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After almost a year of silence COLAB Theatre - the immersive theatre company behind shows including The West and Crooks 1926 return later this month with the premiere of The Descent, a one-of-a-kind Greek myth experience set to thrill and terrify audiences this Halloween. Described as a 'journey through the Underworld, where visitors will embark upon a harrowing journey into the unknown', the show will see a limited group of only 20 guests per performance travel with Orpheus on a treacherous journey to the underworld to find his love, Eurydice. It will be an intimate, highly intense experience that will test audience's trust and courage. COLAB Theatre have previously run a series of immersive horror experiences including Echoes (2021), Flicker (2020) and Silence (2019). Artistic Director Bertie Watkins comments... Immersive theatre has the potential to create the ultimate Halloween thrill. We created The Descent to push the boundaries of immersive horror and plunge our audience into the aftermath of an Ancient Greek Myth. Audiences will experience an intimate, up-close, and personal journey, whilst influencing the narrative. The Descent will run from Friday 20th October to Saturday 18th November 2023 at COLAB Bankside. Tickets start at £28 and can be booked via colabtheatre.co.uk

The cast for the upcoming production of 1984: A Unique Immersive Experience has been confirmed. Officially opening on 26th October at Hackney Town Hall, the show is an immersive staging of the dystopian George Orwell novel and will be in previews from the 19th October. The show is co-directed by Richard Hahlo and Jem Wall - co-founders of Hydrocracker Theatre, who create immersive site-specific productions including The New World Order (Brighton Festival, Barbican and Shoreditch Town Hall), The Erpingham Camp (Brighton Festival on Brighton Pier), Shakespeare à La Carte (Brighton Festival and BBC Radio 4), Operation Black Antler with Blast Theory (Brighton Festival, Manchester HOME and Southbank Centre) and Who Cares 2032 (Northampton Royal & Derngate). The show has been adapted for the stage by Adam Taub, who is the founder of Pure Expression, an immersive theatre company that reimagine classic stories in unique environments including libraries, museums and civic spaces. Previous productions include Frankenstein (UK and US tour), Einstein’s Brain (Grant Museum of Zoology) and The Animated Museum (Jewish Museum in Camden). Declan Rodgers (Antigone, Lyric Theatre) will be playing Winston along Kit Reeveas Julia, and Jude Akuwudike (Three Sisters, The Overwhelming, Edmond, The Machine Wreckers, Richard II, Ion and Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, National Theatre) as O'Brien. Writer Adam Taub comments on the production, saying the following... The show is directed by Richard and Jem from Hydrocracker Theatre who specialise in creating site-specific and immersive work and have collaborated extensively with major theatre festivals creating work that really moves and challenges audiences. In Jude, Kit and Declan they have a superbly talented core of actors that have captivated audiences across the theatre and film world. And with an ensemble cast drawn from drama schools across London, we have a really exciting company and we can’t wait for the opening night. 1984: A Unique Immersive Experience opens for previews on 19th October and runs until 26th November. For more information visit immersive1984.com

