Photo: Fever A new adrenaline-pumping gaming experience is debuting in the UK this month. Located in London’s buzzling Shoreditch, Boom Lab opens its door on 18th December, inviting thrill seekers of all ages to dive into a world of challenges, puzzles and high stakes fun. Boom Lab is a 75-minute colour-fueled challenge, featuring 6 immersive challenge rooms where guests will solve puzzles, dodge lasers, and compete as a team in a chaotic, arcade-style game. Ultimately, groups made of 2 to 8 people will face the final task: race against the clock to trigger a paint-filled explosive. Photo: Fever The six explosive rooms include: Blue Blur: A multi-screen system where players will cooperate by sharing complex information through the screens. Communication is the key. Pink Panic: High-tech, real-life Whack-a-Mole! Smash glowing buttons before they vanish in this fast-paced, high-energy challenge filled with lights, sounds, and chaos. Red Reflex: Dodge and weave through a maze of lasers without getting hit! Test your agility and reflexes as the course intensifies with each move. Yellow Yell: Aim, think, and shoot! Hit the right targets in these interactive puzzles where quick decisions and accuracy unlock the path forward. Orange Outrun: The floor is lava! Jump between platforms, collect keys, and avoid fireballs in this action-packed team challenge where speed meets strategy. Solara: The grand finale! Use the colors and hearts you’ve earned to defeat the Black & White Nemesis—trigger the paint explosion and restore color to the world! Photo: Fever Ella-Jane Coxwell, Project Manager at Fever Originals comments: We’re thrilled to bring Boom Lab to an area already buzzing with fun and energy. It’s a place that invites people to connect, play, and make unforgettable memories together. More than just a game, Boom Lab is a fully immersive experience that brings out the collaborative spirit in everyone. Photo: Fever Boom Lab will open at 83 Rivington Street near Shoreditch High Street on 18th December. Tickets are priced from £22.90 per person. For more information and to book, visit boomlabexperience.com/london

Photo: Fawlty Towers: The Dining Experience The mayhem in the dining room is as chaotic as ever, but behind the scenes at the President Hotel in London, things have never been more precise. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience have confirmed that acclaimed chef Jonathan Bradley has joined the team as the new Head Chef at the President Hotel in London, ushering in a refined new chapter for the show’s much-loved three-course dining experience. As the immersive comedy phenomenon continues its record-breaking London run - currently booking until December 2026 - the appointment signals an exciting evolution in the food and beverage offer at the heart of the production. While Basil may bark, Sybil may glare, and Manuel may misunderstand the order entirely, guests can now expect a menu crafted with elevated technique, seasonal awareness and a focus on flavour-led British classics. Photo: Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience During the event, diners are served a three-course meal while actors portraying Basil, Sybil, and Manuel navigate through the evening with their signature comedic chaos. It's a fully immersive experience, where audience participation is encouraged, adding to the fun. Served alongside two hours of interactive comedy chaos, the newly revamped President Hotel set menu includes: Tomato soup with basil oil (VE) Roast chicken with gravy, carrot purée, savoy cabbage, baby carrot and dauphinoise potato Sweet potato and courgette timbale (VE) Lemon and berries cheesecake with chantilly cream and fruits of the forest compote Photos: Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience Unlike a traditional restaurant service, the kitchen must coordinate closely with the performers so that each course arrives at the precise moment in the show’s unfolding comic chaos. With experience across restaurants, hotels and private dining, including time working in kitchens influenced by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, Bradley brings a background rooted in classical technique, precision and high standards. Now Executive Head Chef at the President Hotel, he has also cooked for global figures including Will Smith and the late Patrick Swayze. Producer Jared Harford said: Our audiences come for the comedy, but the dining experience is fundamental to the success of the night. Jonathan brings fantastic experience from restaurants, hotels and private dining - including working in kitchens influenced by Gordon Ramsay - so he’s clearly used to high standards and strong personalities. Which means he should be perfectly prepared for Basil Faulty! Chef Jonathan Bradley added: What attracted me to the role was the combination of food and theatre. As chefs we’re used to creating experiences through flavour and presentation, but this show takes it a step further - guests aren’t just coming for dinner, they’re part of the