through a live stream who assist in creating the story via a mobile web app. After the hero dies, participants travel through the five levels of the game’s open-world setting that represent the five stages of processing grief, set to a soundtrack of original songs inspired by hit Broadway numbers, pop music, and the chiptune musical style found in video games, along with improvised music reflecting the evolving narrative from an onstage musician. Non-Player Characte r aims to make a deeper connection between the audience and performer.  📍 Imaginex at YOTEL Edinburgh in association with ZOO (Venue 572) 💰 From £15.00 🕒 2nd-26th August 2024, 21:00, 60 minutes 🎟️ Book via tickets.edfringe.com Burning Down THe Horse - Fishing 4 Chips After an award-winning run in 2023, Fishing 4 Chips return to Edinburgh this summer with Burning Down the Horse. Bigger and better than ever, this immersive comedy epic tells the “true” story of what happened on the Trojan Horse. The audience become soldiers and are witness to the build-up to one of the most precarious military missions of all time. All goes well until lowly carpenter Epieus gets stuck onboard - unwilling to be wheeled towards certain doom, he starts a revolution and the soldiers that surround him are forced to choose where their loyalties lie. Burning Down the Horse is an immersive comedy play written by two best friends who hate immersive plays. Dotted through the show are pockets of audience interaction alongside a pre-show that starts from outside the venue - a unique brand of gentle immersion that has proven to be a hit with all audiences. Last year, Burning Down the Horse won Best Comedy Performance (Sean Wareing) and Best Director (Maya Shimmin) at the 2023 DarkChat Awards alongside ‘Best Ensemble’ at The Stagey Place Awards . Fishing 4 Chips first performed the show at last year's Edinburgh Fringe after being finalists of the Charlie Hartill Reserve, selling out the entire month-long run and receiving an OFFIE nomination. This show is perfect for the Edinburgh Fringe - silly, funny and interactive but with a genuine heart. 📍 Pleasance Dome - Queen Dome (Venue 23) 💰 From £14.00 🕒 31st July - 25th August 2024 (excluding 14th), 13:00, 60 minutes 🎟️ Book via tickets.edfringe.com Darkfield - Arcade ARCADE is the latest show from Darkfield, and first debuted at Lakeside Arts in Nottingham earlier this year. It's an immersive choose-your-own-path experience that immerses players in alternate environments, allowing you to navigate a conflict in which your choices have consequences... Speaking on the arrival of ARCADE at the Fringe, Darkfield had this to say.... “We're very excited to be returning to our home at Summerhall, with our most ambitious show to date, ARCADE. It's been a long time in the making. We really hope our audience enjoys exploring the world they are immersed in, aware that there are many other paths through it they could have chosen. We're really looking forward to the conversations the audience will be having with each other afterwards, and hopefully seeing them return to discover new paths!” ARCADE is the latest immersive audio experience from Darkfield. Using the nostalgic aesthetic of 1980s video games, ARCADE's interactive narrative explores the evolving relationship between players and avatars. Over 30 minutes in a completely dark shipping container, this choose-your-own-path experience will fully immerse the players using 360 degree binaural sound, sensory effects and a bespoke Darkfield Arcade machine for each player. Players will be asked existential questions about free will and consciousness in a world where some may win and some may lose... 📍 Summerhall - The Terrace (Venue 26) 💰 From £13.00 🕒 31st July - 26th August 2024, 30 minutes 🎟️ Book via tickets.edfringe.com For more news on immersive experiences, follow Immersive Rumours on Instagram .

From intergalactic space missions and open-world towns obsessed with platypuses to expeditions into the darkest depths of Peru, here are our recommendations for the best family friendly immersive experiences in London this summer holiday... London has never had a shortage of family-friendly activities, from world-class museums and zoos to West End shows and tourist attractions that cater to all ages. Among the hundreds of things to do on any given day in the capital are some stand-out immersive experiences that allow families to become part of the story and get involved to a degree not possible elsewhere. Below are our recommendations for the top five immersive experiences running in London this summer that will engage and entertain the whole family... The Paddington Bear Experience Photo: Alex Brenner An immersive walk-through show spread out over 26,000 sq ft in the heart of Central London, The Paddington Bear Experience allows guests to step inside the world of Michael Bond's classic stories for the first time as preparations for the Marmalade Day celebrations are underway at Windsor Gardens. Guests will get hands-on with a series of tasks throughout the experience as they meet a cast of characters from the much-loved book series, including Mrs. Brown. There's a lovingly recreated version of the Brown's family home, complete with the blossom tree mural at the foot of their staircase, and an excursion to Peru where you help create Marmalade, amongst other interactive moments. Photo opportunities with Paddington are available at the conclusion of the experience, as well as a chance to buy your own Marmalade sandwiches. The show is directed by Tom Maller, whose previous work includes some of London's biggest immersive shows of recent years (Peaky Blinders: The Rise, Doctor Who: Time Fracture, Secret Cinema's Blade Runner, Romeo + Juliet, and Casino Royale). Photos: Alex Brenner Help Paddington and the Brown Family prepare for a very special occasion; the Marmalade Day Festival. Just like Paddington, you’ll begin your adventure in the hustle and bustle of Paddington Station where you’ll meet the friendly Station Master and hop aboard our full-sized train carriage – make sure you aren’t late! Journey through the sights and sounds of London, all the way to the Brown’s house at No. 32 Windsor Gardens. Step inside the Brown’s famous tree adorned hallway and explore multiple rooms in their home, then venture beyond as you’re transported to the magical jungle of Peru – all to help Paddington prepare for the biggest party Windsor Gardens has ever seen! Finish by celebeating the Marmalade Day Festival at Windsor Gardens with Paddington and his friends where you’ll dance to vibrant calypso music, play fairground games and eat & drink festival treats – most importantly you can try Paddington’s favourite Marmalade sandwich! 📍 Waterloo 💰 From £136.00 (Family of 4) 🧒 Suitable for all ages 🎟️ Book via paddingtonbearexperience.com Bridge Command (Cadet Shows) Photo: Alex Brenner Bridge Command's origins date back to 2019, when Parabolic Theatre first prototyped an early version of the experience on a shoestring budget. An instant hit among immersive theatre fans, they continued to develop the concept over the following five years before debuting this supersized version of the show beneath the railway arches near Vauxhall station earlier this year. The highly interactive experience lets guests take charge of a starship and work together in a series of missions that could see them do anything from delivering cargo to investigating distress signals or exploring uncharted corners of the galaxy. Parabolic Theatre has long been pioneering immersive experiences that respond on the fly to guest decisions, and the show features a sophisticated back-end system that logs everything visitors do so that future visits incorporate their past choices into their next adventure. Available on Fridays and Sundays through the summer, Bridge Command is running Cadet Missions aimed at those aged between 11-16. While you can expect a slightly less challenging experience, it's no less interactive. Photos: Alex Brenner Have you ever dreamed of commanding your own Starship? As the bridge crew of your own vessel, you will boldly go where no immersive theatre audience has gone before. Fusing gaming technology with theatrical performance, Bridge Command offers a variety of scenarios designed to keep the whole team fully engaged. Designed for groups of between three and six people, our fully interactive starship set will respond to your commands, and carry you beyond the final frontier.​​​ It is your job to make it so. You will be given a uniform and be part of a crew. Your ship is a complex organism that will require maintenance, you will meet a variety of characters played by live actors, and your missions will involve an array of challenges. More specifically, each officer’s station has a different set of tasks to complete. Helm officers fly the ship, engineering officers keep it running, and so on. 