Rumble In The Jungle Rematch, the upcoming Canada Water based immersive experience that will recreate the iconic fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman has announced their cast list. Opening in September 2023, this is the second show from Rematch - who previously mounted Wimbledon Rematch 1980 in Wembley Park. Promising to transport audiences back to both the Rumble In The Jungle fight, and the Zaire '74 Festival - which saw acts including James Brown, BB King and Bill Withers perform. The experience will feature live music, food and drink and a recreation of the iconic fight to round off the experience. Sharing the role of Muhammad Ali will be Akil Young and Kimane Juneau - who will both play the iconic boxer due to 'the physical nature of the performance'. Alexander Ajuwon and Joshua C. Jackson - who recently played Joseph Scott in Girl from the North Country, will also share the roles of George Foreman and Joe Frazier. Don King will be played by Elliot Rodriguez, who portrayed Isaiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders: The Rise. Additionally, Guy Kelton-Jones will be playing James Brown, and Max Krupski, who has previously played Jay Gatsby in The Immersive Great Gatsby and the title character in Secret Cinema's Dr. Strangelove. The Zaire '74 Festival will be brought to life by a group of musicians including Rick Leon James, Ezekiel Adje, Laura Impallomeni and Chuks Chiejine. See below for the full cast list... FULL CAST LIST: Akil Young – Muhammad Ali/Duane Charles Kimane Juneau – Muhammad Ali/Duane Charles Alexander Ajuwon – George Foreman/Joe Frazier Joshua C. Jackson – George Foreman/Joe Frazier Safi-Veliora Omar – Promesse Kabamba Nathan Bartman – Evangelos Mboyo Oluwatosin Omotosho – Malaika Tshibola Jacie Kibuka – Constance Nzuzi Elliot Rodriguez – Don King Max Krupski – Stewart Levine/Angelo Dundee Anelisa Lamola – Miriam Makeba Juanita Euka – Celia Cruz Guy Kelton-Jones – James Brown Michael Bunga – Alain ‘Alo’ Kabamba/President Mobutu Randall Alleyne – Bundini Brown McCallam Connell – Dick Sadler Kossim Osseni – Sese Terence Nzaji-Egnie – Mumba/Zac Clayton Tim O’Hara – David Frost Vivien-Chrys Samba – Pierre Ngalamulume Eden Dominique – Josslyn Carter Rick Leon James – Musician, Percussion (MD) Ezekiel Adje – Musician, Bass Laura Impallomeni – Musician, Trombone Chuks Chiejine – Musician, Guitar The show is directed by Miguel Hernando Torres Umba, written by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, and features original music by Femi Temowo. Rumble In The Jungle Rematch opens on 13th September with previews from 8th September at Dock X in Canada Water. For more information visit rumbleinthejunglerematch.com

An immersive staging of 1984 - the classic dystopian George Orwell novel, will open in Hackney Town Hall later this year and will see the historic venue become the Ministry of Truth for a limited run. Audience members will be dressed in blue overalls of 'an outer party member' and be under the scrutiny of the Though Police as they progress through Victory Square and the Ministry of Truth, before ending up in the prole district, where the Ministry doesn't wield much control, to reflect on their experiences. The audience will later take their seats within Hackney Town Hall's Council Chamber - with ticket prices reflecting the different seating options available. 1984 is a dystopian novel written by George Orwell. It follows the story of Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the Outer Party in Oceana, who struggles against the oppression enacted upon him and society. In an act of defiance, he begins to express his thoughts in a diary and pursues a relationship with a colleague named Julia - actions that ultimately lead to their eventual downfall at the hands of the party. The show, which has the approval of the Orwell Estate, is being produced by Pure Expression, and is to be directed by Richard Hahlo and Jem Wall. While no cast has yet been announced, the 75-minute long show will run at Hackney Town Hall from 19th October to 26th November. Historic Experiences has the following on its website concerning the show: Set in a 'post-truth' world, elements of circular narrative will contradict to disorientate and reinforce the transitory nature of truth as we explore the key locations of the classic novel. We expect the show to have both a strong visceral and intellectual impact on guests who may feel a sense of catharsis after their dystopian ordeal, but who will also be left more attuned to the dangers of 'newspeak', 'alternative facts’ and more conscious of the value of democracy itself. The audience will leave feeling they have had both a great night out and an acute warning - that the gap between today’s post-truth environment and the erosion of democracy is not so very far from the world of Big Brother… Tickets start from £17.50. For more information, visit immersive1984.com

Wishmas, a new original experience from the creative team behind Secret Cinema is set to open later this year at 'The Old Bauble Factory' at The Vaults, below Waterloo Station. With an opening date of 14th November 2023, this immersive experience will allow visitors to 'see first-hand what happens to your wonderful wishes and follow them on their magical journey to Father Christmas' and will run for 8 weeks until 7th January 2024. The official description of the event is: Ever wondered where all of your wishes go? For as long as there have been wishes, there has been Wishmas, an enchanted world where wishes take flight. For those who believe, the portal to Wishmas opens its doors for a twinkle in time during the most magical season: Christmas. Wishmas is a fully immersive winter-time experience for all the family. Discover magical realms and meet out-of-this-world characters. See first-hand what happens to your wonderful wishes and follow them on their magical journey to Father Christmas as you share the joy of Wishmas. Secret Cinema was acquired by TodayTix in September 2022 for reportedly more than $100million. Their President and Co-Founder, Merritt Baer, has said the following alongside the announcement of Wishmas: Secret Cinema has been bringing to life fantastical worlds based on beloved films and TV series for over 15 years. Inspired by these cinematic stories, incredible characters, and unforgettable moments, over the years the team has dreamt up countless stories of our own that we’ve always wanted to bring to life. Now, following the acquisition of Secret Cinema by TodayTix Group, we have the platform to be able to make this a reality. With our world-class creative team, we’ve set our sights on Christmas and taking audiences on a magical journey to the heart of our new world… Wishmas. Prepare for a spectacular snow-filled show with a sensational seasonal story and, of course, a sprinkling of secret surprises too… Tickets for Wishmas will be on general sale from 10am on Thursday 15th June via wishmas.co.uk with prices starting from £49.

