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  • Siobhan Obrien said “ Brilliant play, on the edge of my seat the entire time! ” on Justin Hopper – Bedbug – Drayton Arms #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: MOST PROMISING NEW PLAYWRIGHT .
  • Siobhan Obrien said “ Patrick was extremely terrifying and chilling to watch as Tramp, absolutely brilliant actor! I was enthralled for the entire play,… ” on Patrick Knox – Bedbug – Drayton Arms #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: LEAD PERF IN A PLAY .
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  • Mark Easton said “ We witnessed a fantastic performance by Patrick Knox in ‘Bedbug’ recently. The cast were excellent but Patrick stood out, reminding… ” on Patrick Knox – Bedbug – Drayton Arms #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: LEAD PERF IN A PLAY .

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Catherine Ashdown – Grud – Hampstead Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: LEAD PERFORMANCE

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Andy Walton – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: VIDEO DESIGN

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Aaron Clingham – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: MUSICAL DIRECTION

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Jack Weir – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: LIGHTING DESIGN

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Dan Samson – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: SOUND DESIGN

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Dave Shield – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: SET DESIGN

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Christopher Tendai – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: CHOREOGRAPHER

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Simon Hardwick – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: DIRECTOR (MUSICALS)

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Frances Ruffelle – Closer to Heaven – Turbine Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL

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Interview With The Vamp – Soho Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: CABARET

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George Turvey – Some Demon – Arcola #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: PLAYS: DIRECTOR

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Sirine Saba – Some Demon – Arcola #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: PLAYS: LEAD PERFORMANCE

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Skye Hallam –The Voice of the Turtle – Jermyn Street #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: PLAYS: SUPPORTING PERFOMRANCE

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Stage Door Theatre #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: ONEOFF Special Award

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Awkward Productions in Utah #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: ONEOFF Special Award

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Tony Marshall – Everything I Own – Brixton House #Offies 2024 #NewNoms: SOLO PERF IN A PLAY

2024 offies awards ceremony, sunday 25 february 2024, from 5pm at the woolwich works tickets are £52 – early bird £36 until 20 jan 2024 https://www.woolwich.works/events/the-offies/ please note image is from 2023 ceremony.

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Countdown to 25 Feb 2024: date of 2024 Offies Awards Ceremony

The Offies 2024 Awards Ceremony will be held from 5pm on Sunday 25 February 2024 at the Woolwich Works.   Tickets are £52  – with an Early Bird Price of  £36 until 20 Jan 2024 – click HERE to book your tickets!  Please note that the image below is from the 2023 event.

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🔜DON'T MISS: #ThorTheWalrus @OmnibusTheatre @ZOOvenues Feeling fed up about the lack of food and ice in the Arctic, Thor decides to travel to civilisation to find out what on earth is going on. Fans of Brass Eye and South Park will love Thor the Walrus, a show which takes a

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LONDON'S HOME FOR IMMERSIVE THEATRE AND ALTERNATIVE ARTS

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The Vaults is London's home for immersive theatre and alternative arts. Our mission is to collaborate and conspire, embracing artists from all walks of life to come together and inspire others.

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AN IMMERSIVE NIGHT OF ASTONISHING CLOSE UP MAGIC, LIVE JAZZ AND CABARET.

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Below Stone Nest

Ant Law and Alex Hitchcock | Same Moon in the Same World

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Soho Hidden Jazz Club September

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A new home for perfoming arts in the heart of the West End

Stone Nest is an arts organisation and performance venue in the heart of London's West End, bringing exceptional and experimental art to a wide audience.

Whilst the 'work in progress' of building restoration continues, we are delighted to collaborate with a range of artists to bring life to this iconic former Welsh chapel.

A hidden gem nestled amidst the bright lights of theatreland, it offers a platform for bold, visionary artists and a space where audiences can encounter an eclectic programme of contemporary performance.

Learn more about Stone Nest

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Stone Nest is a registered charity. Your gift helps us to support bold, visionary artists on stage and behind the scenes, and to present cutting edge contemporary performance in a welcoming space for audiences.

General enquiries: [email protected]

Hire enquiries: [email protected]

Charity Number: 1150118

Company number: 08301111

Stone Nest 136 Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 5EZ

Accessibilty

Stone Nest is an old building and unfortunately cannot currently accommodate electric wheelchairs. We can accommodate manually operated wheelchairs at ground floor level via a temporary ramp; please let us know that you are a wheelchair user when booking and whether a Companion will be accompanying you via the email [email protected] and we will arrange a Companion ticket for you. Unfortunately our basement bar Below Stone Nest cannot currently accommodate wheelchair users.

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Caitlin Devlin / 19 July 2023

Immersive theatre: the West End shows to lose yourself in

Want to solve a murder from the jury box? Or get twerked on by oily topless men? These are the shows that put you right in the drama

Listen, we won’t ask questions about what it is you’re trying to escape from – we’re just here to point you in the direction of some of London’s most transporting nights out. From sultry burlesque to table-thumping singalongs, there’s plenty of West End productions that will let you become part of the action regardless of whether or not you’ve graduated from drama school. Here’s our guide to the London theatre you’ll get totally lost in. Just don’t blame us when real life looks a little underwhelming in comparison…

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

experimental theatre london

London’s Playhouse Theatre has been transformed into Berlin’s most notorious burlesque club especially to host Rebecca Frecknall’s Cabaret. You’ll sit sipping your drinks amongst other patrons and watch as the Kit Kat Club performers transport you out of the world we live in and into one where everyone is free to be themselves. If you visit before 23 September, you’ll be able to catch Mason Alexander Park as Emcee and Maude Apatow as Sally Bowles.

Magic Mike Live

Magic Mike Live

We’re sure you’ve heard of this one, and if you haven’t then you’re probably not the target audience. Still, this ab-ulous (sorry) display at the Hippodrome Casino is about a lot more than just shirtless men. There’s dance, comedy, music, acrobatics… and, alright, a lot of shirtless men.

