Review: Undersigned by Yannick Trapman-O'Brien
- Immersive Rumours
- 3d
- 4 min read
We grapple with what we want out of life in this true once-in-a-lifetime experience by Yannick Trapman-O'Brien.
Photo: Lyra Levin
If you could have anything in the world, without restrictions, what would you want? What would you give up to have it?
These are the questions at the centre of Yannick Trapman-O'Brien's cult hit Undersigned, which makes its long-awaited international debut this summer with dates in London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam. Described as a 'deeply personal and introspective psychological thriller' for an audience of one, Undersigned invites those who attend to look inwards and selfishly declare what they want from life, safe in the knowledge that everything discussed during their appointment won't ever leave the room.
Attendees sit blindfolded, across the table from Trapman-O'Brien, for nearly the entire show as they hammer out the details of a Faustian pact, weighing up what they desire with what they're willing to lose and how to balance the scales between the two. With each participant never allowed to return after their appointment, it's a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the most emotionally affecting pieces of work we've ever been a part of.
We're not going to give away any of the key moments from Undersigned in this review. In part, to not influence the actions of anyone lucky enough to attend, but also because our experience was so confronting and raw that it revealed things about ourselves that we'd never thought about before, let alone verbalised. For us, taking part in Undersigned was an emotionally charged and cathartic experience that moved us to tears, and the show's impact is still being felt days later.
Photo: Lyra Levin
The one-on-one has long been a highly sought-after experience for immersive theatre fans. Whether it be within the sprawling worlds created by Punchdrunk, where people will elbow each other out of the way if it means increasing their odds of being the chosen one, or in works like Deadweight Theatre's The Manikins: a work in progress and Candle House Collective's phone-based Lennox Mutual, being a performer's sole focus offers both intimacy and exclusivity but also comes at a cost: intensity.
With nowhere to hide, and the focus placed squarely on a single participant, there's often a self-imposed pressure to 'perform'. Many people (ourselves included) can end up responding in ways they think the performer wants them to, rather than with complete honesty. Within Undersigned, this notion is addressed head-on. During the onboarding, it's agreed that the attendee must speak honestly. Throughout the show, Trapman-O'Brien digs down into each response to expose the kernel of truth at the centre, even if the attendee's initial response to a question doesn't quite meet that agreement, until their true feelings are made clear.
Photo: Lyra Levin
Trapman-O'Brien weaves attendees' offhand comments and fleeting ideas back into the conversation in a disarmingly natural way, helping close the gap between what's said and what's really being felt. From the outset, it's clear that the other voice in the room could verbally run rings around you if they so wished. Truthfulness and vulnerability are the only real tools available.
Anyone recoiling at the idea of being pushed into uncomfortable topics will find solace in the show's safeguarding. While subjects including sex, money, power and pleasure are all on the table, care is taken to avoid genuine discomfort. Participants can veto topics before or during the appointment. While it's meant to be an emotionally raw and revealing experience, it never tries to deliberately cause participants true discomfort. There's also great care taken to ensure ample space is given to decompress when all things are said and done as part of an offboarding process, which is handled with a level of care far greater than is typically present in immersive work.
Photo: Lyra Levin
In a potentially risky financial move for a small-scale production, a not-insignificant portion of each participant's ticket price is presented to them in an envelope at the end of their appointment. They're free to leave with it if the show didn't meet their expectations, but for those who feel it delivered more than they bargained for, there's the option to give more. There's no pressure or pitch, only trust that each person will respond in a way that feels right to them in the moment.
Ticketing for Undersigned also breaks with convention. While a few appointments are made publicly available when the show springs up in a new city, a large number of them are set aside for those who have either been on the show's long waiting list or have been put forward by a previous participant, who received a business card with a QR code at the end of their appointment to pass on. It positions the show as something rare and valuable, meant to be shared only with those who would appreciate the opportunity and benefit from it.
It's fair to say that Undersigned demands a lot from those who take part, but only because it offers just as much in return. At its core, it's a piece about choices. You're not asked to play a role or be anything you're not; all that's required is honesty and openness. Those willing to give it are rewarded with the chance to indulge in selfishness without judgement and learn more about themselves than they bargained for.
With little more than a blindfold, a candle and a notepad, Yannick Trapman-O'Brien has created a phenomenal piece of immersive theatre. Emotionally devastating, profoundly intimate and potentially life-changing, Undersigned is unlike anything else we've ever attended and has fundamentally changed how we see ourselves.
★★★★★
Undersigned ran at COLAB Tower in London Bridge from 24th to 26th July 2025. It will be at the Edinburgh Fringe's Underbelly Cowgate from 31st July to 12th August 2025. Tickets for dates at the Edinburgh Fringe are priced from £13.50 and can be booked via underbellyedinburgh.co.uk
You can join the publist waitlist for future appointments via yannickto.com/undersigned
For more reviews of experiences like Yannick Trapman-O'Brien's Undersigned, check out our recent Reviews