📍 Vauxhall 💰 From £160.00 (Family of 4) 🧒 Suitable for ages 11-15 🎟️ Book via bridgecommand.space Phantom Peak - Starlit Summer Photo: Alistair Veryard Phantom Peak is a hard show to describe to people who haven't been before. It combines elements of escape rooms, immersive theatre and theme parks into a unique open-world experience that feels a lot like a real-life video game. The town is populated by over a dozen actors spread across the venue's 30,000sq ft space, and each season of Phantom Peak (it's currently on its ninth season since first opening in August 2022) has 10 brand-new storylines for guests to complete. They take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to finish and will have you interacting with both the town's residents and numerous pieces of interactive technology scattered across the town. There are puzzles to be solved, characters to interrogate, and many opportunities to improvise with the show's excellent cast of characters. Aside from the 10 main storylines, there are plenty of other things going on to occupy your time, including Platyhooks (hook a duck but with platypuses), carnival games, filmmaking contests, the Miramaze, and new for Starlit Summer, the Cabin Games. Every session of Phantom Peak is open to all ages, and the show's cast is excellent at interacting with younger guests. An ideal real-world substitute for a day of playing video games at home. Phantom Peak is a standout experience in London's immersive theatre scene. Photos: Alistair Veryard A fully immersive, open world experience - a living, breathing town where mystery lurks around every corner. Think of it as part escape room, part immersive theatre, part real-life videogame. You’ll meet mysterious strangers, uncover secret plots of rebellion, and find out what exactly happened to the old Mayor (coincidental accident, or cold-blimped murder?!) This summer, the residents of Phantom Peak are headed to the great outdoors! Long sunny days have arrived at last, and the Sun Daddy’s light has provided a warm atmosphere for the Townsfolk to compete in exciting camp competitions! But the warmth and sunlight may be blinding the townsfolk to the nefarious machinations of JONACO, hard at work in the mines. Jonas’s powerhouse company has been developing projects in the darkest corners of town, their true intentions a mystery. Join the summer fun, explore the sundrenched canals and lakeside, and uncover JONACO’s mysterious plot before it’s too late! 📍 Canada Water 💰 From £124.00 (Family of 4) 🧒 Suitable for all ages 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com AVORA: FAMILY Immersive Adventure Originally designed to be an immersive cocktail experience for those 18 and older, Avora is the latest show from Inventive Productions, the company behind Alcotraz and Moonshine Saloon. Across the summer holidays, they're hosting a family-friendly version of the show that swaps the cocktails out for mocktails and puts kids at the centre of the show. Set across three main spaces in their basement venue, it's taken a healthy amount of inspiration from the Avatar film series and is the closest thing you can get to visiting Pandora this side of the Atlantic. Guests are all given a jumpsuit to wear upon arrival that's embroidered with the logo of Roscorp - a tech conglomerate they'll be acting on behalf of during their journey. We'll leave it up to you to decide if Roscorp's true intentions for exploring far-off planets are noble or nefarious (spoilers: they're not good..), but you're there in good faith, acting as scientists on a fact-finding expedition to an other-worldly planet. There are two mocktails included in the ticket price, as well as a number of sensory games and challenges for guests aged 5-11. The new world of Avora is ready and waiting to be explored! Roscorp Enterprise, the founding company of the remarkable gateway to Avora, has yet to gain the trust of the locals and uncover all the potential of the new world. Having failed with their current crew so far, Roscorp believes children may just be the key to unlocking the secrets of Avora. Will you be lucky enough to be selected to join the crew? A journey to Avora is like no experience you will have had before, a magical and mysterious planet which evolves and changes before your very eyes. Your mission if you choose to accept is to explore this new world and uncover the secrets that lie within. You will be guided by Dr Shelly to find the hidden secrets, interact with the local Avorians to learn how they live, play games and sample some of the rare delicacies found on Avora. 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £108.00 (Family of 4) 🧒 Suitable for ages 5-11 🎟️ Book via avora-experience.co.uk Enitan's Game - Punchdrunk Enrichment Photo: Ali Wright The sister company to immersive heavyweight Punchdrunk, Punchdrunk Enrichment was founded in 2008 by Artistic Director Peter Higgin with the intention of taking the innovative practice of Punchdrunk into communities and schools. The first production in their new Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores venue in Wembley Park, Enitan's Game, revolves around a game created by Enitan's grandfather, who recently passed away. The show is part immersive theatre, part child-friendly escape room, and kids are the focus of the 50-minute experience, so adults can expect to take more of a backseat. The show is co-created by Mia Jerome and Peter Higgin, written by Mia Jerome, Casey Jay Andrews, Omar F. Okai, and Simon Maeder, and directed by Omar F. Okai. Photos: Ali Wright Tucked away off a busy road in Wembley is a special place. Warm and welcoming, it’s a home for many when you are far from your own. Inside you’ll find Enitan and Ged, two friends who collect objects and stories. One such item is a game, made by Enitan’s grandfather when she first arrived in the UK. As a young girl, whenever she felt sad or homesick they played it together. It made her feel stronger and helped her grow. Now Enitan’s grandfather has gone and she needs your help to play again. Together, you’ll discover a secret world, and unlock the storyteller in you. Experience an immersive theatre show for families from Punchdrunk Enrichment in our brand-new venue. Enitan’s Game celebrates the power of shared stories, loss and community. Pick a card, let the journey begin. 📍 Wembley Park 💰 From £68.00 (Family of 4) 🧒 Suitable for ages 6-11 🎟️ Book via punchdrunkenrichment.org.uk For more on London's best immersive shows (family-friendly and not) check out our Current/Upcoming Listings page.

A new immersive horror experience is set to open in Hackney Wick in early 2025 for a limited run. DEATHCELL: Magenta, from R Space Productions, is described as a 'wild and thrilling experience, combining theatrical cinema, time-pressured puzzle solving and impossible decisions'. The official event description explains more about the show... Built on chaos and corruption, DEATHCELL is a formidable institution of abused government power. It’s a heart-pounding prison of puzzles, punishment and paranoia. A problematic penitentiary where decisions determine fate. In this modern dystopia, inmates are treated as players in a political prison, fighting for survival and subject to pained puzzles where choice is a weapon of fate. You must select to survive. 2018's Deathcell (R Space Productions on YouTube) The production is the follow-up to 2018's Deathcell, which won Best Out of Season Attraction at the 2019 ScareCON Awards. R Space Productions are a first-of-its-kind hybrid company, combining award-winning productions and experiential immersive workshop experiences alongside creative entertainment services, attraction design and creative, operations management, event marketing and more. Driven by a core team of just six members with more than 30 years’ combined experience in the live entertainment industry, and led by founder and managing director Steph Ricketts, R Space Productions are on a mission to lead the way in immersive entertainment, creating see-it-to-believe-it experiences that are truly next level, captivating audiences and leaving them wanting more. Photo: R Space Productions Steph Ricketts, Founder & Managing Director of R Space Productions, commented: I can't wait for the world to discover what awaits from R Space Productions. Our upcoming show, DEATHCELL: MAGENTA, is set to leave a lasting impression, marking our most daring venture to date. By blending elements of cinema, immersive theatre, escape room puzzles, and the thrill of horror, we're pushing boundaries and crafting new forms of escapism with compelling storytelling. Our journey began six years ago with nothing but dedication and passion. Witnessing the team at R Space Productions dive wholeheartedly into this project fills me with immense pride, leaving myself and many excited for the future that lies ahead. Photo: R Space Productions Liam McClean, Head of Marketing & Sales at R Space Productions adds the following... This experience is like nothing you’ve seen before. We’ve created something unique, innovative and next-level scary. DEATHCELL: MAGENTA is one-of-a-kind, and I can’t wait to hear the screams of pure terror and excitement. Stay tuned for more coverage of DEATHCELL: Magenta closer to the shows opening in February 2025. Deathcell: Magenta will run from 21st February to 1st March 2025 at a secret location in Hackney Wick. Tickets are on sale now, starting from £30.00. For more info and to book, visit deathcell.co.uk