Mamma Mia! The Party

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If you’ve ever wished you could pry open the screen of your TV and crawl into Donna’s Grecian paradise, then Mamma Mia! The Party can offer you the next best thing. Tucked away in London’s O2 is a little slice of island life, complete with sun, good food, great drinks and lots of ABBA. You’ll enjoy a four-course meal as the story unfolds around you, before ending the night with an ABBA disco. Stepping back out into the London drizzle might be something of a shock.

Brokeback Mountain

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Annie Proulx’s beloved short story gets a new life at Soho Place, the West End’s newest theatre. The story of Jack and Ennis, portrayed by Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges respectively, transports audiences to the bleak but beautiful landscape of Wyoming. The theatre’s intimate design, Tom Pye’s thoughtful set and Eddi Reader’s soulful vocals help to pull us in deeply. You’ll leave dazed.

Cirque du Soleil: Alegría

experimental theatre london

Cirque du Soleil celebrates the 30 th anniversary of one of their most beloved productions with Alegría: In A New Light, coming to the Royal Albert Hall in January 2024. The magically immersive show (over your head and all around you) tells the story of a kingdom in disarray, with various forces struggling for power in the wake of the king’s death. If you’ve seen Cirque du Soleil before then you know already you’re in for something dazzling, but raise your expectations – Alegría is a classic for a reason. And if you’ve never caught the world-famous circus performers before, there really couldn’t be a better place to start.

Witness For The Prosecution

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What better place to see Agatha Christie’s crime thriller than an actual court room? London’s County Hall opens its doors to this adaptation of Christie’s novel, where the audience becomes the jury in the trial of Leonard Vole, accused of murdering widow Emily French. As the court grapples with the case, you’ll be racing to put the pieces together yourself before the final reveal.

Choir Of Man

The Choir Of Man | 2023 West End Trailer

Choir Of Man is here to make sure you never have to choose between a night at the theatre and a trip to the pub. A roster of reworked chart-toppers awaits you at the Arts Theatre, along with a foot-stomping band of fellas to sing them and a real working bar onstage. Part concert, part theatre production, part lock-in; you’ve never experienced anything quite like this (unless you have the best local in the world).

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We Are Aliens

Join scientists in the hunt for real aliens. How do we know which planets could harbour life? What are the requirements for…

Length: 25mins

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Waiting Far Away

“An explorer of the Cosmos has travelled too far… and can no longer find home”…

Length: 11mins

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Voyager – Interstellar Mission

The mission objective of the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) is to extend the NASA exploration of the solar system beyond the neighborhood of the…

Length: 5mins

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Unveiling the Invisible Universe

Unveiling the Invisible Universe For thousands of years the humans observed the light coming from the night sky with their eyes. In the beginning of the 17th c ...

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Two Small Pieces of Glass

A film about two students as they interact with a female astronomer at a local star party…

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Two eclipses cross the US in 2023 and 2024 - an annular on October 14, 2023 and a total eclipse on April 8, 2024! Everyone in the continental US will experience ...

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Audiences are transported back 100 years and surrounded by the infamous WWI trenches. The horrors of the conflict are implied but never shown, making…

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The Scientific Alphabet

7-minute soundbites of scientific information communicated with stunning 360˚ visuals…

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Best Immersive Theatre in London

The latest trend in theatre in London , is immersive theatre. There's no better way to involve your audience in your production, than to actually involve your audience in your production. We've compiled a list of the best immersive theatre nights in London so check out our recommendations and get your seats booked, before everyone cottons on.

Last edited by Lauren Cole

Last updated on 2nd July 2024

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience

@ President Hotel on Various dates from Thursday 8th August 2024

One of the most highly-praised immersive theatre show in London at the moment, this quirky food event invites you to sit down and dine with Basil, Sybil, Manuel and the rest of the Faulty cast. Held at Radisson Blu, the night will bring to life the cult TV series with hilarious scenarios and three-course dinners.

  • Food & Drink ⋅ Comedy ⋅ Theatre/Arts
  • Tickets from £60.00 - £86.50

London Clown Tarot: The Fool's Journey

@ The Betsey Trotwood on Sun, 13th Oct 2024 @ 17:00 - 22:00

22 contemporary London clowns are coming together for The Fool's Journey, an experience where they each play one of the 22 cards of the major arcana of the Tarot. This clown tarot deck will be brought to life across three floors of The Betsey Trotwood pub - promising a reading, followed by the chance to interact with and embody your clown cards across a fully immersive performance.

  • Immersive ⋅ Something A Little Different ⋅ Theatre/Arts
  • Tickets from £26.00

Alcotraz London: Cell Block Two-One-Two

@ Alcotraz Penitentiary: London on Various dates from Tuesday 6th August 2024

While you won't get a full-on show at Alcotraz, the immersive cocktail experience has tonnes of theatrical aspects. From smuggling in your own liquor to donning orange jumpsuits with your inmates and avoiding all the wardens, it makes for a cracking interactive event.

  • Food & Drink ⋅ Something A Little Different ⋅ Themed Nights
  • Tickets from £35.99 - £58.50

If you're looking for unique immersive experiences in London, check out what Jury Games has up its sleeve. At their brilliant events, you'll get to work as a team to solve a mysterious case, including interrogating actors, evaluating evidence and hacking phones.

The Great Murder Mystery

@ The Lost Estate on Various dates from Thursday 8th August 2024

Travel back in time to help figure out Sherlock Holmes' darkest case: The Hound of the Baskervilles with tickets starting from £149.50 each to The Great Murder Mystery. Experience culinary excellence as you feast on three courses inspired by Victorian fine dining and lose yourself in world-class performances by top actors as it becomes apparent  who dunnit.

  • Immersive Theatre ⋅ Date Night ⋅ Food & Drink
  • Tickets from £169.50 - £279.50

The Murdér Express

@ Pedley Street Station on Various dates from Thursday 8th August 2024

Who wants regular ol' theatre when you can have immersive? Get involved in all the action with The Murdér Express. Not only is there a mystery to solve and a missing jewel, but there's also a four-course menu from a Michelin star chef.

