#immersive theater

[full---ofstarlight]

It would be so much simpler if she let him forget. But the Witch Queen keeps every piece in its place. At least, this way, he can be thankful that they met. It’s his fault. He took her hand. His first regret. Forever, now must he remain in this cursed place.  It would be so much simpler if she let him forget. The story spins, over and over, and with each reset His fingers gently stroke the Boy Witch’s face At least, this way, he can be thankful that they met. Blood stains the furniture, reminds him of his debt. He cries to the ghosts, clings to their embrace.  It would be so much simpler if she let him forget. The Boy Witch is dangerous, off-limits. And yet Their gazes touch across this cursed space At least, this way, he can be thankful they met. He clings to this love, though his heart won’t let. The Boy Witch is, too, under the Witch Queen’s grace. It would be so much simpler if she let him forget. At least, this way, he can be thankful they met. 

-- the porter's lament

inspired by punchdrunk's sleep no more, itself inspired by macbeth

#sleep no more #punchdrunk #immersive theater #poetry #poetry on tumblr #poem #porter x boy witch #tama writes #kldjalkda

[audible301]

Being an autistic theater kid is a trap. Your special interest show will close and it will destroy you.

#this post is about Sleep No More #Im having a time about it #sleep no more #immersive theater #theater #theater kid

[te-pu-si-ti]

Between my fingers: Cool water. Rough sand. Sticky blood. The lingering taste of whiskey on my tongue. The smell of fresh paint.

Watching the scene on the other side of the chain-link fence, feeling the music rumble through it.

The dancers' footsteps shaking the floor.

The Burnt City is a spectacle of sight and sound, but most of all I will miss that full sensory experience.

#the burnt city #punchdrunk #immersive theatre #immersive theater #immersive

[who-is-friend-and-who-is-foe]

A Detour Into The Burnt City

This review will be an in-depth discussion of some high level aspects of The Burnt City including but not limited to the characters, major plot points, set, and show structure. It also touches on some 1:1s, but does not discuss any of the specific moments and only generally references which characters might offer them. Also some gratuitous comparisons and mentions of Sleep No More.

As a recent convert to Sleep No More, I sought out to see if I could find the magic in a new place, seeking refuge in Troy and Mycenae for two weeks to see Punchdrunk’s newest creation, The Burnt City. To say that I was excited was an understatement: as a Greek mythology junkie, I was beyond exhilarated to learn about this new project’s take on old stories. In the weeks before my flight over to London, I ate up reviews, particularly fostering a lot of anticipation from Scorched The Snake and Constant Satellite’s analyses, both of which are written quite elegantly. My nearly one day spent in the halls of the Woolwich space did not disappoint. It took me a while to fall in love with the show – I came away from my first visit thinking there was no way it would stand up to Sleep No More – but with each subsequent entrance into Troy’s labyrinthine corridors or Mycenae’s grand expanse I fell harder and harder.

One of the immediate challenges in adopting Greek mythology for immersive theatre is the absolute scale of the source material. Macbeth takes place over nine days; the Trojan War lasts more than nine years. Despite this challenge, Punchdrunk's interpretation is nothing short of epic. There are limitations to this media, and so The Burnt City takes its interpretive liberties: the actual warfare is flattened into mere minutes (eschewing the fabled Trojan Horse); rather, the focus is on the themes of sacrifice and the brutal costs of war. And these moments are indeed the pinnacles of the show – the sacrifices of Iphigenia and Polyxena are two of the biggest scenes. As a result, the material of this show and its themes of grief, fury, and vengeance make for a grim experience, sans the flirtatious and playful moments of Sleep No More. The show is ostensibly about the parallels between two mothers – Hecuba and Clytemnestra – who grieve over the death of their children and seek to execute revenge, yet with surprisingly different nuances.