Amber Jarman-Crainey has announced her latest immersive theatre production, BOUND, will be premiering on the 24th August 2024 at Bargehouse on South Bank. BOUND encourages people to process, explore, and reflect upon their grief through a multi-sensory experience. Photo: Rachel Patrice Fallon B O U N D gives you the opportunity to step into the heart of the story and discover your own pathway through the production, whilst immersing yourself in nine stories developed from real examples of grief and loss shared through movement, live music, theatre and art. Amber started to create BOUND as an outlet for her own grief after losing her older brother in 2020. Her interest in movement and performance has always focused on human behaviour and memory, which is reflected in the curation of BOUND through the set, storylines and score. She's also been working with a small team of specialists to build the work, including industry-leading performers, grief specialists, doctors, charities and artists. Photo: Rachel Patrice Fallon The aim is to create a space where the audience has the power to lead their own journey and view what they feel interested in or connected to. The show is spread over five floors of Bargehouse, which will be home to nine storylines told by eight physical theatre performers. The cast for BOUND includes Lucija Bozicevic, Rosalia Panepinto, Vinicius Salles, Dominic Coffey, Adrienne Ming, Angela Smith, Lee Clayden, and Julian Nichols. Photo: Rachel Patrice Fallon Each story has been developed from either the performer's experience or an interest in the concept. Movement has been inspired by physical and emotional reactions to grief, with the key storylines found in BOUND being Living Grief, Shelter, Gaslight, Rooted Love, Therapy, Mourning Meadow, Time, and Subconscious Mind. Each room within Bargehouse has been designed to give the audience the chance to engage with a tactile space. As the audience ventures through the building, they will find, for example, a wild meadow, twisted willow structures, draping, and installations. Filling the space will be an original score created by composer and musician Ann Warren. Amber and Ann have worked together on previous projects, including the award-winning short film 'Clamber.' The audience will move in and out of the sound until reaching the top floor, where the audience will be immersed in cello music played live by Madeline Napier. Photo: Rachel Patrice Fallon BOUND is gifting a limited number of free tickets to students who are 16+ and studying an area that connects to B O U N D and Licensed Therapists who are considering alternative ways to support clients in processing grief and loss. Amber Jarman-Crainey recently spoke to Katy Naylor at voidspace about the show. Click here to read that interview and find out more about the show. BOUND runs at Bargehouse, near Blackfriars station, from 25th August - 8th September. Tickets start at £11.55 for students and £15.87 for general admission. To book and find out more, visit coinstreet.org

Piers' life hasn't quite worked out as he hoped. Deflated by his prospects after graduating university, he's taken a job as a temp, teaching a lesson on community values to those looking for work. While desperately trying to impress the sea of faces sat in front of him, he calls upon a man in the audience, absent-mindedly doodling on a notepad. Without knowing it, he's just kicked off a chain of events that will shape the rest of his life. This is the starting point for My Plan For Tomorrow , the latest semi-immersive show from Spare The Rod, a theatre group founded in 2018 by George Abbott and Alfie Lanham Brown. The show previously enjoyed a sold-out run at the Pen Theatre and returns now at the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell following further development based on audience feedback and a crowdfunding campaign. Photo: Rachel Burnham Exploring themes of masculinity, personal accountability, success, and failure, My Plan For Tomorrow  follows Piers (Alfie Lanham-Brown) through several decades of his life. From the seminar he's reluctantly teaching to a chance encounter at a comic book convention years later, and finally at a work-mandated therapy session, we see him repeatably struggle to accept the reality that his life didn't turn out how he hoped. Written by George Abbott, the text is at times engaging and thought-provoking, especially when commenting on topics such as class inequality and substance abuse. Dominic Daniel's portrayal of Ian carries particular weight in the second half, despite the narrative becoming somewhat muddled. By the show's conclusion, it is unclear exactly what the show is trying to tell us, and a bizarre conclusion appears out of nowhere, leaving the audience unsure whether to clap and leave the venue or wait for another scene to begin. Photo: Rachel Burnham In terms of immersion, My Plan For Tomorrow  has a novel approach for the audience is treated and integrated into the show. While they're seated throughout and have no real interaction with the cast, they are technically playing the collective role of observers - from the group of prospective jobseekers to the patiently waiting crowd at a convention, they're a constant presence in all three scenes, and their silence is acknowledged throughout by the cast. Photo: Rachel Burnham Whether intentional or not, it's a rough position for a show to be putting its audience in - they're forced to reconcile with the fact that despite repeated on-stage cries for them to engage, their role is to ultimately keep quiet and just observe. When audience members do attempt to meaningfully respond, they're glossed over, even when they're done so at the request of the characters. Equally, when the audience doesn't respond to these requests, the silence is weaponised against them, implying they should in fact be engaging. Overall, My Plan For Tomorrow  is at times a thought-provoking and engaging production that delves into complex themes of personal and societal struggles. While its innovative approach to audience engagement is commendable, the execution will likely leave audiences wishing it was clearer exactly what their role was meant to be from the outset. ★★★ My Plan For Tomorrow is running at the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell until 3rd August. To find out more about the show, and to book tickets, visit goldengoosetheatre.co.uk

From serving time behind bars, to out-of-this-world journey to other planets, London has no shortage of great immersive cocktail experiences. Here's our pick of the five best on offer in the capital this year. Being immersed is often thirsty work... so we recently set ourselves the challenge of trying out some of the biggest and best immersive cocktail experiences that London has to offer. It goes without saying that this was a very rigorous undertaking and the fifteen or so cocktails we've had over the last few weeks were purely for research purposes. We took no pleasure in drinking them, even if they were all delicious... Avora: A New World Immersive Experience Photo: Avora The biggest name in London immersive cocktail experiences - Inventive Productions - have three unique immersive cocktail experiences in the city. Their latest is Avora - which promises guests an out-of-this-world adventure on a far off planet. Based in Hoxton, this 1 hour 45 minute long experience is the most visually stunning of their shows. Set across three main spaces in their basement venue, it's taken a healthy amount of inspiration from the Avatar film series, and is the closest thing you can get to visiting Pandora this side of the Atlantic. Guests are all given a jumpsuit upon arrival that's embroidered with the logo of Roscorp - a tech conglomerate they'll be acting on behalf of during their journey. We'll leave it up to you to decide if Roscorp's true intentions for exploring far-off planets are noble or nefarious (spoilers: they're not good..), but you're there in good faith acting as scientists on a fact-finding expedition. Starting in the Roscorp laboratory, there's a bit of hands-on mixology as you mix various test tube liquids together to create your first cocktail - which billows smoke once combined. Later in the experience, you come face-to-face with the native Avorans who take a real interest in your lives back on Earth. Intent on learning all they can from their new human visitors, you may find yourself trying to explain the most basic of human concepts to them with mixed results. These interactions are all infused with humour and playfulness, and are the stand-out part of the show. Without spoiling what unfolds in the later half of Avora, the new equilibrium with the Avorans and Humans being on good terms is short lived, and you're soon confronted with Roscorp's true reasoning behind these expeditions to the luminous planet. There's 3 cocktails included in the price, and unlike Inventive Production's other two experiences in this list, there's no need to bring your own spirits. Photo: Avora Avora is a first of its kind cocktail adventure where guests can discover a brand-new world engulfed in mystery and wonder, brought to life through awe-inspiring theatrical sets, unique cocktails and a cast of talented actors. Step through the newly discovered gateway into the magical world of Avora! Meet with locals and explore the world to discover three extraordinary cocktails you will enjoy. Watch in awe as the world turns from day to night, and witness the mysterious and magical beauty of the lush new land. Be prepared, things are not what they seem, and you will have to make a decision on the fate of the world! Will you look to exploit it or will you help protect Avora! Photos: Avora 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £40.00 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via avora-experience.co.uk Moonshine Saloon: Immersive Wild West Experience Photo: Moonshine Saloon It's 1904 in the town of Coldwater. The sun is setting on the glory days of the Wild West, and everyone's attention has turned to what is next for those trying to achieve the American Dream. Within the confines of Moonshine Saloon, tensions are high between the Cassidy family and the local law enforcement. It's a year to the day since the Saloon's previous owner was gunned down in cold blood, and the Cassidy family are still looking for answers. You've been invited by Clyde Cassidy, who is looking to expand their moonshine business nationwide. Though their wife isn't best pleased with the fact Clyde has been operating this clandestine operation out the back of the bar, business appears to be booming and you're there to ink a deal and get in on the action. Across this 1 hour 45 minute experience, numerous scenes play out both in the main Saloon, and several hidden spaces within the Saloon. It's the classic story of the outlaw and local law enforcement butting heads, complete with shootouts and plenty of raised voices. Guests are kitted out with cowboy hats and ponchos upon entering, and their choice of spirits (which need to be brought with them to the venue) are incorporated into four cocktails across the show. Those looking to be slightly more involved in the narrative can