  • Food & Drink ⋅ Theatre/Arts ⋅ Immersive
  • Tickets from £79.50 - £617.00

West End Musical Brunch

@ Secret London Location on Various dates from Saturday 10th August 2024

Ready for an immersive experience? Get your brunch on with a West End twist, as you experience an hour of bottomless booze, tasty brunch dishes, performances from West End stars and best of all, you'll be invited to be a part of the cast as you sing along to iconic tunes.

  • Brunch ⋅ Hen Party ⋅ Theatre/Arts
  • Tickets from £69.95

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Metamorphoses

Ghost stories, ghost stories iii, theatre and landscape 2024, leading the way in environmental theatre, the latest news, reviews and previews.

Richard Spaul tells Beasts and Super-Beasts

Coming to Cambridge: Metamorphoses

Our summer season 2024 includes a new direction in the series of solo performances from our Artistic Director Richard Spaul. For the first time, Richard presents an evening of tales from ancient classical literature – Read more…

in situ: presents Richard Spaul in Hamlet

Coming to Cambridge: Ghost Stories III

This summer, in situ: presents a further variation in our series of supernatural tales set in the haunting atmosphere of Cambridge’s medieval Leper Chapel.  Ghost Stories III comprises The Signal Man by Charles Dickens and a Read more…

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Coming to Wandlebury this June: The Bacchae

Our first performance of the 2024 summer season is a production of The Bacchae, a Greek tragedy by Euripides, first performed in 405BCE. Here, director Richard Spaul explains why and how he has brought the Read more…

Artist-in-residence Melissa Pierce Murray

Artist in residence: Melissa Pierce Murray

This summer, in situ: will be performing the Greek tragedy The Bacchae as an open-air, walk-around performance. We are delighted that professional sculptor Melissa Pierce Murray is to be our artist-in-residence during rehearsals and performance, Read more…

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Every year since 2002 – apart from the lockdown years – In Situ has offered a residential workshop in site-specific theatre. The format is that the group – facilitated by artistic director Bella Stewart – spends a Read more…

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“God let me be alive when I die…”

ANNE MURRAY writes about the experience of performing in THE MASTER BUILDER by in situ: Anne Murray joined in situ: in 2022 and was one of the actors in our July 2023 performance of The Read more…

About in situ:

in situ : is a ground-breaking theatre ensemble performing and teaching in non-theatre spaces in Cambridge, UK.

in situ: offers actors, artists and creative people of all types the opportunity to work together on structured long-term collaborative projects.

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Audience Comments

Hamlet

"Amazing" “Incredible… Brilliant…" "Breaks the barrier between this world and the next" "Utterly brilliant… Uncomfortable in a good way." "I loved it"

Ghost Stories

"Wonderful." "Great acting" "Richard is so expressive and emotive." "Amazing"

Ghost Stories II

Ghost Stories II

"Amazing… Atmospheric… Scary" "Wonderful ambience and approach to building the performance."

Richard Spaul tells The Demon Lover

The Demon Lover

"Brilliant story telling… Magical… Engaging" "Scared the living daylights out of me" "Enrapturing" "Spellbinding"

2024 Workshops

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Theatre and landscape 2024: dorset.

If you are looking for a special creative experience, one that combines focused and enjoyable artistic activity with good company, good food and attractive and peaceful surroundings, then join us on Theatre and Landscape.

You don’t need any special skills – you don’t need to have done any theatre before – you just need a willingness to enter enthusiastically into creative …

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Voice: in situ: ghost stories

Richard Spaul

Artistic director.

Richard has worked as actor, director, teacher and writer since co-founding in situ: in 2000. Born in London in 1959, Richard's passion for performance grew from watching his parents, Alice and George, performing with the Tower Theatre Company. Having acted and directed at university in Cambridge, on graduating in 1980, Richard co-founded Cambridge Experimental Theatre to create more immediate, physical and dynamic work than most conventional theatre. Cambridge Experimental Theatre toured extensively throughout Britain and Europe, performing a mix of new work and classics, especially Shakespeare. Richard was Artistic Director of Cambridge Experimental Theatre from 1980 until 2000, when he founded in situ: with Bella Stewart and Pete Arnold.

Bella Stewart

Bella Stewart

Co-founder Bella Stewart is a former member of Cambridge Experimental Theatre and the director of in situ:'s experimental performances Made On Another Day, Wild, The Calendar Project and the ghost in me.

Maxine Fay

Board Director

Maxine is a leading in situ: collaborator who has appeared in The Cherry Orchard, Oedipus Rex, King Lear, The Winter's Tale, Ratman: A Case Of Obsessive Neurosis, Made On Another Day, , The Calendar Project, Wild, unnamed, Three Sisters and Woyzeck.

Jennie Ingram

Jennie Ingram

Poisoned by TV and Toddlers, I escaped to the theatre and was blown away by an in situ: production of Macbeth. Alive again I managed to infiltrate the company as a groupie and love everything they do. Having an unquenchable thirst for the shows my favourite role is front of house where I can welcome and enthuse with those new and old to the company. Melting the boundaries between actor and audience provides a magical escape during a performance, whether you’re in a House or in the Woods. Scripted works always offer extra dimensions to the observer and devised pieces allow easy access to fresh and exciting art forms. Meaningful and moving, the thrill of an in situ: show never abates...

Board director Susan Quilliam

Susan Quilliam

Susan has acted with insitu: since 2008, including performances of King Lear, The Calendar Project, Hamlet, Be Absolute For Death and most recently, The Master Builder. "I love the unique, exerimental nature of insitu: productions, and in particular our welcoming approach where everyone is valued, whether new to or experienced in acting; there are no divas!" A relationship expert who works as an advice columnist, writer, broadcaster, trainer and coach, Susan researches and writes articles for in situ:'s website.