Clytemnestra's story in Mycenae is incredibly accessible; you can spend two loops there and truly have seen most of its story. Part of this is from a character imbalance; Mycenae starts with just over half as many characters as Troy and loses several more when the war breaks out. But most of this is easily explained by an ambitiously vast and empty space. You can stand in one spot during a loop in Mycenae and see most of the critical scenes all at once from a bird's eye view – everything that happens on the long table to Iphigenia's bedroom to the Czech hedgehogs below. The choreography truly takes advantage of this openness to provide a wide lens that basks in the action. Movement here is dynamic as ever and truly takes advantage of the space to the point that you will be twisting your head back and forth to be able to capture everything at once. The choice to make Mycenae such an open desolate space triumphs thematically, but only works with the addition of more traditionally styled Troy – I felt entranced by the grand, Denis Villeneuve movie-like scenes, without the anxiety of missing too much of Mycenae on my first few visits. But by the end of my trip, Mycenae's mysteries had seemed to all but revealed themselves and Troy's complexity and more restricted setting instead beckoned me.

Troy is a bursting city, filled with warm neon light, tight corridors, and an intricate web of space that feels thoroughly lived in, akin to High Street in Sleep No More. Here, two major stories appear to clash in a thematic way, as the main narrative following Polymestor's cunning is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of the Greek invading army. The space feels much closer to Sleep No More's fare: a series of more self-contained, interlocking stories that run into one another. Unlike Mycenae, in which I would argue every character save one is integral to the operating story there, Troy is a mixture of the main Hecuba-based stories and non-canonical characters that have deeply interesting and often insightful narratives, but may not be directly related to the principle narrative (think Banquo vs. Fulton). The set design in Troy is intricate and beautiful, but the narrow hallways and multitude of characters can make for a frustratingly crowded experience, let alone a very hot, almost hazardous space for the audience and performers alike (recent performances over the past month have been truncated to only two loops given the heat wave).

The show is further entangled by Hades and Persephone, who do not traditionally loop and instead perform a single narrative in the entire show. In a way, this subverts the existing Punchdrunk model and it is one of their most successful additions to the show. I highly recommend following one of these characters through their entire narrative after a few shows of familiarizing yourself to the space – it is one of the most fascinating meta-stories that I have witnessed and a complex and emotional interpretation of a classic folktale. Persephone's story particularly is some of the best narrative storytelling I have witnessed in all theatre. It is exciting to see Punchdrunk create characters who actively engage, test, and rebel against the loop structure, and I am truly excited to see what new innovations they will take on their future projects to subvert their traditional mores. Hades and Persephone's storyline also features a 1:1 that absolutely blew my mind and completely changed my perspective on the show and is a key part of canonizing the loops in a way that Sleep No More does not explicitly answer.

1:1s appear to be a staple of the Punchdrunk model and still remain a fascinating addition to the way these shows are run. 1:1 hunters are abound just as they are in the McKittrick, which is an unfortunate side effect for these moments, but not for lack of a good reason: some of these moments have grown into the most special moments of the show for me. My overall reflection (having only experienced a handful of what the show has to offer) is that this shows' 1:1s are more geared towards shocking you as an audience member – either physically or existentially. Each one I experienced provided a fresh, new insight into the character's ethos, and often radically changed how I thought about the rest of their loop. One in particular provided the same electrifying feel and dynamism of Sleep No More's 6th floor nurse, and additionally was a key turning point in that character's narrative loop. There is something to be said about the damage that may be done by rude repeat visitors pushing themselves to the front before these prized moments, but as they appear to be a staple, I am still grateful for these intimate moments, especially in a show that lacks the lingering, flirtatious looks of the McKittrick.

In their usual fashion, Punchdrunk has taken creative liberty in various sources. Influences from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (including a character!), Blade Runner, and Metropolis are clearly apparent in the set design and score. Hints at references to Sleep No More (and apparently The Drowned Man) are hidden across the show. But what I found most fascinating was the show's adaptations of classic characters and the careful selection of which characters to include and, sometimes more interestingly, which ones to omit – King Priam, Helen, Paris, and Hector, for instance, make no appearance in the museum. Nevertheless, I found the show's additions to Euripides' and Aeschylus' characters captivating, particularly: Aegisthus as a much more cunning individual with agency and influence over Clytemnestra's revenge, Patroclus and Achilles' budding queer relationship, and Polymestor's sleaziness and ultimate deference to the Canaan deity Moloch. Furthermore, the subtleties between two invented side characters – the Trojan maid Luba and Mycenaean maid Oracle – also prove to be a fascinating foil to the differences between Hecuba and Clytemnestra.