purchase option character add-ons, including becoming The Mayor, Deputy Sheriff or Brothel Keeper. Ideal for the outgoing types, they'll be called on throughout the show to add an extra layer of interaction. For our visit, the Mayor had to deliver a series of campaign pledges to ensure their re-election. Photo: Moonshine Saloon Howdy, y’all! Behind the swinging doors of the Moonshine Saloon, new outlaws can rub shoulders with the locals, try their luck at cards or dice games and enjoy a barrel load of illicit drinks. Just be sure to keep yourself quiet if the Sheriff is in town and asks any questions… he’s come close to catching Cassidy before! Photos: Moonshine Saloon 📍 Liverpool Street 💰 From £37.00 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via moonshinesaloon.com Alcotraz: Immersive Prison Cocktail Bar Photo: Alcotraz Likely the most well-known of Inventive Production's immersive cocktail experiences, Alcotraz has been a mainstay of the London immersive experience scene since 2017. Guests are invited to don orange jumpsuits before serving them time in this underground prison-themed bar, which will see them play a part in a rebellion against the venue's Warden, who has a firm dislike for all things alcoholic. Upon entering, you're placed in a holding cell while you await processing. Soon you're led through a metal detector and handed your orange jumpsuit - a staple of the experience since its inception. Alcotraz operates as a BYOB venue, so your first task is sneaking your spirits into the cells without arousing suspicion - something that's made a lot easier thanks to the hollowed-out Bible you're handed by one of the prison's crooked guards. Once inside your cell, there are 4 cocktails prepared for you with the spirits you smuggled in across the 1-hour 45-minute long experience. The wider story that plays out around you is a power struggle between Cassidy - one of the inmates who's parole has just been denied - and the Warden, who is hell-bent on maintaining order within Alcotraz. There's a good amount of interaction with Cassidy, the Warden and the guards throughout the experience, who will all keep you occupied with a variety of tasks. We found ourselves folding laundry at one point - which led to us finding a blueprint inside one of the jumpsuits. There are also a couple of short excursions outside your cell, including getting your mugshot taken and for us, a visit to Cassidy after they're locked in solitary confinement. A potential visit to the Wardens office is also on the cards in order to plead your innocence. Photo: Alcotraz Following a life of crime, the law eventually caught up with Mr Clyde Cassidy and his gang of moonshiners and bootleggers. After a decade of running America’s most notorious liquor smuggling empire, their criminal activity eventually led them to life behind bars at the newly established Alcotraz Penitentiary. Most of the details of the Penitentiary remain only in the knowledge of a select few Government Officials, however, what is known is that there are a collection of secret Cell Blocks dotted all over the country, which serve as home to the worst of the worst. Sometimes incarceration can’t change bad habits and the Cassidy gang have managed to turn the Guards of Alcotraz crooked, bribing them to help newly convicted inmates successfully smuggle in liquor past the Warden. Will you join the gang and smuggle liquor behind bars? Photos: Alcotraz 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £39.99 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via alcotraz.co.uk Phantom Peak - The Broken Chalice (Add-On Experience) Photo: Alistair Veryard Phantom Peak is an immersive experience we've covered extensively on Immersive Rumours over the last 18 months. With four brand-new seasons on offer each year, it's a show that is constantly developing and changing. Guests are free to explore the 30,000 sq feet town of Phantom Peak for up to 4.5 hours at a time, jumping into any of the ten different storylines on offer at their own pace. With a large cast of actors scattered around town, guests can easily end up speaking to a dozen of Phantom Peak's townsfolk in one visit and only scratch the surface of what's on offer here. Previous seasons have offered an additional cocktail experience on top of general admission in the form of a cocktail treasure hunt - going around town and gathering clues, guests were rewarded at the end of the trail with a trail card that could be exchanged for a cocktail of their choosing at any of the towns numerous bars. For 2024, the experience has been overhauled in the form of The Broken Chalise - a new actor-led experience at a set time during each performance. With a limited number of tickets on offer for each performance, this intimate experience promises to test guests' limits and quench their thirst. As part of the experience, guests need to complete a series of group tasks to the satisfaction of Leadbelly, the town's Health and Safety Officer, against the clock. With a mix of physical and mental tasks to complete, it's a fun activity for larger groups on top of an already great immersive experience. Considering the cocktails at Phantom Peak will run you anywhere from £9.50 to £11 each, and with an exclusive cocktail menu available only to those who take part in the experience, it's good value if you want to indulge in one of them anyway. For the avid Phantom Peak card collectors, there's also an exclusive trail card for those who take part in The Broken Chalice. Photos: Alistair Veryard Experience a thrilling new version of our Jonacocktail experience! Join an actor-led side quest that will test your limits and quench your thirst in this exclusive 20-minute experience, held at a set time during the main show. Includes an exclusive, off-menu cocktail and trail card. 📍 Canada Water 💰 From £39.99 (Show Admission) + £19.99 (Cocktail Experience Add-On) 🕒 8th March - Onwards 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Poisoned Chalice Cocktail Experience Behind the doors of the innocuous-looking Doyle's Opticians in Shepherds Bush sits The Mind Place - a speakeasy bar based on BBC's Sherlock series. Alongside the two escape rooms that also sit within the space (Sherlock: The Game Is Now and The Mind of Moriarty), The Poisoned Chalice is a cocktail experience that sees you solving a series of puzzles as part of a test from Sebastian Moran - Moriarty's right-hand man. Perfect for those who like to drink and deduce, the experience takes roughly 90 minutes, though you can move at your own pace if desired. Alongside the cocktail you'll unlock and create by solving puzzles, a welcome drink is included. Photo: Nic Crilly-Hargrave Discover the secrets of this Sherlock speakeasy by solving a test set to you by Sebastian Moran, Moriarty’s right-hand man. Sebastian has brought you here to test you. Can you defeat his maniacal mind and make the perfect cocktail? The Poisoned Chalice Cocktail Experience brings together the excitement of a mystery with the joy of a cocktail. Enjoy the thrill of solving the case and the pleasure of creating your own cocktail. Photos: Nic Crilly-Hargrave 📍 Shepherds Bush 💰 From £35.00 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via thegameisnow.com For the latest news and updates on all things immersive in London, follow us on Twitter  or Instagram

Rhythm&Ruse - a new immersive experience from Punchdrunk collaborators Fania Grigoriou, Mallory Gracenin, Naomi Banks and Sam Booth promises to "transport guests to an underground speakeasy at a secret location in the heart of Central London for a night of marvels and wonders like no other". Opening later in 2024 in a Zone 1 location, the experience will invite guests to enter The House of the Occult - a mysterious world of jazz age glamour and enchantment. Directed by Fania Grigoriou, with musical direction by Naomi Banks, and hosted and devised by Sam Booth and Mallory Gracenin, the production brings together some of the world's most loved and renowned immersive theatre creative talents, most recently seen in Punchdrunk's 'The Burnt City'. The experience will be produced by Immergence. Rhythm&Ruse will allow guests to step into a fully realised jazz age speakeasy, where they will encounter the members of a secret society - with a shadowy history to discover - presenting the world's best close-up magic and cabaret. A live jazz band will accompany the magicians, and cabaret performers will host the evening with singing, comedy and larger-than-life stage magic accompanying the close-up performances.  Additionally, specially selected audience members will have the opportunity to experience unique elements of the performance only for them as they delve deeper into the story of the House of The Occult, with behind-closed-doors performances from hosts and magicians. Rhythm&Ruse guests will also enjoy the House of The Occult's open bar, which will offer a variety of prosecco, wine, beer and cider, as well as cocktails (0% options also available) at guests seats with table service throughout the experience. Director Fania Grigoriou said: I'm so excited to build this new and incredibly unique theatrical experience for London. From the moment guests step into our world, they'll be transported to a place where anything is possible. Immergence's Lead Producer, Morgan Howson, said: One of the most exciting things about Rhythm&Ruse is that alongside our incredible show, we'll be delivering a new venue specifically equipped to support the needs of London's growing cabaret community. We're excited to talk to independent artists and producers looking for a place to showcase new work later this year. To sign up for priority access to booking, and to find out more about Rhythm&Ruse, visit rhythmandruse.com Stay up to date on this and everything else immersive in London by following us on Instagram or X .