John Cooter

John Cooter

John has collaborated in a number of in situ productions since 2009, including Frankenstein, Canterbury Tales, Decameron, Oresteia, Three Sisters, The Odyssey and The Master Builder Project. A now mostly-retired teacher, he is also a committee member of a voluntary arts organisation in his local community.

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A Brief Intro to… Experimental Theatre

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It was church services at Easter in the tenth century that popularised theatrical entertainment in Britain, and by the fourteenth century, it was standard practice to perform Bible stories. From the mid-fifteenth century hundreds of indoor and outdoor theatres were emerging in London, the most famous being the Globe, well-known for staging Shakespeare’s works.

Experimental theatre (also known as avant-garde theatre) began in Western theatre in the late 19th century with Alfred Jarry and his Ubu plays as a rejection of both the age in particular and, in general, the dominant ways of writing and producing plays. The term has shifted over time as the mainstream theatre world has adopted many forms that were once considered radical.

Like other forms of the avant-garde, it was created as a response to a perceived general cultural crisis. Despite different political and formal approaches, all avant-garde theatre opposes bourgeois theatre. It tries to introduce a different use of language and the body to change the mode of perception and to create a new, more active relation with the audience.

Traditionally, there is a highly hierarchical method of creating theatre – a writer identifies a problem, a writer writes a script, a director interprets it for the stage together with the actors, the performers perform the director and writers collective vision. Various practitioners started challenging this and started seeing the performers more and more as creative artists in their own right. This started with giving them more and more interpretive freedom and devised theatre eventually emerged. This direction was aided by the advent of ensemble improvisational theater, as part of the experimental theatre movement, which did not need a writer to develop the material for a show or “theatre piece.” In this form the lines were devised by the actors or performers.

Within this many different structures and possibilities exist for performance makers, and a large variety of different models are used by performers today. The primacy of the director and writer has been challenged directly, and the director’s role can exist as an outside eye or a facilitator rather than the supreme authority figure they once would have been able to assume.

As well as hierarchies being challenged, performers have been challenging their individual roles. An inter-disciplinary approach becomes more and more common as performers have become less willing to be shoe-horned into specialist technical roles. Simultaneous to this, other disciplines have started breaking down their barriers. Dance, music, visual art and writing become blurred in many cases, and artists with completely separate trainings and backgrounds collaborate very comfortably.

Here in the UK, it was companies such Shunt and Punchdrunk as well as performances like ‘ You Me Bum Bum Train ’ that helped introduce experimental and immersive theatre to the masses.

Shunt, a London-based performance collective, was founded in 1998. Most of the co-founders of Shunt met at Central School of Speech and Drama in London on the Advanced Theatre Practice MA in 1997/1998, which specialises in collaborative practice. Shunt’s work is centered on immersive, site-specific performance, usually in a grand scale, and has been supported by Britain’s Royal National Theatre, NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and Arts Council England. It has been the subject of much critical and academic discussion over the last decade. Some believe the idea of Shunt is to “challenge the model of the single author” but the founding idea was simply to “explore the live event”. The group agrees on a theme or subject and as individual artists they all contribute proposals for scenes. Though they strive for minimal hierarchy, there are normal roles that the artists fulfill later in the process, such as lighting designer, sound designer, director, performers etc.

Punchdrunk was formed in 2000, by Artistic Director Felix Barrett MBE. Since its inception, Punchdrunk has pioneered a form of “immersive” theatre in which the audience is free to choose what to watch and where to go. This format is related to “promenade theatre” but Felix Barrett prefers the term “site-sympathetic” when describing their work. In a typical Punchdrunk production, audience members are free to roam the performance site, which can be as large as a five-story industrial warehouse. They can either follow the performers and themes (there are usually multiple threads at any instant), or simply explore the world of the performance, treating the production as a large art installation. Masks are another signature element of Punchdrunk’s work. Barret says when the company “…introduced masks, suddenly inhibition fell away and people found a sense of freedom in their anonymity, allowing them to fully explore their surroundings and become totally absorbed in the world around them.”

You Me Bum Bum Train is an Interactive theatre performance devised by Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd in 2004. The pair met as art students in Brighton, where they were studying illustration and film. The show gained critical acclaim in the United Kingdom when it was awarded the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust prize while showing in a disused office in London. In 2010 it won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for outstanding newcomer.

Visitors to the performance pass through a series of scenes of which they have no foreknowledge, in which they are either passive or where they must improvise a part without any preparation.

Nowadays we have a vast array of theatres and venues enjoy experimental shows and festivals and in London we are especially spoilt for choice. One of the most atmospheric locations to see a performance is undoubtedly The Vaults, home to immersive theatre and alternative arts (and located right here on Leake Street!).

We chatted with Ami Stidolph, Head of Theatre at The Vaults , to get a better idea of the immersive theatre world today.

How did you get into theatre? I grew up in Chichester, which has a fantastic theatre and a fantastic youth theatre which I loved being a part of. I never really set out to pursue it as a carrer, but I had so much fun doing those shows that I couldn’t keep away.

What’s the best theatre show you’ve seen? Tonnes spring to mind – His Dark Materials at the National, Taking Sides at Chichester, a fringe production of Henry IV I saw in some tiny place one.

What are your favourite types of theatre production? I’m a huge Shakespeare lover, but I work in immersive theatre so I always enjoy seeing something very unusual. I’m a big puppetry fan as well.

Which theatre companies are really pushing the boundaries of theatre? Oof tough as that question could mean so many things, but I’ll always book to see the work of Kill the Beast , Complicite , and DryWrite .

What is the concept behind Vaults theatre? The Vaults theatre is built upon our beautiful space. Stepping in here is an experience and an atmosphere in itself so we bounce off that as a start. We’re neighbours with some fantastic theatres which we don’t want to (and frankly can’t) compete with, so it’s our job to try to offer something genuinely different. Immersive and experiential theatre is really growing and we want to be a huge part of that force.

What’s the best show you’ve seen at Vaults? Oh gosh there’s so many – recently Trainspotting and Red Wolf , which was part of VAULT Festival .