I have touched a bit on it already, but I would be remiss to not highlight the score, which is one of my favorite things about The Burnt City. The score forgoes the sing-along nature of Sleep No More's soundtrack, which relies heavily on Glenn Miller's and The Ink Spots' jazzy hits, and instead features epic instrumental pieces from Hans Zimmer, video games, classical music, and operatic pieces. These are impeccably timed with the narrative and choreography: the orchestral swell that comes in a particularly poignant moment comes to mind. When the soundtrack switches to more diegetic moments, it is likewise done successfully, fostering new earworms to evoke memories of the museum. Some highlights: Law of Life and Will Soon Be a Woman. The Burnt City also features a bar akin to the Manderley named Peep, which has the added twist of being canonical to the show – characters during their loops will stop in the bar to perform dances or songs to the well-liquored audience. This is an interesting twist on the Manderley bar, and offers a fair respite from the show and an appropriate time for a water break, but Peep unfortunately never feels like a comfortable place to sit too long. Part of this is the musical choices – which are bombastic and fun, but certainly not relaxing or romantic – and part of this is the lack of the feeling of comfort that the Manderley bar characters bring to the show. The Peep show hosts certainly deliver an entertaining show, but never without the intimacy that Sleep No More achieves.

This is certainly the major difference I felt between the two shows: Sleep No More thrives on the intimate, fleeting moments, while The Burnt City is more focused on delivering an epic story with all the bells and whistles it can muster. These are distinctly different approaches, but both have me completely wrapped around their finger.

#the burnt city #punchdrunk #immersive theater #sleep no more

[futureproof404]

this is from a real networking event and i am obsessed with it

#brooklyn #bushwick #futureproof #immersive theater #immersive theatre #nyc #theater #immersive #transmedia #theatre #what is that purple cloud and why is it so menacing #why does it look like that #pls #pls help

[durnesque-esque]

Live near Burbank / Los Angeles?

Like D&D and interactive theater?

Come to The Roguelike Rumbles at The Roguelike Tavern! ⚔️

The Roguelike Rumbles is a real-play, live-action D&D comedy show! 4 heroes will compete in a Tournament of Champions. As they fight to the finish, you will be able to not only cheer on your champion, but aid your hero as well! Food and beverages purchased at the bar will equip your heroes with items and potions to help them conquer all foes! 🍻

$25 Tickets in advance or at the door required & include your first drink (delicious mocktails available!) Email [email protected] today to reserve before seats are gone!

Don't live near by but want to catch the show?

Follow Pick Your Poison Productions on Twitch or YouTube! The shows are recorded and streamed a week later!

#dnd #dungeons and dragons #rpg #theater #theatre #interactive theater #immersive theater #los angeles #la #burbank

[mynherasinteractive]

In a shocking(?) turn of events, Jom has revealed himself to be none other than Puck, a fae in disguise! He's kidnapped(?) the chaotic traveler Dandelion and outed another recent Litho migrant as another fae! Miss Lily was so shocked, she said something that rhymes with "Puck"!

Join us next year after the citizens process this interesting turn of events!

#immersive theater #things to do in utah #interactive theater #immersive art #larp

[electriclitecollective]

ELAINE: How many times have I told you the story?  When I was a maid, I saw a vision.

What’s ending, and what’s beginning?  Here's a tiny sneak peak something we've been working on for Grail Knight, featuring Katie, our Elaine of Carbonek, and Wynn, our music director. 