An exclusive look inside Phantom Peak's latest summer offering, Starlit Summer. With 10 brand new trails on offer as well as the introduction of the Cabin Games, the long-running immersive experience has never been better. Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Photo: Alistair Veryard Phantom Peak's Starlit Summer runs until 15th September 2024 in Canada Water. To find out more about the show and to book tickets, visit phantompeak.com

In the spoiler-heavy second half of our interview with writer/director Jack Aldisert, we dissect the key moments in The Manikins: a work in progress. Photo: Marc Tsang This interview contains major spoilers for The Manikins: a work in progress.   Immersive Rumours: So Jack, let's dive into specifics about some of the big moments in The Manikins. After entering the venue, there's a pre-show briefing in which you explain to participants that if things get too much for them, they can loudly say 'I want the show to stop'. You're planting a seed for later in the show where people need to say that phrase as part of the narrative. It's a really interesting subversion of the typical immersive theatre rules... Jack Aldisert: It goes back to what I was saying earlier when I was talking about Ligotti and layers of reality and incorporating the participant's reality into the piece as one of many. I think a very effective way to do that is through conventions and the subversion of conventions. A convention is something which is totally expected to the degree that it disappears into the background. For example, when you go to the theatre, you expect that there's a bar, you have drinks at the bar, there's a bell that rings, you go into the auditorium, you sit at your seat, you're chatting with whoever you came with, lights go down, the crowd hushes. Everyone knows to do all those things. There are these framing devices like the curtain opening, which are conventions that signal the shifting frames of the show. Because they are conventions, they disappear into the background. There's nothing realer than that because it's totally unquestioned. Every time we subvert conventions, it's like we're grabbing a chunk of the participant's experience of reality and putting it into the fiction or revealing to them that it was always part of the fiction. That's powerful because it takes something so real that you never would have thought to question it and makes you realise it was part of a fictional scheme or fictional framework. [The 'I want the show to stop' line] was always part of the show, but as something real - we didn't subvert it. It was there in case they wanted it to happen as an actual safe phrase - which it still is. People still could use it like that, even after it gets subverted. It's those things that I think make the piece powerful because that's what helps the piece eat your reality. There's a fantastic book by Bert O. States, Great Reckonings in Little Rooms: On the Phenomenology of Theatre. There's a section where he says something like 'The history of theatre, especially when it comes to its avant-garde development can largely be characterised as a gradual colonisation or appropriation of reality.' He argues that all of the most avant-garde theatre in its day has been avant-garde and gotten its power from how it takes something real and uses it within its fictional or theatrical framework in an unexpected novel way. That's what I think we're trying to do with this, incorporating reality into the piece in a novel way. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor. There's a question that gets repeated a lot by the characters to the participant or to each other - 'Who are you?'. One of the things I love most is when the participant gets asked that and they say 'I don't know anymore'. That tells you it's working. IR: Another element of the show that I think is incredibly interesting, and it's something we mentioned in our review , is that the participant ends up playing as much of a role in the experience as the two actors. They start as a version of themselves, then they're playing a version of that performance's actress, at one point they're the Doctor, then they're playing a version of you as the Director amongst several other roles. It's a really effective way of having people lose their sense of self during the show. Jack: Yeah, it's another attempt to transfer a literary technique or concept from weird fiction into a theatrical medium. Something that's classic weird fiction is that it's not just your sense of reality that gets subverted and altered, it's your sense of identity. Often there's a theme in weird fiction of an interchangeable and permeable sense of identity where the characters don't know who's who anymore. They get exchanged with each other. There are a couple of really useful qualities of theatre that can harness a sense of shifting and permeable identity. Something else that States talks about, when you're watching the theatre, you're inherently watching two worlds at once. You're watching the world of Hamlet and the world of Olivier. You're seeing both simultaneously. They oscillate between each other. He talks about how great actors are the ones who are able to use themselves in the performance to make the performance of the character even stronger. The idea is to put the participant in this situation, which goes back to the identity crisis that Sophie Nield talks about. The identity crisis is what happens when you take that Hamlet/Olivier split off of a stage, which a more traditional audience is watching, and you put that dichotomy into a conversational interaction with an audience member. We try to fuel that intentionally by having the participant be asked to play multiple roles, which is again just a convention of theatre - the actor playing a character becomes something that makes you feel like your identity is shifting. One of my favourite moments is near the end of the show, there's a question that gets repeated a lot by the characters to the participant or to each other - 'Who are you?'. One of the things I love most is when the participant gets asked that and they say 'I don't know', or 'I don't know who I'm supposed to be anymore'. That tells you it's working. That's what I want them to feel like. I don't know exactly what, but I think this piece is doing something around identity essentialism . You take a person and maybe they construct their identity based around a certain set of characteristics or they say 'My identity is essential to who I am. These certain identifiable traits about me are essential to who I am', and the experience that you go through in this show isn't that. At the end of the day, you might find yourself playing five different roles. You see other people playing you and anyone can play anything in the show. It's not just the role you're playing that changes, it's what that makes you feel about your identity changing. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor I don't think of this piece as something I've made, I think of it as an activity that I do with whoever else is involved in it that day. IR: This is quite a big statement, but The Manikins is the closest I've ever come to having a life-changing experience from a piece of theatre. In the realest sense possible, I felt like a different version of myself when I walked back out that door, and the old version of me was left behind. It's an incredibly powerful thing. Jack: Fantastic. You can't ask for anything more as a creator. A friend and I talked a couple of years ago about who theatre is for. We were talking about how in both of our experiences, theatre really is for the actors. You're giving a performance to the audience. but in my mind, the core of the magical transcendent experience of theatre is the experience of being an actor playing a role in this suspension of disbelief and the feeling that you get from the experience of leaving yourself in a way. Finding a different version of yourself feels like the transcendent part of theatre. What we talked about was that one of the great potentials of interactive theatre would be to give that experience to an audience member who doesn't have to have any experience as an actor or in doing immersive or interactive work. Giving that experience of what it feels like to be an actor in a role to someone who hasn't had that before and doing it in a way that we support them, the process of them becoming that is part of the storyline of the piece. That's why at the very beginning I explicitly say, 'I want you to feel like you're inside the story, but without you having to act. I don't need you to pretend to be someone else, just somewhere else.' The whole thing is telling them at the start, you don't need to be an actor, you don't have to act. Of course, by the end of it, they've been acting their asses off. Most of the time without even knowing it, without even noticing it. One of my favourite moments in the piece is the scene where they become the doctor and they're interviewing me, where I'm playing probably the closest version to myself of any other point in the show. The vast majority of people, even people who characterise as very passive participants in that scene, do lead and do push the scene forward. I'm thinking in my head as it's happening 'Wow, this person must have acting experience. This is a fantastic performance'. Then you talk to them at the end, and they've never acted in their life. We had one person the other day who just stared at me in that scene. I thought she was trying to make a power play or make a choice in the scene, in the way that an actor would make a choice in a scene. It turned out she was just really nervous and she didn't know what to say. She was trying to put on a veneer of confidence and wait for me to say something. I do think people get to experience what it feels like to have that sort of transcendent stage-acting experience through this. I don't want to sound like I'm talking myself up because I don't think about it that way at all. A piece of work is something you find rather than something you make - you find it. I don't think of this piece as something I've made, I think of it as an activity that I do with whoever else is involved in it that day. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor IR: The 'intermission' interview that happens after passing through the curtain a couple of times I imagine catches people off-guard. It feels like a break from what is going on, but in the five minutes between the end of that conversation and the recreation of that conversation after taking off the headphones, for me was the moment where everything clicked into place. In the first couple of scenes, answering questions as either myself or Serena [the actress performing during our show], you're still trying to find your footing and work out exactly what is happening, but haven't yet dived into the dream space. It's a pivotal scene. Jack: Exactly. I talked earlier about the turning point for me in terms of the creation process was when I had that realisation - the meta stuff from the dream. I'd been asking people questions like that during the workshops, so the interview really just came out of the idea I had for that turning point scene where the actor is playing you. I had that idea and we just needed something to set that up, so we do a false intermission interview, which is why the show needs to still be referred to as a work in progress in the marketing, because it justifies the existence of that intermission. The main idea there goes back to when I first wanted to have a naturalistic office - you take off the headphones and eye mask and you're in a completely new space. What was exciting about that was you're now in a world of unlimited dream-like possibility, and it's undisputed - the situation just makes you inherently know that you're in that world of open possibility now, where it's like a dream and anything could happen. That's the feeling I wanted to give them. It came from when you're in a dream, and you can see someone in the dream, for example a figure that you know is your mother. She doesn't look like her, but you know that that person, despite their appearance in the dream, is who you think it is. That scene you're talking about is in my mind, a way to take that experience, which seems like it's only possible in a dream, and give it to the participant, They know, suddenly in that moment, without us having to say what's happening, they are having an out of body moment, where they're seeing someone else being them. Then we come over to them, and we ask them for director's notes, and they realise that they've become the director. No one has to ever acknowledge that in the scene, we don't have to hand you a script that tells you, we don't have to tell you what the situation is. We've set it up with quite a lot of logical plotting and planting of details so that in the moment of payoff, it feels like you're feeling the truth of that situation in the way that you feel the truth of something in a dream. Most people say that that's their favourite scene, and I know for a lot of the actors who play the Secretary, that's their favourite scene to play. It's really, really fun. Most people keep their directing notes to us very simple, or they don't know what to say at all. It can be very fun sometimes when people give us some wild ones. It's the turning point of the show because it signals that you've now entered the place where anything is possible, as in a dream. I think it also signals to people as a device that they have more agency and more room to improvise than they previously realised. Everything that comes after that is set up to be as open as we can make it in order to encourage them to use that agency. Photo: Marc Tsang IR: Speaking of agency, there's a moment that comes towards the end of the show where the participant has complete freedom in how to proceed. Is there a scenario in which people can break the show by doing nothing? I certainly found the number of possibilities in that moment a bit overwhelming. Jack: The only way that someone could break it is if they did something harmful or dangerous or sat in a corner and just kept going like, "La, la, la, la, la, la, la," and wouldn't engage. The only way to break it is act entirely outside of the framework we've created. But we've created an extremely broad framework so someone would have to do something not okay to break it or they'd have to refuse to engage entirely. Besides that, one of the backing devices that makes the whole second half work is that if something happens that's just too difficult for us to control, we can snap out of the show instantly and we can snap into our capacities as actor and director and we can dictate what's going to happen next, which we haven't had to do for that reason ever. I feel very secure in knowing that that's a possibility. IR: Do you think people would accept that as being a break from what's going on or do you think people would just assume it's another layer of the show? Jack: Depends on how we played it. It could be either of them for us too. We could use that however we wanted to. The last resort if something goes really wrong or if the participant is feeling really uncomfortable, they need out. You've set up this device where the actor and the director themselves are also part of the show and fictional characters as well. So to bypass that, the easiest way to do it, the final resort is to go outside, leave the venue, remove costume pieces, go outside and just be very clear that it's over or you're out of it and that I can either talk you down from here or I can just step away, go back inside and leave you to it. We've never had to do that. There are things you can do to prove that it's true. Parts of the show are wanting to give the participant the experience of reality that I have sometimes had in my life. The way that reality seems to me a lot of the time is it's dark, it's chaotic. There are a million and one things that you could choose to do with your life or with your day or with your hour. There is no ultimate authority that is going to be able to tell you which of those is right. You just have to do something because otherwise you rot. I wanted to take that experience of things and put it into a piece of theatre so that the participant could feel a heightened and metaphorical version of that experience for the last 15 minutes of the show. They feel like a tightened version of 'Wow, there are so many possibilities. There are all these figures around who are confusing, but they're telling me that they know what to do. They're telling me that they have it figured out. They have the right way to do it. They have the path that needs to be followed but there's nothing that's going to tell me which of them I should trust'. There's also the possibility of making my own path, but then I'm confronted with infinite options, and that's just as crushing. Do I follow the path that either one of these two characters is laying out for me? Or do I try to do something myself? Or do I just sit here and wait for someone to figure it out for me? Either of those options should feel equally daunting I think. --- For further discussion with Jack Aldisert on The Manikins: a work in progress and immersive theatre, check out voidspace's interview on voidspacezine.com The Manikins: a work in progress ran at Parabolic Theatre's Crypt in Bethnal Green from 3rd June to 13th July 2024. Visit themanikins.com  to find out more about the show. Deadweight Theatre is currently crowdsourcing funding to bring the show to a new London venue this August and send the show to Gothenburg Fringe in September. To support them, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/the-manikins

Following on from our five-star review of The Manikins: a work in progress, we sat down with writer/director Jack Aldisert to discuss the show’s inspiration, development, and why there will never truly be a final version of the script. Our interview with Jack Aldisert has been split into two parts. The first half is below, while the second half, which contains spoilers for the show's major plot points, will be released in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on ImmersiveRumours.com for the conclusion of our discussion. Photo: Marc Tsang This interview contains reference to several moments within The Manikins: a work in progress.   We would recommend those with tickets to attend avoid reading until after their visit. Immersive Rumours: Hi Jack. Thanks for speaking to us today. We're currently sat in Crypt where The Manikins: a work in progress is being performed, and to be honest with you, it's a disconcerting feeling to be back here after experiencing the show for ourselves. How have the last few weeks of performances been and what has the audience reaction been like? Jack Aldisert: Everyone's really loved it. It's been really nice, especially because with the way the show works you're immediately talking to them about it at the end. It’s been a relief that everyone has loved it so far, and to not have been in a close quarters situation talking to them afterwards and they're not satisfied.  In terms of reactions and what people take away from it, the show's so open to interpretation. There have been a few people who have taken away what I feel like I would take away from it, which is a sense of being totally overwhelmed by choice and possibility and having to make a decision amongst chaos. That’s the feeling I wanted to give people - total unreality and chaos and the idea of having to choose the right path forward when there are many paths and no one will tell you which one is right. You have to figure out what to do.  I think when I feel most satisfied at the end of a show is when the person feels like they don't know what's real anymore and they feel like their own reality has been fully enmeshed with the visions of reality that the show presents. IR: You've previously cited several writers of weird fiction for the inspiration behind the show. Can you tell us about how you came across this kind of work and the impact it had on the show's creation? Jack: I was reading a lot of the philosopher theorist Mark Fisher, he has mostly written political and cultural theory, but he has one book called The Weird and the Eerie. In that book, he dives deeply into the genre of weird fiction. He referenced so many different pieces of media in that book, and it was my first time hearing about weird fiction as a genre. Jeff and Ann VanderMeer have an edited volume called The Weird and in it, he references Thomas Ligotti, who I'd never heard of and calls him something like an ‘undisputed modern master of the weird’.. He's one of the handful of authors who have gotten a Penguin Classics collection of their books while they were still alive - it's a huge deal, but I'd never heard of him, and he's so obscure, no one knows who he is. He has this style of writing that is like nothing else I've ever read. It's this crazy mix of Edgar Allan Poe-style Baroque prose mixed with super modernist experimental writing and metafiction like [Jorge Luis] Borges or [Vladimir] Nabokov. He creates these stories where a character experiences a breakdown in reality and where their reality is invaded by other horrific realities - the seemingly unreal. He uses metafictional devices to make the reader feel like their own reality is being pulled into that. For example, he has this fantastic story called Notes on the Writing of Horror: a story. It’s written as an essay about how to write horror, but then it turns into a horror story, the centre of which is the writer of the essay. That inspired the title of the show as well - The Manikins: a work in progress.  