What type of person does immersive theatre appeal to? Interesting question! We try to come at each production individually in terms of who we’re appealing to, as immersive theatre is a broad spectrum. But I suppose our core audience base is often adventurous young adults (20 – 35).

What’s the most insane thing you’ve seen/heard of in the immersive theatre world? Every time I do a show people come up with these ideas and technologies that seem so close to actual magic to me – our next show (Sounds and Sorcery) uses binaural sound technology on wireless headphones so I’m now learning about that. But the madness of it really is you’re asking people to literally step in to a new world, meaning you just can’t work out what the audience will do. They might punch an actor, or drop their trousers and wee in the middle of the show (really) or get so involved they point-blank refuse to leave the set. But those are, weirdly, the great bits, because every show is genuinely different from the last because it is responsive.

What’s the future of theatre? Crikey.  Sadly I don’t have a Charlie-Brooker-esque insight in to what the new trend, or technology, or fad will be, but I hope we can keep being responsive to what people both want and need in their lives and create work around that.  The future of theatre always has been, and always will be, about reflecting what is going on the world, and people, and what people are like and why they’re like that. It’s cheesy but it’s true.

#VaultsTheatre #LeakeStreetArches #culture #theatre #Art #experiemental #VAULTfestival #immersive

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London’s first purpose built immersive theatre Space 18 to open across seven buildings

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experimental theatre london

From a live jury in Justice Syndicate to audience protestors in Vault Festival’s Counting Sheep — Londoners can’t get enough of immersive theatre at the moment, which is just as well, as a huge purpose-built venue is coming to the capital.

A new complex dedicated to immersive and experimental theatre will open its doors in London in mid-April.

Located on New Oxford Street, Space 18 is set to be a truly enormous venue — combining seven buildings, 35 floors and covering 25,000 square feet in total.

The opening production, Variant 31, will be Europe’s largest immersive gaming experience and will feature a cast of 120 professional actors trained in parkour, aerial acrobatics and stage combat — making it the largest employer of actors and technicians in the West End.

The 90-minute long experience will invite players to navigate through the venue with the aim of surviving and escaping. Teams will have to solve group challenges and play individually to earn their freedom.

Dalton Dale, artistic director at Big Dreamer Productions — the company behind Space 18 — said: “What we've created here in Space 18 is the possibility for the future of theatrical entertainment to go further than it has ever gone before.

“We will also welcome other artists and companies to use our incredible asset for their own productions, and hope to help foster those relationships and creative innovations for years to come.”

Variant 31 at Space 18 opens from April 13.

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experimental theatre london

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Immersive Experiences in London

David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)

David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)

The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks

The Moonwalkers: A Journey With Tom Hanks

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Witness for the Prosecution

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experimental theatre london

Things To Do

Jason Allen 22/09/22

Auditory Illusions & Short-Form Experimental Theatre

Head into the Montgomery Square in Canary Wharf this October, and you’ll see three shipping containers neatly lined up. Inside each of them, there’s a short, punchy, and reasonably priced experimental piece of theatre from a collective called Darkfield.

And trust us, they’re thinking very much outside the box.

They’ve already toured the shows across London, New York, Scotland, South Korea, Canada, Australia, annnnnd Mexico collecting literally hundreds of thousands of audience members along the way. And now they’re back in the capital. The idea is to make the experiences quick (20-30mins), intense, and deeply immersive – in fact, they almost all take place in the pitch black, with headphones piping binaural sounds into your ear canals so as to create an uncanny sense of three dimensional space.

The three shows they’re putting on include:

Darkfield - Eulogy

Taking place in complete darkness over the course of 35 minutes, the show uses clever sound techniques to take you on a surreal, otherworldly journey through a dreamlike, labyrinthine hotel that exists entirely in your mind. You’ll get a keycard and a chaperone at check-in, and using speech recognition, the route you take through the corridors and rooms is up to you. It’s trippy, surreal, and sometimes quite dark…

Darkfield

A slightly more philosophical number, the interior of this container precisely resembles an Airbus 320 economy cabin. After taking your seat, you’ll have your attention directed to the onboard safety demonstration which will, ironically, make you feel considerably less safe. A passenger – one Mr. Schrödinger – will go missing. Or not. Because reality will then split into two different timelines, and the existential questions will begin.

And last but not least, there’s –

experimental theatre london

The space inside here is lined with roughly 30 individual medical-style bunk beds. Lying down, you and your fellow audience members will all put on your headphones, and hear a calm, authoritative voice command you to take the little white pill that has appeared by your bedside.

You do so without a moment’s hesitation.

And what follows is a waking coma complete with darkness, sounds, smells, and shared hallucination.

Like we said, it’s all quite leftfield. And according to the general feedback, while it’s all pretty good, some bits work better than others. But it’s all highly interesting, costs less than a tenner, and you won’t forget it in a hurry. Plus, it’s only in town for a few days…

…before those containers are shipped off somewhere else.

NOTE : Darkfield’s shows are playing in Montgomery Square in Canary Wharf this October between Wednesday 12th – Sunday 16th, and then Wednesday 19th – Sunday 23rd October. Tickets are available at the site right here .

Montgomery Square | Canary Wharf, E14

Like immersive experiences that you can, you know, see?   Check out the best theatre shows playing right now …

Darkfield: Eulogy – Flight – Coma

Montgomery Square , Canary Wharf, The City, E14

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Immersive theatre london

13 Amazing Immersive London Theatre Companies

London has always been a city unafraid to push boundaries. This is particularly true for theatre. There is so much more to the capital than the West End. With many directors and touring companies making use of the amazing London theatre venues and unique spaces to create immersive, challenging and ultimately engaging experiences for audiences.

When it comes to experimental and immersive theatre, London really is leading the way. As immersive theatre becomes increasingly popular, we have kept a keen eye on those pioneering theatre groups that put on productions that allow the audience to interact with the set, the performers and to actually become part of the action themselves.

We have rounded-up thirteen of the best touring theatre companies, operating in and around London. We have also included their social media accounts so you can keep up to date with all of their latest productions and never miss another ground-breaking show.