performance. The biggest difference from a traditional restaurant is timing. Every course has to land at exactly the right moment in the story, so the chefs, front-of-house team and actors all work together to make the food part of the entertainment. Photo: Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience Devised by Alison Pollard-Mansergh, Andrew Foreman and others, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has hosted residencies in the UK and internationally since 2008, appearing in 43 countries and welcoming over a million guests. A loving tribute to the BBC’s legendary sitcom, the show is highly improvised and totally immersive - offering diners a seat at the most infamous hotel restaurant in British comedy history. Bradley is already planning ways to refine the menu over the coming year and is exploring ideas for a special celebratory menu ahead of the show’s milestone anniversary in 2027, with further details to be announced. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is a loving tribute to Fawlty Towers. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience uses scripts and a dining experience format devised by Imagination Workshop Pty Limited and is not endorsed in any way by John Cleese or Connie Booth. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience runs at the President Hotel near Russell Square. Tickets are priced from £65.00 per person, and include a three-course meal. For more information and to book tickets visit faultytowersdining.com

This Easter, Baby Shark’s first interactive immersive experience in the UK is coming to Central London, with families able to enjoy the unique show for free. Baby Shark’s Easter Splash will be at Outernet, next to Tottenham Court Road Tube station, from 30th March to 10th April, running from 9am to midday. The show will feature an interactive Easter Egg Hunt, along with the characters from the Baby Shark universe. Jessica Dracup-Holland, Outernet Chief Marketing Officer, said: Outernet is the UK’s most visited tourist attraction, attracting millions of families each year to marvel at remarkable, custom-made shows projected onto floor-to-ceiling, 16k definition screens. This Easter, mornings will be dedicated to the youngest generation, with Baby Shark’s Easter Splash bringing to life all their favourite characters. It’s free to visit and the ideal way to get your day off to the perfect start during the holidays. The production will be housed in the Now Trending building, with a 20-minute looping journey, alongside the immersive Easter Egg Hunt. This year marks a decade since The Pinkfong Company launched a version of its ‘Baby Shark Dance’ video on an unsuspecting world on June 18, 2016. Since then, the YouTube video has been viewed more than 16 billion times, and Baby Shark has won the hearts of millions of young children.

Image: Excurio The Last Stronghold: An Epic Medieval Adventure is the latest immersive VR production from French producer Excurio. Running alongside Machu Picchu: Journey To The Lost City inside the W12 Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush, the 45-minute-long experience invites guests to explore a virtual recreation of 14th-century Carcassonne alongside Simon de l’Estang, a young noble who travels to the city to help defend it under the guidance of his uncle, Geoffroy de Varenne. Excurio are best known for the much-loved Horizon of Khufu: A Journey Into Ancient Egypt, a VR experience that played at Westfield Stratford a couple of years back. It was highlighted by Jack Pirie - the director of Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds and Elvis Evolution - as one of their immersive highlights of 2024 in our Year in Review series and has previously garnered rave reviews from the likes of No Proscenium and Forbes. Image: Excurio The Last Stronghold uses lightweight, all-in-one HTC Vive headsets, similar to those deployed in Colosseum: The Legendary Arena and Titanic: Echoes from the Past at Eclipso’s Camden venue. Setup is frictionless, with minimal adjustment required, even for glasses wearers. Thanks to the lack of wires and hefty backpacks, those taking part can move unrestricted around the venue's vast space, though visitors must remain mindful of the room's physical boundaries, which are clearly marked by a glowing red grid that overlays the action if you venture too close. The experience's narrative focuses on two defining elements of 1300’s Carcassonne - the strategic design and innovations that made it the world’s largest fortified city, and the religious persecution that was prevalent across the region at the time. On paper, this might sound like a pretty dry subject for a VR experience that has 'adventure' in the title, but The Last Stronghold leans far closer to being an episode of Game of Thrones than a BBC Four documentary thanks to some large-scale scenes and set pieces scattered throughout. Image: Excurio The experience begins in the dense forest on the outskirts of Carcassonne. The year is 1303, and our protagonist, Simon, is