Visit the link in our bio and reserve your tickets to explore the world of Grail Knight - in all its prophecies and strange weather

#arthuriana #arthurian literature #arthurian retelling #quest for the holy grail #galahad #immersive theater

[thewaywardmoon]

Work got really busy for a bit. Now that things are less frantic, here are some more UK trip plans:

Starting from where I left off, I’ll be leaving Edinburgh for London, taking the LNER express from Edinburgh Waverley to Kings Cross. I actually sprung for first class on this part of the trip, largely because I needed to eat on the train, and that was the easiest way to do it. In LNER first class, food and drinks are included in the price of the ticket, and that ended up being more cost effective than ordering food in economy (or trying to grab something after the train arrives).

(LNER first class cabin via Wikimedia Commons. I’m in one of the single seats with tiny table on the left side.)

Once I arrive at Kings Cross, I need to hustle down to Tower Hill to check into my hotel. I’m staying at CitizenM Tower of London for the last third of my trip. CitizenM is sort of a pragmatic choice on my part, as I have what is effectively a membership with them that gives me a discount on the room and a bunch of other little perks (good views, late checkout, free hot drinks, etc.). Also I know what to expect with CitizenM, as their rooms are all fairly similar no matter where you are. They’re uniformly clean and comfortable, the bed is huge, and they have gigantic windows, which are great for sitting in bed and staring out of while you drink your morning coffee.

(A typical CitizenM room as shown on their website.)

The reason I have to rush is because I’m going to an immersive theater show called The Burnt City that evening. The Burnt City is by Punchdrunk, the same company that does Sleep No More, and is an elaborate, pervasive show where you wander through highly detailed interactive sets (going through drawers, reading diaries, crawling through wardrobes like you’re on your way to Narnia, etc.), and come across various performers in the midst of dancing, acting or some other type of storytelling. It’s kind of hard to describe if you’ve never done it, but I loved Sleep No More in New York, and The Burnt City is supposed to be Greek mythology-themed, and inspired by the Trojan war--which is a bit of an obsession of mine--so I had to go.

(A character--the Oracle, I think?--in part of the the Trojan section of The Burnt City.)

I won’t have time to grab dinner, so I’m hoping to gorge myself on the train to tide me over until after the show. After The Burnt City, I go back to CitizenM and pass out before doing it all again the next day.

Okay, well not all of it, but I am going The Burnt City twice. I’m getting ahead of myself, though...

My first full day in London, I’m sleeping in, then starting with the Fashion and Textile Museum, which is just across the river. I’m also grabbing tea at The Ivy near Tower Bridge. I figured, since I was in London, I should go to a formal tea at least once. Also, The Ivy’s tea spread should be large enough to stave off any hunger, since I’m going back to The Burnt City a second time. 

(The Ivy at Tower Bridge from Trip Advisor.)

Obviously, being a costumer, the Fashion and Textile Museum is right up my alley. I believe they’re doing an exhibition on pattern design while I’ll be there, which is maybe not that interesting to everyone, but is fascinating to me. Fashion exhibits are some of my favorite things to explore in museums, so I knew I had to stop by the Fashion and Textile Museum while I was in London.

(The Fashion and Textile Museum from their website.)

Once again, this is getting kind of long, so I’ll make another post with plans for my next two days in London.

#london #the burnt city #fashion and textile museum #the ivy #citizenm #travel #fashion #tea #punchdrunk #immersive theater #vampire holiday

[writers-rust]

Hidden: Alice in Wonderland cocktail experience (2022).

#alice in wonderland #cocktails #immersive theater

[peterjhaas]

Doors of Divergence Season 4 Coming soon!

Did you know SEASON 4 of our behind-the-scenes documentary series for the immersive escape room company Doors of Divergence (www.doorsofdivergence.com) is going to hit the internet VERY SOON?!