As I was reading those stories, I just kept thinking that the thing he's trying to do here in a literary form of using metafiction is to reach out and pull you into it. In interactive theatre, you can actually do that. You could take some of the techniques that he uses in a literary form and actualise them, making it so that they are actually happening to the audience member.  If it's done right - a piece of immersive theatre can take the audience member's own sense of reality and make it one of those layers within the fiction. That is a success to me when the participant feels like their reality has just become one of the many layers of reality that are part of the show. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor. IR: Can you talk us through your experience of studying at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and how The Manikins first began as part of your time there?  Jack: At the end of lockdown I was trying to choose between two Master's programmes. One was at Royal Holloway, and the other course was at Central. The course at Central is all about experimental devising, collaborative work and avant-garde stuff. It was a really, really difficult choice, but I’d had a lot of ideas about immersive and interactive theatre that I wanted to explore, so in the end that's why I chose the Central programme - I knew I would be allowed to experiment with that stuff. They encourage everybody in the last few months of the first year, to form companies on the course and then create a piece together - that's how Deadweight Theatre formed. The second year of the MFA I did was an independent project where you could really do anything you wanted, which is when I decided to do The Manikins. Really it was my MFA project, and you have to frame it as a research question, really. IR: What was the research question? Jack: Well, the thing I kept running into with immersive theatre was audience participation. In interactive work, there's always this level of disconnection because of the layer of artifice of characters being played. If you're an audience member and you're interacting with an actor who's in character, there's always a level of, for lack of a better word, embarrassment and confusion in the situation. A big part of that is that you've got a large group of people, usually other audience members, watching you interact. This factor of being perceived by a group of people is going to limit what you're comfortable doing in the interaction.  Let's say there’s a wizard, I know when I'm talking to this wizard that the actor playing them sees me as an audience member who's come to the show. I don't know who the wizard sees me as, standing here in my modern clothes with a weird name suddenly appearing in this environment. It creates this two-directional pull - do I respond as a character that I'm somehow making up on the spot right now?, or do I respond as myself, which doesn't make sense because it sort of breaks the world? That plus the factor of being watched felt like the barriers to truly immersive interaction in my mind. So my research question - which I thought was an impossible question - was about overcoming those barriers. It was about how to create a method for writing, rehearsing, and performing scene work in which one of the scene partners is inherently totally unpredictable because they're an audience member. Those were the questions I was trying to approach and The Manikins formed around answering those questions. IR: When you began to explore if you could break down those barriers, what were you drawing from to begin with, and how did that help the development of the show? Jack: There's a fantastic essay by academic and author Sophie Nield , who I believe is at Royal Holloway, that's from when Punchdrunk was first doing their masked shows. She talks about that quote-unquote identity crisis that's created in the situation I described. It's a fantastic essay. The masks that Punchdrunk use - that's one solution to that problem. If the rest of the audience is masked and you're masked, the embarrassment factor goes way down. I thought, okay, how do we create a controlled environment to study that effect? Well, just get rid of the rest of the audience entirely so it's just the one participant. Remove the being watched by an audience factor entirely. Initially, I was using sources like the Ligotti stories, which are about the breakdown of reality and the breakdown of identity as content for the experiments we did as we were devising together in the room, workshopping stuff. I took a month off from the work, and during that time I had this dream. I woke up from it with a realisation - the way that you get around the identity crisis isn't by eliminating it, it's by incorporating it. You take the identity crisis inherent in immersive and interactive theatre, and you make it the core of the dramaturgy of the piece. You make the piece about the participant experiencing that identity crisis and you build the piece around that. Before that, I’d been trying to eliminate the problems. When I had this realisation about the identity crisis, it was that when we’d been testing the early fragments of the show, I had naturally found myself talking to people about the piece. 'Here's what we're trying to do. Here's my goal with the piece. This is what we're working on. This is what I'm hoping to get out of it.' At the end of what they were trying - which were the first scenes with the doctor and the secretary - I would ask them questions about how it was going.  I realised that the extra meta layer I'd been saying to participants to frame the show had to be part of the show, and we use that as a device to heighten the audience's experience of the identity crisis, which will now be the core of the piece. That was the moment everything came together. From that point on, it just felt like a refinement process. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor. IR: How different is the version of the show that existed when you were at Central to the version running now at Crypt? Jack: There's been three significant versions of the show. The first one I did as the culmination of the programme in May of last year - I didn't think there would be a life for the show beyond Central, but we got such encouraging feedback. I thought 'Okay, let's keep going with this'. One of the tutors from Central who saw that show in May very kindly offered us a space to do the show at Central for five participants over two days in November, alongside me teaching a workshop to that Master's program on making interactive work.  When you're more deeply into the dream space, that has been very different each time we've done the show, but it has always ended in the spotlight in one way or another. It’s so hard to take plot threads in a show like this and tie them together effectively. All of the changes have really been about how do we make the experience more exciting and trippier for the audience member in the second half of the show, and also do that in a way that makes sense dramaturgically to tie any possible narrative threads together. I worked extensively with a couple of great dramaturgs , Harley Winzenried and Audrey Regan, over the first few months of this year leading up to the Crypt run to improve the text.  IR: Do you think this version of the show is the final one, or are there still things that you would like to try and tweak as time goes on?  Jack: I’ve got two answers to that. The first answer is that it's almost the final version... We've been tweaking it a little bit even as we've been running it so far in Crypt. I think there's still room for improvements in the finale section, and also in the section that comes afterwards when we're talking to the participant about the show. The second answer is, once you get into the dream zone, anything can really happen. There are so many exciting things we could pursue, and actually several of the most important and exciting moments in the second half of the show came from improvs that we did because of an unexpected audience choice in an earlier version of the show, which I then incorporated into the text.  We had one participant, back when there was still a physical mannequin in the show, take the lab coat off the mannequin, put it on, and then enter the next scene as the doctor. That resulted in us doing three scenes in a row that were completely made up, including one of my favourite moments, which is when there were two doctors confronting each other, trying to figure out who was the real one. I was then looking for a way to incorporate that moment because I thought it was so much fun. The show can never really be 100% completed because there's always going to be the possibility that an audience member will do something so interesting that we then want to use it.  When I was first thinking about what kind of immersive theatre I would like to make, I was reading a lot of books on dramaturgy and narrative structure in media. I was looking into classical music structure and at the idea of a cadenza in a classical concerto - where the music in the concerto is written and you're playing it note for note, but then there's a blank section of two minutes or so where the soloist plays a full improvisation, which is incorporated into the non-improvised structure of the piece. I got really into the idea of 'How do you do a cadenza in an immersive theatre piece?' and that's what I'm trying to approach with the finale. Photo: Rebecca J. Windsor. Those are the most powerful and exciting moments for me as a performer - when it feels like the performers and the participants are equally together in what's happening and are equally inside the dream space that's been created.  IR: Has performing a show that plays with reality and dreams so much affected you and the other cast members as you’ve been performing it? Jack: Yeah. You totally slip into the headspace of the show. I've had moments where I'm playing myself or I'm playing the doctor, and I'm legitimately feeling like I'm in a dream. Because the last couple scenes of the show are so open to the audience member doing, trying, saying anything, some people stay really passive in that situation and some people try some crazy stuff. We had a situation the other day, where we had a participant try something really different. We were in a situation we'd never been in before, I was playing the scene, and then the show stopped and I felt very confused, very overwhelmed, and when it stopped I felt like it was still happening. I said to the other actor and the participant after the show, 'Wow, I just had the participants experience for like a good five minutes'. I was feeling what the participant must be feeling during that section of the show normally. The show, I think, has that element of a spell being cast, and there have been certain situations where the spell gets cast on the casters as well. Everybody gets pulled into this dream together, and those are the most powerful and exciting moments for me as a performer - when it feels like the performers and the participants are equally together in what's happening and are equally inside the dream space that's been created.  