making his way to the city to aid in guarding it. On the journey, Simon waxes lyrical about what a stand-up guy his uncle is and how his role in managing the city's defences means that he holds a significant amount of power within its walls (spoiler alert: he might not be such a great guy!). Upon arriving at the city walls, visitors are given an in-depth tour of the architectural ingenuity that makes Carcassonne so difficult to breach, from its narrow portcullis and double-walls to its fifty-plus watchtowers. As spring turns to winter and the clock rolls over to 1304, Simon begins to master the art of defence under the tutelage of his uncle, and is soon dispatched to patrol the city's perimeter. Along the way, there's the mandatory training montage complete with sword-fighting sequences, an impressive display of a trebuchet's power, and a breakdown of how those tasked with defending the city live side by side within one of Carcassonne's many turrets. Given that The Last Stronghold has been created using extensive historical and archaeological research, with experts from the Centre des monuments nationaux having collaborated on the project, the focus given to the city and its defences in the experience’s first half is more than justified and is surprisingly engaging for a story set during peacetime. Image: Excurio While the city’s fortifications keep external threats at bay, internal tensions have been bubbling away for some time. Its citizens are outraged by the continued efforts of Carcassonne's Inquisitor, Geoffroy d’Ablis, to round up potential heretics who are said to be going against the established religious dogma. An altercation early on in the experience between the Inquisitor and a man begging that his wife be released sets the stage for The Last Stronghold's second half, which focuses on the city's residents' struggle against those in charge ahead of King Philip IV's much-heralded arrival. At the sharp end of this struggle is Agnès, the granddaughter of a local healer and an outspoken critic of the Inquisitor. While initially she and Simon butt heads, the pair become linked after an altercation in the city’s main market inadvertently leads to Agnès' grandmother being dragged away by the Inquisitor and his enforcers at the behest of Simon's uncle. With a story that spans the best part of a year, visitors not only witness Simon’s ascent to a fully-fledged guard but also Agnès' potential downfall as tensions within Carcassonne continue to build, and she takes drastic action to dampen the Inquisitor's influence and save her grandmother. Things come to a head during the experience's climax, in which Agnès takes matters into her own hands, and Simon's loyalty to his family and his position are tested. Image: Excurio While free-roaming VR is now a familiar format for many, with 'metaverse' zones featuring in many of London's biggest immersive exhibitions, Excurio elevates the experience through its use of scale and detail. Walking the ramparts and looking out across the French countryside carries a genuine sense of vertigo for those who dare glance over the edge. Inside the city’s cathedral, huge stained-glass windows rise high above you, creating an awe-inspiring sense of presence, and the show's final act delivers the most memorable moment, as an encounter with a colossal, fire-breathing dragon places guests at the centre of the action. The Last Stronghold's quieter moments prove equally effective, with engaging small details scattered throughout. The experience's free-roaming market square scene includes a man crawling between stalls in search of a hog that’s broken loose, along with several hushed conversations that we almost certainly shouldn't be privy to, and a close call with somebody emptying their chamber pot into one of the city's cobblestoned streets is not only an unexpected surprise, but also helps give this virtual recreation of Carcassonne the feeling of being a living, breathing (albeit smelly) world. Image: Excurio With impressive tech, grand set pieces, and a captivating story that chronicles both the might of 14th-century Carcassonne and the unrest that touched every corner of it, The Last Stronghold stands out as one of the most well-crafted VR experiences available in London right now. It confidently balances spectacle and substance and offers something memorable for families, history lovers, and first-time VR explorers alike. The high benchmark set by Excurio's Horizon of Khufu has been cleared - don't miss out. ★★★★ [Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review] The Last Stronghold: An Epic Medieval Adventure runs at W12 Shopping Centre near Shepherd's Bush. Tickets are priced from £18.50 per person. For more information and to book tickets, visit feverup.com