You should buy tickets to this amazing show then check out seasons one through three:

Season 1: https://lnkd.in/e5u-ixJc Season 2: https://lnkd.in/eKH7hwUa Season 3: https://lnkd.in/eqhyxfmk

#NYC #Immersive Theater #Theater #Immersive #Shows #DoorsOfDivergence #Behind the Scenes #BTS

[thundergoodspeed]

they want me to post the flyer everywhere so...

if you live in Utah (or will be nearby on the 31st) pls consider coming, it's our last event for a couple months 😫

#immersive theater #Utah events #improvisational theater #larp #things to do in Utah #Utah valley #interactive theater #ooc; out of cookies

[te-pu-si-ti]

The classic Immersive Theatre experience of standing around an abandoned building with no signage at night, but a bunch of other people are loitering around too, so this must be the place

Recommend checking out A Morte Do Corvo (The Death of The Raven) if you're in Lisbon during the next few months. I can't say I caught much of the main story but I certainly enjoyed myself and I'd love to go back

#immersive theatre #immersive theater #punchdrunk #a morte do corvo #lisbon #lisboa

[triviallytrue]

Tom Cardy and Brian David Gilbert both fall into that niche where if I only see their stuff every now and then I find it funny and entertaining but if I was surrounded by fans of them I would switch to finding them incredibly annoying really quickly

#theater kids are awesome if you microdose them but being immersed in their culture is hell on earth

[futureproof404]

#brooklyn #bushwick #futureproof #immersive theater #immersive theatre #nyc #theater #immersive #transmedia #theatre #logo #graphic design #graphics #graphic designer #look at our logo #look how cool it is #we are so proud of it #the colors are fun too right #honestly this tumblr is just me hanging out but im having fun #weeeeeeeeee

[feydfuckernation]

since 2022 is almost over i’ve been thinking about all the movies i watched this year and man, nothing really compares to watching elvis in the theaters. the only other movie i had gone to see during covid at the time was no time to die the year before (since it was daniel craig’s last bond film) and prior to that i hadn’t gone to see a film in the theater since knives out came out in 2019. i’ve loved baz lurhman ever since i was old enough to watch moulin rouge, so i kind of figured i’d like elvis but man, i never expected to care so much about a film like elvis the way i do. and not only that, but the experience itself. the sheer fucking spectacle of this film is one that i don’t know will ever be surpassed for me, because i saw this film eight times in the theater and wondered if it would ever fail to meet the expectation set by that initial viewing, and it never did. not once. it was good every. single. time. i sat in just about every row you could think of and it was not only consistently good, it almost surpassed itself with every subsequent viewing. in 23 years i can’t think of a single movie that has ever made me feel that way. what elvis accomplished is nothing short of miraculous in every way imaginable. i’ve talked about how elvis as a film made me care about a man that only ever existed as a fixture of rock n’ roll music, another name for the history books, a name that mattered in the context of music my folks grew up listening to more than i did. a movie carried on the shoulders of a relative unknown compared to every other major musical biopic to come out in the last few years (bohemian rhapsody and rocketman bolstering far more recognizable star power in rami malek and taron egerton respectively), a name that i hope will go on to even greater heights as a result of his performance and his work ethic. a movie that has given me an experience unlike any other before it, one that i try to relive every time i watch it on my own. a movie that will always be one of the greatest experiences i’ve ever had the privilege of seeing on the big screen.

elvis 2022 man. elvis 2022.

#to further illustrate my point: i went and saw avatar the way of water in theaters this week #which i saw in 3D #and yeah it was definitely a cool experience #but it was nothing like elvis #the sequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time in one of the most immersive worlds on the big screen #and it will never compare to the feelings elvis made me feel as a film #i genuinely don't know if i'll ever experience anything like it again #and honestly? i don't need to #would it be nice if i did? sure #but i'm not going to go looking for it #i don't need anything to be the next elvis 2022 #it would defeat the point i think #i just want to remember that movie for what it was and continue to relive it every time i sit down to watch it #even if i'm sitting at home on my couch #lion.txt #and if you think i'm emo about it now just wait until we get further into awards season lmao #i will have Things To Say for sure #elvis 2022 #austin butler #elvis presley