Photo: Marc Tsang IR: We need to ask you about the set design for the show. It's basically made up of a curtain and two sets of chairs. Did it go through several different iterations during its development before you landed on this design? Jack: We’ve tried to free it entirely from naturalism. A big part of the development process has been working with the designers and collaborators to rid the show of set pieces, props, anything that was a direct, mimetic, naturalistic representation of reality so that the participant is fully creating the whole world in their own mind as they go along with it. The possibilities are limitless when you approach it that way.  It was a hilarious process with the scenographer, Min Feng, who's an incredible designer. We started off looking at making walls and doors and an office. Each time I'd meet with her, we ended up taking something else out. This is definitely the best version of the set. It's so simple, it leaves everything else to the imagination. It's just light, darkness, and the curtain. I also think that the red curtain is very powerful as a symbol. It's great because it's in the space as a symbol of theatre, and the imagination element of theatre. It also provides the very satisfying action of parting the curtain and passing through it as a threshold - it's sort of a palate cleanser. Each time you go through it, it’s as if we have 30 different rooms that you're going into when really it's just one room. The curtain makes it feel like you're imagining a whole new space each time you pass through it. Even if we got a bunch of money all of a sudden, we would just stick with that one single red curtain hanging in the space. IR: We’re in a venue run by Parabolic Theatre. Similarly to The Manikins, Crypt hosted another immersive show last year that was born out of someone's studies - Bacchanalia by Sleepwalk Immersive. How has it been working with them on this run of the show? Jack: I can't speak highly enough of Parabolic, they're awesome. Everyone on the team is just the nicest people ever. When we did the show a year ago, Danny Romeo, who now writes on Phantom Peak, saw an early workshop version of The Manikins. He introduced me to Tom Black, who was an awesome participant and did some really fun stuff. He loved the show and ended up putting me in touch with Owen [Kingston, Artistic Director of Parabolic Theatre] in the fall. At the time, I had been extremely frustrated by trying to find a space to perform in that was affordable or to get someone to program us.  When Owen said he was interested, I was expecting maybe like a week or two at best. We talked and he ended up offering us six weeks. That was the exact opportunity that we needed. There is literally no one else in London or as far as I know, in the UK, who would have made us that offer off the strength of a script and off the strength of his colleague having seen the show. It was such a rare and brilliant opportunity, and I'm totally indebted to them. Beth Atkinson - who is part of their team - has been stage managing the show and she's been brilliant. She's made the show so much better and more efficient by working on it. IR: We mentioned in our review that a logical comparison for people to have made when the show was first announced was with Punchdrunk. In reality, the only thing the two shows really share is 1:1 interactions. Was that comparison something you thought about when writing the show? Jack: It's an interesting one. The first Punchdrunk show that I saw was The Burnt City, and we were already well into the development of The Manikins. I've read a lot about Punchdrunk and their work, and I did finally manage to see Sleep No More when I was in New York last year, but that was also well after the show had been written. When I was still an undergrad, a mentor of mine who had worked on props at Sleep No More back in the day told me about Punchdrunk and Sleep No More. I'd heard of site-specific theatre, but I had never even heard of immersive theatre until I was probably 21/22. She told me about it and the concept just blew my mind. Then lockdown hit and I couldn't see any immersive theatre, so I had a couple of years where I was just imagining what it would be like, reading about it and imagining what is the potential, what would I want to do in that form. I knew that within Punchdrunk shows they had 1:1 interactions, and I also knew that that was what I was most interested in about what I understood about Punchdrunk. But I also knew that it was a very particular style of interaction in those 1:1s. I've only personally ever been in a single 1:1, but my understanding was that there wasn't that much room for the participant to structure the narrative in those moments or talk in those moments. In my mind, in drama and in theatre, it's the verbal argumentation that is the core of it.  I was interested in trying to take what I thought were some really exciting ideas in the Punchdrunk 1:1 scenes, especially the dream-like nature of it. That was something I've always been really interested in - using theatre to recreate a dream space and a dream mentality, and I think Punchdrunk does that so well. I was interested in how could you combine that with conversational interaction, because they on their face seem to be almost clashing with each other. It would be really difficult to create a dream-like interaction if you're talking and articulating yourself heavily. But I thought maybe it might be possible. The idea of The Manikins being like a 90-minute 1:1, I totally see that as a comparison. Of course, on a technical level, and in terms of what the experience feels like, is completely different. I've seen something that Katy [Naylor of voidspace ] has said about it in an interview where she was talking about the show being like the dream-like feeling of a Punchdrunk show or Punchdrunk 1:1 but with the facilitated space for full agency. --- Part 2 of our conversation with Jack Aldisert is available to read here . The Manikins: a work in progress runs at Parabolic Theatre's Crypt in Bethnal Green from 3rd June to 13th July 2024. Tickets are currently sold out, but you can visit themanikins.com  to find out more about the show.

Argentinian performance troupe Fuerza Bruta return to Camden's Roundhouse after a decade-long absence for the European premiere of their latest show, AVEN. Immersive Rumours received complimentary tickets to this show and as such, are disclosing this information before  our review. The producers have had no input in the below and all thoughts are our own. Photo: Johan Persson Fuerza Bruta, the Argentinian institution that has performed in upwards of 37 countries for more than 6 million people since its inception, has a long-running history with Roundhouse. Following a refurbishment to the iconic North London venue in 2006, their debut show (which at the time shared a name with the company but has since been renamed Wayra ) re-opened the venue. At the time, it also held Roundhouse's record for fastest-selling performance. 2013 saw the show return for a month-long residency, where it continued to enjoy sold-out dates and strong word of mouth. It continued to tour internationally for years afterwards, but Fuerza Bruta knew a new show was on the horizon. Following the pandemic, the company's plans for that new show saw them " abandon any note of darkness and strife" to instead "create the happiest show we have ever done” according to director Diqui James. This is the European premiere of AVEN, a high-energy show that bills itself as a "celebration of adventure and paradise". Photo: Johan Persson After a pre-show DJ set from BRESH 's Luz Rodriguez, the immersive club-theatre experience begins with a huge inflatable globe zipping above the standing-room-only audience. Performers in pastel-coloured suits run across the surface as if their lives depend on it, causing it to rapidly spin on its axis. A water tank suspended in mid-air sees a woman slide and crash against the sides while their partner dangles below its glass floor, desperate to connect. Later, a performer hangs from a crane in the centre of the room and is pulled through the air at breakneck speed to ear-piercing whistles and cheers from the crowd. The show's finale sees a life-sized inflatable whale glide over the audience as it oscillates back and forth within touching distance of the outstretched arms below. While every scene of the show is radically different from the last, those who have seen their previous work will notice there are some ideas that the Fuerza Bruta team found too tempting to not revisit. Wayra's most iconic scene, in which a man sprinting on a treadmill crashes through walls and is riddled with bullets, gets an update here that's far more optimistic and joyful. Photo: Johan Persson Those attending will be craning their necks throughout the show's 70-minute duration as performers fly overhead, constantly shifting their attention from one side of the venue to the other as the action unfolds all around them. Anyone who finds themselves in the centre of the Roundhouse crowd for the conclusion of the show will likely leave soaked as water violently sprays from the ceiling, and being covered in confetti is practically guaranteed for everyone in the room. By design, the audience is in the midst of the action and as much a part of the show as the 14-strong pack of performers above them. For a lot of people, the closest comparison they'll have to a show like AVEN is Cirque du Soleil, with their annual Royal Albert Hall residencies. This however is an entirely different beast - from the pounding bass and gig-like atmosphere to the constantly shifting audience positions as set-pieces are wheeled out into the thick of the crowd, Fuerza Bruta's offering feels more like an over-the-top warehouse rave than a night at the theatre. Photo: Johan Persson There's nothing subtle or understated in AVEN; every moment is about being as big and bold as possible, which comes as little surprise considering the company's name translates to 'brute force'. An exercise in maximalist joy, attending AVEN is to be swept up in an uplifting experience unlike anything else playing in London this summer. Photos: Johan Persson ★★★★ Fuerza Bruta - AVEN runs at the Roundhouse in Camden from 9th July to 1st September 2024. Tickets start at £25 and can be purchased via roundhouse.org.uk For more reviews and coverage of immersive shows like Fuerza Bruta's AVEN, see below...