The immersive theatre company Punchdrunk have today confirmed the date of their final 'party' event prior to the closure of The Burnt City in Woolwich on the 24th September 2023. The Last Rite, the last 'Divine Rites' party will act as a final send-off to the groundbreaking immersive production. Taking place on Sunday 17th September, The Last Rite has been billed as including pop-up performances by the cast and extended performing family, guest DJs, and a return of The Walk of Terror - the house band from Punchdrunk's 2013 show The Drowned Man, who will be performing in Peep, the speakeasy bar within the set of The Burnt City. Punchdrunk released the following confirming The Last Rite... "All good things must come to a glorious end. But with all endings come new beginnings. Join us for one night only as we party into eternity as the city burns around us. Dance amongst the shades and celebrate all that was and all that will be with pop-up performances, DJs, bars and debauchery. Send The Burnt City once more into oblivion and set your souls on fire. See you at the end of the world. Opening in March 2022, the production has sold over 200,000 tickets. By the time it closes, the show will be the longest-running mask show that the company has presented in London. Over 600 people have worked on the show, making it the largest project in Punchdrunk’s history. The epic retelling of the end of the Trojan War, set between the neon-drenched backstreets of downtown Troy and the menacing but opulent shadow of Greece, is played out across two vast warehouse buildings. Part of the old Woolwich Arsenal, these buildings provide Punchdrunk with its first permanent home in London. Punchdrunk is keen to keep pushing the boundaries of the company’s craft and make use of the unique space the buildings provide in different ways. News of future projects will follow later this year." Tickets are available via www.theburntcity.com/tickets

Rematch, the creators of 2019's 'Wimbledon 1980 Rematch' are returning later this year for their second immersive show - Rumble in the Jungle Rematch, in Canada Water, London. Trailer for Rumble in the Jungle Rematch. Based on the iconic fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali that took place in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974, the 3-hour immersive experience will culminate in a recreation of the match that will likely incorporate archive footage, video projections and more to immerse visitors into the match. Rematch's previous show - Wimbledon 1980 Rematch, saw them recreate the Men's Final match between Borg and McEnroe at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in 2019. Get a feel for the experience below.... Aftermovie for Wimbledon Rematch 1980. The show runs from 14th September to 10th December at DockX in Canada Water. Tickets for Rumble in the Jungle Rematch are on sale now, starting at £19.74 for preview performances, and £69.50 for regular performances.