Rift immersive theatre venue london

Website: http://macbeth.in/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RIFTstorieswithoutboundaries

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RIFT___

Having put on an all night production of Macbeth in Erno Goldfinger’s East London Tower block, RIFT are far from your ordinary theatre company. They are busy redefining theatre, creating, as they put it, “worlds for our audience to explore unlimited by platform, space or time.”

Secret Cinema theatre hire london

Secret Cinema

Website:  https://www.secretcinema.org/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SecretCinema

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/secretcinema

Ironically for a company with the strapline – Tell No One – if you attend a Secret Cinema event you will want to tell everyone . The audience are encouraged to participate in the action as actors take on the leading roles in cult films such as Alien and Shawshank Redemption. Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, Star Wars and 80’s classic Back to the Future have all had the Secret Cinema treatment with founder and director Fabien Riggall continuing to strive for unique and fully immersive experiences.

London Contemporary Theatre for hire central london

London Contemporary Performance Academy

Website:  http://www.londoncontemporaryperformanceacademy.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LondonContemp

Established in 2012 by Philip Ryder & Jonathan Ashby-Rock, the London Contemporary’s mission is to inject energy and relevance into classic theatre so that it connects with modern audiences. Their take on Dickens’s Christmas Carol saw the action take place in a World War II air raid shelter once again demonstrating their commitment to reimagining the canon in brave and bold ways.

Rhum and Clay London Theatre Company

Rhum and Clay

Website: http://www.rhumandclay.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhumandclay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rhumandclay

Rhum and Clay are a young and dynamic company, creating original shows with a grasp of cinematic storytelling. The core actors were trained at the legendary  L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Having performed new production 64 Squares at Edinburgh Fringe to much acclaim, they will no doubt be touring across the country.  

Punchdrunk london immersive theatre

Website: https://www.punchdrunk.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/punchdrunkuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PunchdrunkUK

Founded in 2000, Punchdrunk have pioneered a form of immersive theatre that dissolves the boundaries between performer and audience. Renowned for their innovative use of unusual sites, their Drowned Man production took place in a disused Post Office sorting building in Paddington. Audiences were free to roam the spaces, watching what they wanted, adventuring into the unknown.

differencengine experimental theatre venue for rent

differencEngine

Website: http://differencengine.co.uk/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DifferencEngine

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/differencEngine

differencEngine’s productions combine apects of theatre, gaming and technology and are guided by the belief that you have to make meaningful choices in order to fully immerse yourself in theatre. As a result, their boundary-pushing productions force the audience to make choices at every turn, providing a unforgettable experience.

Vertical Line

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/verticallinetheatre

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/vertical_line

With the focus on new and original writing, Vertical Line treats audiences across the country to challenging and stimulating performances from fresh voices. By nurturing emerging talent, Vertical Line are able to produce theatre that smacks of freshness and vitality.

Dream think speak logo site responsive theatre london

dreamthinkspeak

Website: http://www.dreamthinkspeak.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreamthinkspeak/340017812705565

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dreamthinkspeak

dante or die site specific theatre london

DANTE OR DIE

Website: https://danteordie.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danteordie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danteordie

Dealing in playful site-specific theatre, Dante or Die take audiences on both a physical and emotional journey through various spaces. Past productions include site-sensitive works in a skate park and a ski lift. Where will their work take them next?

You Me Bum Bum Train London

YOU ME BUM BUM TRAIN

Website: http://www.bumbumtrain.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/youmebumbumtrain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebumbumtrain

It’s impossible to talk about immersive theatre without mentioning You Me Bum Bum Bum Train. Conversely, it’s also very difficult to talk about the production due to the secrecy that surrounds it, with audiences strongly discouraged from talking about their experience. The production, both a remedy and comment on the urban grind, has been wowing participants at various venues since it was conceived in 2004. Tickets sell like the proverbial hot cakes so be sure to act fast.

defibrilator theatre logo

Defibrillator

Website: http://www.thehotelplays.co.uk/defibrillator.htm

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/defibrillatortheatre

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/defibtheatre

Defibrillator are a new and dynamic company, specialising in site-specific theatre. Their Hotel Plays saw Defibrillator performing one act works by Tennessee Williams in luxury suites of London Hotels, providing a voyeuristic yet fun experience for audiences.

Superbolt theatre london

Superbolt Theatre

Website: https://www.superbolttheatre.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/superbolttheatre

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Superboltplays

Superbolt Theatre are an international ensemble who create theatre collaboratively and for the enjoyment of everyone. Based in both London and Oslo but having in trained in Paris at L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Superbolt tour the world bringing their intelligent and powerfully acted productions to spaces both big and small.

Out of Joint

Website: https://www.outofjoint.co.uk/ Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Out-of-Joint-theatre-company/26763699257

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Out_of_Joint

Founded by director Max Stafford-Clark, Out of Joint is a touring theatre company that produces inventive theatre that probes contemporary issues. Past productions include This May Hurt A Bit , a comedy-drama that examines the NHS and Jane Wenham: The Witch of Walkern about sex and the supernatural. 2019 sees them take on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel  The Remains of the Day .

20 Bedford Way Theatre For Hire

At 20 Bedford Way, we have been lucky enough to work with a diverse range of theatre companies – delivering powerful performances in our Logan Hall theatre space as well as using our various rehearsal spaces. With professional stage lighting, sound and AV systems as well as a dedicated green room, Logan Hall offers theatre groups a fantastic opportunity to hire an incredible theatre space that seats up to 910 people. We also have a number of other unique spaces ideal for those companies that want to create site-specific and immersive theatre in London.

Why not read our guide to Theatre Funding in the UK?

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The 10 best new London theatre openings in August

From the spectacular GDIF to some classic musicals, London’s theatres are busy all summer long

Andrzej Lukowski

August is unquestionably the quietest month of the London theatre calendar, with much of the industry either literally on holiday or decamped to the madness of the Edinburgh Fringe . There is, nonetheless, still plenty of theatre to see, from a clutch of feelgood summer musicals to the splendour of the free Greenwich + Docklands International Festival. Here are our picks for the month’s essential shows.