A new large-scale immersive VR expedition is set to bring visitors back in time to the golden age of medieval Carcassonne, the largest fortified city in Europe. Image: Excurio Step inside the walls of one of Europe's most legendary fortresses as The Last Stronghold: An Epic Medieval Adventure is set to make its UK debut in London on 12th March at the W12 Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush. Created by Excurio (the company behind Horizon of Khufu) and the Centre des monuments nationaux, and presented by Fever, the groundbreaking virtual reality experience brings a UNESCO World Heritage Site vividly to life, transporting visitors to the heart of medieval Europe. Guests can expect to explore Carcassonne at the height of its medieval power, walking the ramparts, passing through fortified gates, taking in bustling markets and uncovering hidden spaces within the impenetrable stronghold. Drawing on extensive historical and archaeological research, validated by experts from the Centre des monuments nationaux, The Last Stronghold meticulously recreates the city as it appeared in the early 14th century. Guided by Simon and Agnès, two characters caught between loyalty, rebellion and survival, visitors experience a pivotal moment in history shaped by royal authority and the looming shadow of the Inquisition. Throughout the journey, guests actively engage with medieval life, from combat training and night watch on the ramparts to intimate moments inside noble residences and encounters in the city´s crowded streets. Image: Excurio Travel back to 1304 and step into the golden age of medieval Carcassonne, the largest fortified city in Europe. This free-roam VR experience weaves together the stories of Simon and Agnès against a backdrop of political and religious tension, and invites visitors to train for combat, patrol the ramparts, wander through private quarters, and immerse themselves in the day to day of medieval life, as part of an experience that has been developed with experts to ensure historical accurately. Speaking on The Last Stronghold, Alex Winterbotham, Global Director of Production for VR at Fever, says: The Last Stronghold plunges audiences into the heart of a medieval French city where a brutal inquisition is taking place. The story is dynamic, with each scene realised with a meticulous level of immersion. It is my favourite title from Excurio within our Fever portfolio to date. The experience plays to the strengths of the VR free-roam format, which Excurio has been instrumental in shaping, allowing audiences to smell rebellion in the air as time flies by. Fabien Barati, CEO of Excurio, comments: With The Last Stronghold, we are delivering our most ambitious immersive expedition to date—creatively, narratively, and technically. It is a great source of pride to offer the public a unique experience at the heart of this emblematic fortress, at a pivotal moment in its history. Video: Excurio Marie Lavandier, President of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, comments: To renew public interest in heritage, the Centre des monuments nationaux constantly seeks new ways to showcase its sites—through educational outlets (including innovative digital or audio experiences), cultural programming (such as nighttime or theatrical tours), and even remote visits of monuments. The CMN is therefore delighted to offer this unique experience to audiences who may be far from Carcassonne, providing a different and perhaps complementary way to visit the monument. This journey through time allows visitors to explore the city as it stood during its golden age. Historical facts and well-documented data leave an even stronger impression when combined with an experience that engages both the senses and emotions. Image: Excurio With the addition of The Last Stronghold, created by Excurio and Centre des Monuments Nationaux, Fever continues its journey to bring a vibrant multi-experience VR destination. Visitors can now travel from Carcassonne to Machu Picchu without leaving London. The Last Stronghold: An Epic Medieval Adventure (London) runs at W12 Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush from 12th March 2026. For more information and to book tickets, visit thelaststrongholdfever.com/london

Photo: Pexels Later this month, Chronic Insanity will take over all five floors of Nottingham's People Hall for Apple of Discord, a multi-hour, free-roaming immersive experience based around the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the spark that set the Trojan war in motion. Blending cabaret performances, puzzles and quests, one-on-one experiences and character interactions, the production brings large-scale immersive theatre to Nottingham audiences and will offer an accessible alternative to the London-based shows that make up the majority of the UK's immersive work. Ahead of the opening of Apple of Discord, we spoke with Chronic Insanity's Artistic Director, Joe Strickland, about the production. Immersive Rumours: Hi Joe! Thanks for speaking with us today. Do you mind telling us a bit about Chronic Insanity’s approach to creating theatre of all kinds? Joe Strickland: We’ve always been a theatre company that believes that anything can be theatre so long as that 'liveness' feeling exists within its