Secret Cinema Presents Grease: The Live Experience is coming to Birmingham later this year. Here's a summary of everything we know about it so far... What Is It? If you've never been to a Secret Cinema event before, it can be a bit tough to get your head around what actually happens at one. The shows are recreations of popular films or TV series with a large cast of actors (playing both characters from the source material, and new characters to flesh out the world), detailed recreations of the world that you explore and interact with and dozens of storylines all happening at once across the venue which weave together throughout the course of the show. You arrive in costume (of your own design) with a character name and a backstory (given to you online before attending), and the experience you have unfolds as you make decisions and choices throughout the night by talking to different people, being in the right place at the right time, or uncovering secrets hidden around the site. Here's the highlight video of Secret Cinema Presents Dirty Dancing from 2022, which was their last outdoor summer show.... What Do We Get To Do? Here's the official description of the event... "Audiences will step back in time to Rydell High’s senior year in the summer of 1959 and experience, first hand, the magic of one of the most iconic movie musicals of all time. This first-of-its-kind, unmissable experience and outdoor spectacle will transport the audience into the heart of Grease as they explore the world and find themselves captivated by the most quintessential of summer nights. Secret Cinema will welcome fans to Birmingham’s NEC as they are transported into the world of Danny and Sandy, with the school fizzing with anticipation ahead of the American National Bandstand dance contest. As day turns to night, fans can sing and dance their hearts out to the classic film soundtrack, roam the corridors with the Pink Ladies, watch the T-Birds at work in the auto shop, or face off against the jocks on the sports field - capped off with an unforgettable enhanced screening of the much-loved musical" When Does It Open? The show is set to open later this year, running for Wednesday 26th July for three weeks until Sunday 13th August 2023 (though an extension to Sunday 20th August is possible depending on ticket sales...) Wednesday to Sunday evening performances will be from 6.30pm to 10pm, with the matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays running between 1.30pm to 5pm (via thenec.co.uk) All shows are 18+ apart from matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday according to the event FAQs. Where Is It Happening? An outdoor space at NEC, Birmingham. How Much Are Tickets? With the o2 Priority pre-sale now live, we've had confirmation on ticket prices for Secret Cinema Presents Grease: The Live Experience. While tickets were advertised as being 'from £39', this price is only available for Standard tickets on 26th June (opening night). The cheapest Standard ticket after that day is £49, for Wednesday evening shows. We've also had confirmation on the different packages available to visitors. Grease is the first show to have a Premium+ level on top of usual Premium tickets. Full details below on the different ticket options... When are tickets on sale? Tickets are officially on sale from 5th May 2023 and will be available through secretcinema.com There are usually several pre-sales, including for those on o2 Priority, and those who have signed up to the Secret Cinema mailing list. We'll add each presale date and time below as they are announced. 24th April 10am - O2 Priority. 26th April 10am - Secret Cinema Investor Presale. 26th April 12pm - Secret Cinema Mailing List. 27th April 9am - Ticketmaster Presale. 1st May 10am - The Ticket Factory. 5th May 10am - General Sale.

The final performance of The Burnt City - the large-scale immersive production depicting the fall of Troy, has been confirmed to be Sunday 24th September 2023 by Punchdrunk. The show originally opened in March 2022, and has had over 200,000 visitors since opening. It was the first large-scale Punchdrunk show to be staged in London since 2013's The Drowned Man. Felix Barrett, the Creative Director on Punchdrunk said: "Creating The Burnt City in the midst of a pandemic was one of the most incredible feats our team has achieved. We couldn’t be prouder of this show and everyone who brought our world of gods and mortals to life. The Burnt City has propelled us forwards and we want to keep that momentum, making the most of our new home in Woolwich. It’s the first time we have had a long-term space to call our own, so these extraordinary buildings are the perfect place to showcase our ideas quickly without needing to wait years for the right venue to come along. We’re fairly sure that The Burnt City will be the last new mask show the company makes, and what comes next will be different and unlike anything we have done before. We cannot wait to unleash these new ideas and in the meantime, we hope that everyone will make the most of our precious last months of The Burnt City!” Tickets are on sale now for all dates, including the final performance, at punchdrunk.com

ScreamWorks, the immersive company behind Bloodbath - an immersive horror house experience that we reviewed earlier this year, return in October with their second show - The Ghost Hunt. For a limited run between 6th-31st October, ScreamWorks invites you to discover the truth behind a gruesome murder-suicide at their Bethnal Green venue. Perfect for this Halloween season, we've no doubt that ScreamWorks will deliver one of the capitals scariest immersive experiences. The official synopsis is below... In October 1937, a gruesome murder-suicide claimed the lives of all but one member of the Luff family; the body of Arthur, the youngest of the Luff’s three children, was never found. Also missing was Mr Wu, a mysterious lodger who, records show, had only moved into the house a few months prior. While various theories have been proffered to explain how a once happy family found themselves at the centre of this macabre massacre, only their ghosts know what really happened on that fateful day. Under the expert guidance of seasoned ghost hunter and paranormal investigator, Heston Phoenix, explore the haunted corridors of this now abandoned house, relive the Luff family’s final moments and discover for yourselves the secrets that have remained hidden within these dark walls for almost a century. Tickets are available now via theghosthunt.co.uk. Prices start at £45 for standard tickets, with a VIP upgrade available for an additional £10pp. There's also a 41% discount for earlybird tickets, which are only available for the first 1000 tickets booked. ScreamWorks are also opening a family-friendly show, Ghost Detectives, taking place at the same venue between 14th-29th October. For more information, visit ghostdetectives.co.uk