SIlence!, GDIF, 2024

1.  Greenwich + Docklands International Festival

You can’t spell ‘spectacle’ without GDIF: the festival of street theatre and spectacular installations is back in its traditional late-summer slot for 2024. There’s far too much on to neatly round up here, but August highlights include the thunderous, pyro-packed opening show ‘Silence!’ from international company Les Commando Percu (Aug 23) and ‘Thaw’ (Aug 24 and 25), an eight-hour performance on a single huge block of melting ice.

Various venues, Aug 23-Sep 8.

Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, 2024

2.  Fiddler on the Roof

Over his prodigious 18-year-stint as OAT artistic director, Tim Sheader has made the ‘big summer musical’ his trademark at the once Shakespeare-focussed theatre. His final piece of programming (he’s now moved to the Donmar) is this revival of Stein & Bock’s all-time classic about Jewish village life in the Pale of Settlement, featuring such classics as ‘If I Was a Rich Man’ and ‘Tradition’. We don’t know a lot about the production, but expect a subtly revisionist spin.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, until Sep 21. Buy tickets here .

The Years, Almeida, 2024

3.  The Years

For years, the great Dutch repertory company Internationaal Theater Amsterdam has been synonymous with super-director Ivo van Hove, who finally stepped down from its artistic directorship last year. The Almeida has scored quite the coup by getting in incredibly early with his replacement, Norwegian director Eline Arbo, who debuts at the Islington theatre this summer with the English language version of her acclaimed ‘The Years’, an adaption of Annie Ernaux’s epic memoir about life as a Frenchwoman in the postwar decades. The superb cast comprises Debora Findlay, Romola Garai, Gina McKee, Anjli Mohindra and Harmony Rose-Bremner.

Almeida Theatre, until Aug 31 .

Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare’s Globe, 2024

4.  Antony and Cleopatra

The perhaps unexpected brouhaha about an able-bodied actor playing Richard III at the Globe this summer has overshadowed the fact that the Bankside theatre is staging a somewhat-groundbreaking production of ‘Antony & Cleopatra’ in bilingual English and BSL, with deaf Globe regular Nadia Nadarajah playing the Egyptian queen in Blanche McIntyre’s captioned production.

Shakespeare’s Globe, Aug 4-Sep 15. Buy tickets here .

A Chorus Line, Sadler’s Wells, 2024

5.   A Chorus Line

A summer transfer to Sadler’s for the Leicester Curve Theatre’s well-received revival of the groundbreaking 1975 meta-musical that follows a group of 17 performers auditioning for… a musical. With a smattering of classic songs, a whole load of New York sass, and a veritable forest of leotards, it’s a guaranteed good time.

Sadler’s Wells, until Aug 25. Buy tickets here . 

Shifters, Bush Theatre, 2024

6.  Shifters

Benedict Lombé’s high concept romance will be only the third play by a Black British woman to run in the West End, and does so off the back of excellent reviews for its run at the Bush Theatre earlier this year. It’s also done no harm that co-star Tosin Cole is playing the lead in Netflix’s Black London superheroes hit ‘Supacell’.

Duke of York’s Theatre, Aug 12-Oct 12. Buy tickets here . 

Frankie Goes to Bollywood, Southbank Centre, 2024

7.  Frankie Goes to Bollywood

You can trust the Southbank Centre to come up with a bright and breezy summer show: this year it’s ‘Frankie Goes to Bollywood’ by Pravesh Kumar and his British Asian company Rifco, a musical based on true stories of Brit who’ve found themselves unexpectedly caught up in the Bollywood film industry.

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Until Aug 18. Buy tickets here . 

G, Royal Court, 2024

Under new boss David Byrne, the Royal Court’s teensy Upstairs theatre has had a fascinatingly mercurial inaugural season. Following the period folk horror of last play ‘The Bounds’, Tife Kusoro’s ‘G’ sounds like a swerve into more urban, modern scares, as three classmates contemplate sinister folk figure Baitface the Gulleyman.

Royal Court, Aug 22-Sep 21. Buy tickets here .

When It Happens To You, Park Theatre, 2024

9.  When It Happens to You

Actor Amanda Abbingdon has been in the news recently for unfortunate ‘Strictly’-releated reasons, but hopefully she can put that behind her with this US drama that author Tawni O’Dell wrote about her daughter’s rape. The original off-Broadway production received mixed reviews in large part thanks to O’Dell’s decision to play herself, but with actual professional actor Abbingdon front and centre this should be a big step up.

Park Theatre, until Aug 31. Buy tickets here .

Camden Lock

10.  Camden Fringe

Serious comparisons to the Edinburgh Fringe don’t really make a huge amount of sense if you think about it for more than about five seconds, but the Camden Fringe is a loveable fixture in the summer calendar that never fails to enliven the August doldrums. The plays tend to be scrappy; some of the work-in-progress comedy is a lot slicker; all-in-all it’s a mixed bag quality-wise but you can’t argue with the prices and it’s a charming thing to dip your toe into.

Various venues, until Aug 25 .

The best new London theatre openings to book for in 2024 .

Tom Hiddleston, Sigourney Weaver and Hayley Atwell star in Jamie Lloyd’s new Shakespeare season .

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COMMENTS

  1. Five of the most experimental London theatres

    Immersive theatre has become a key part of the London scene in recent years. Rather than a passive experience where audiences sit back and watch others do the work, visitors to an immersive theatre are part of the unfolding action. Space 18 was purpose-built for this kind of show, with multiple buildings covering thousands of square feet.

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  3. Multi-Award Winning Immersive Theatre Company

    Explore the world of Punchdrunk, multi-award winning immersive theatre experiences and globally acclaimed narratives disrupting the theatre norm since 2000. ... London. Viola's Room. Shanghai. Sleep No More. New York. Sleep No More. Our Work. Step into Punchdrunk's archives - a repository of all our projects since 2000.

