Five immersive theatre companies to watch
Some immersive shows have a relatively short run, often selling out quickly. These companies are all worth watching, with some having rumoured or confirmed upcoming shows.
Sleepwalk Immersive
Relative newcomers to the immersive theatre scene, Sleepwalk Immersive are celebrating two sell-out runs of their much praised debut show, Bacchanalia, and have teased the possibility of it having another outing. Follow them on Instagram to find out more.
Colab
This award winning company has staged several site-specific immersive shows since 2012. Their most recent production, The Descent, was a reworking of the Oedipus and Eurydice myth, set in a nightmarish abandoned lab, where the twenty-strong audience were divided into small teams to uncover the truth about a dangerous experiment that blurred the boundaries of life and death. My visit to this show was the probably only time in my life when I actually screamed at the top of my voice. It was a great shared experience, which saw my friend and I decamping to the pub afterwards with the other half of our team. I’d bet on there being another Colab show this year, so keep an eye on their Instagram account.
Rhythm and Ruse
This magic-themed show was recently announced, to great excitement. It’s the work of some very popular and experienced immersive theatre stalwarts, including Sam Booth and Mallory Gracenin, who have played central roles in several Punchdrunk shows, including The Burnt City, where they appeared as Hades and Persephone. It’s being described as a night of ‘marvels and wonders’ at a secret central London speakeasy. Tickets for this are likely to sell out fast, so watch Instagram for updates.
Swamp (Formerly Swamp Motel)
This is another long-standing immersive theatre company who do a lot of work with brands, as well as stage their own productions. Their 2023 production, St Jude’s, was a clever and unique experience, exploring questions around AI and use of data, through a task-based story in which each audience member determined their own individual outcome. It’s worth watching their website for information about upcoming shows.
Labyrinth
This venue is located in the tunnels under Waterloo Station. It’s previously been home to a restaurant and themed bar, neither of which seem to be taking bookings at the moment, but it looks like they are gearing up to stage another run of Les Enfants Terribles’ Alice’s Adventures Underground, previously put on in the nearby Vaults. I missed out on previous runs of this well-reviewed show, so I’m hoping to catch it this time round. Their website is ready to go, so keep checking it for more information.