  4. Immersive theatre and shows in London

    The Gunpowder Plot. Immersive. Tower Hill Until 29 Sept 2024. Recommended. Photo by Mark Dawson. This lavish new immersive theatre attraction from the Tower of London is, in essence, a 100-minute ...

  5. Immersive Theatre in London

    The long-running Punchdrunk: The Burnt City, an immersive experience inspired by Greek myths, gods, and heroes, is a popular show, along with a new immersive revival of Guys & Dolls with rave reviews. Secret Cinema 's events are also great options for immersive theatre, allowing audiences to go on new, original adventures in the worlds of ...

  6. The Vaults

    The Vaults is London's home for immersive theatre and alternative arts. Our mission is to collaborate and conspire, embracing artists from all walks of life to come together and inspire others. THE VAULTS. VISIT THE VAULTS. FOOD AND DRINK PRE & POST SHOW. VAULTY TOWERS PUB. WHAT'S ON.

  7. Stone Nest

    A new home for perfoming arts in the heart of the West End. Stone Nest is an arts organisation and performance venue in the heart of London's West End, bringing exceptional and experimental art to a wide audience. Whilst the 'work in progress' of building restoration continues, we are delighted to collaborate with a range of artists to bring ...

  8. Immersive theatre: the West End shows to lose yourself in

    Annie Proulx's beloved short story gets a new life at Soho Place, the West End's newest theatre. The story of Jack and Ennis, portrayed by Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges respectively, transports audiences to the bleak but beautiful landscape of Wyoming. The theatre's intimate design, Tom Pye's thoughtful set and Eddi Reader's soulful ...

  9. The Best Immersive Theatre Shows In London To Book Now

    The Murdér Express. Speaking of trains, climb aboard The Murdér Express, an immersive theatre experience set on a glamorous 19th century-style train in East London. Sip drinks from Pedley Street Station's 'Seven Sins' Bar and enjoy food from MasterChef finalist Louisa Ellis as the mysterious story unfolds around you.

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  11. Best Immersive Theatre in London

    130 reviews. @ President Hotel on Various dates from Sunday 28th July 2024. One of the most highly-praised immersive theatre show in London at the moment, this quirky food event invites you to sit down and dine with Basil, Sybil, Manuel and the rest of the Faulty cast. Held at Radisson Blu, the night will bring to life the cult TV series with ...

  12. Must see London theatre shows in 2024

    Unmissable theatre shows coming to London in 2024. 1. Death of England. Drama. Soho Until 28 Sept 2024. Photo: Seamus Ryan. There were understandable logistical reasons why the National Theatre ...

  13. in situ: leading the way in environmental theatre

    Born in London in 1959, Richard's passion for performance grew from watching his parents, Alice and George, performing with the Tower Theatre Company. Having acted and directed at university in Cambridge, on graduating in 1980, Richard co-founded Cambridge Experimental Theatre to create more immediate, physical and dynamic work than most ...

  14. Experimental theatre

    Experimental theatre. Robin Bittman in Corner Theatre ETC 's 1981 production of Tom Eyen's The White Whore and the Bit Player, directed by Brad Mays. Experimental theatre (also known as avant-garde theatre ), inspired largely by Wagner 's concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, [1] began in Western theatre in the late 19th century with Alfred Jarry and his ...

  15. A Brief Intro to… Experimental Theatre

    A Brief Intro to…. Experimental Theatre. It was church services at Easter in the tenth century that popularised theatrical entertainment in Britain, and by the fourteenth century, it was standard practice to perform Bible stories. From the mid-fifteenth century hundreds of indoor and outdoor theatres were emerging in London, the most famous ...

  16. The top London theatre shows according to our critics

    Our theatre critics recommend the best London theatre of the moment. Friday 12 July 2024. Photo: Helen Murray. Share. Copy Link. ... Experimental; South Bank Until 10 Aug 2024. 5 out of 5 stars.

  17. Theatre Company

    ANTS Theatre. [email protected]. Join our mailing list. Join. YOU ARE NOW A SUBSCRIB-ANT. ANTS is an experimental theatre company that excels at pointed pointlessness. Based in London with performances across the UK.

  18. London's first purpose built immersive theatre ...

    London's first purpose built immersive theatre Space 18 to open across seven buildings. ... A new complex dedicated to immersive and experimental theatre will open its doors in London in mid-April.

  19. Immersive Experiences in London

    Get early access to tickets for the newest shows. Access to exclusive deals and promotions. Stay in the know about news in the West End. Get updates on shows that are important to you. Experience the best Immersive Experiences in London. Discover top events, book official tickets, and immerse yourself in the vibrant London scene.

  20. Auditory Illusions & Short-Form Experimental Theatre

    Inside each of them, there's a short, punchy, and reasonably priced experimental piece of theatre from a collective called Darkfield. And trust us, they're thinking very much outside the box. They've already toured the shows across London, New York, Scotland, South Korea, Canada, Australia, annnnnd Mexico collecting literally hundreds of ...

  21. Immersive Theatre London. London Theatre Companies.

    When it comes to experimental and immersive theatre, London really is leading the way. As immersive theatre becomes increasingly popular, we have kept a keen eye on those pioneering theatre groups that put on productions that allow the audience to interact with the set, the performers and to actually become part of the action themselves. ...

  22. 12 best new theatre shows in London 2024

    Fawlty Towers - The Play is among the best new plays in London Credit: Hugo Glendinning London has a world-leading theatre scene, and there is no better place to book tickets to see a play ...

  23. London's 10 Best New Theatre Openings in August 2024

    The best new London theatre openings to book for in 2024. Tom Hiddleston, Sigourney Weaver and Hayley Atwell star in Jamie Lloyd's new Shakespeare season. Stay in the loop: ...

  24. London theatre: the best musicals and plays to book now

    London has a world-leading theatre scene, offering everything from plays, musicals and comedy to immersive and family-friendly entertainment. In the West End, and beyond, you'll find both ...