exhibition. So for every traditional play we’ve done, we have many other forms we’ve explored, from immersive theatre, live music, magic shows, ARGs, virtual reality, spatial audio, play-at-home card games and digital art festivals. We’ve produced over 150 productions in the past 6 years, and Apple of Discord will be where we get to show off everything we’ve learned over the past half a decade. Immersive Rumours: Later this month, you’re taking over People’s Hall in Nottingham with your largest show to date, Apple of Discord. What can audiences expect when they step inside? Joe Strickland: We’re bringing a blend of all different types of immersive experiences to audiences in Nottingham. The ground floor, our wedding venue for the story, will host an immersive cabaret and event all evening. Our first floor will hold our looping promenade theatre stories. And all five floors of the venue will be home to one-on-ones, video game-like quests, and miniature scenes with varying levels of immersion and interactivity. It’s as much immersive theatre and culture as we can fit inside one building for 3 hours every evening! Photo: Rachael Halaburda Immersive Rumours: Greek mythology has served as the inspiration for a number of notable immersive productions in the last few years, from Punchdrunk’s The Burnt City to smaller shows such as Bacchanalia and The Shop for Mortals and All Fools. How did you settle on the wedding of Peleus and Thetis as the right story to tell for the show, and why do you think Greek mythology is such fertile ground for immersive theatre? Joe Strickland: The Apple of Discord myth was such a lovely mixture of an event I think audiences would love to bear witness to, the marriage between a god and a mortal, and a lesser-known story from Greek mythology that allows audiences to meet a large variety of gods and figures from mythology they might have always wanted to meet, while also drawing a lot of parallels with our modern lives and politics. I think the lack of a strict canon and the sheer number of different stories that it contains allow Greek mythology to be reinterpreted and retold in many different ways by many different companies, plus the oral storytelling tradition that it was initially powered by finds one of its homes in modern immersive arts, so I think there’s a shared DNA there stretching back thousands of years too. Immersive Rumours: You’ve stated that one of Apple of Discord’s goals is to bring large-scale immersive theatre to a non-London audience. How has your approach to creating the show been informed by the fact that, for a lot of audience members, this may be their first encounter with immersive theatre? Joe Strickland: We’ve been very aware of that and have tried to accommodate that at every step in our process. I think it helps that 'immersive' is such a wide term that you basically aren’t sure what you’re going to see a lot of the time even if you are a fan of the art form, so whenever we do an immersive show, it always has to have good onboarding, user experience design, welfare procedures for cast and audience, and flexibility to accommodate everyone’s needs and reasonable desires during the show. We’ve also learned a lot about marketing the show, too, and how difficult it is to explain to people what it is you’re making when they have no reference point for what an immersive show might even begin to be. It’s been a fun challenge that, having overcome, will allow us to reach new audiences with immersive for this show and any others in the future we stage outside of the capital. Photo: Kate Spencer Immersive Rumours: As part of Apple of Discord, you’re taking over all five floors of The People’s Hall. Was there a certain space or feature within that venue that made you realise it was the right place to stage this show? Joe Strickland: The building is Grade II* listed and is over 200 years old and is absolutely gorgeous, with original wallpaper, tiled floors, murals, fireplaces and staircases. Plus, the basement and caves below the venue have their own historic ties to rebellions throughout Nottingham's history. It was a massive space with the right energy to depict the slightly decaying world of an Olympus that is struggling to keep people’s belief, which is one of the main inspiration points for our production. There wasn’t a certain space or feature; it was the whole of it that inspired the show in a site-sympathetic way. Immersive Rumours: Finally, this production brings together more than 30 collaborators, including artists from the Nottingham Shakespeare Company. How has Nottingham’s theatre community responded to the idea of creating a large-scale immersive production within the city? Joe Strickland: With open arms, I’d say! Nottingham is one of the largest cities in the UK without a dedicated fringe theatre venue at the moment. The city has such a vibrant music, comedy, improv, literature and poetry scene that us in the theatre camp have been waiting for something exciting to sink our creative teeth into. The support for the project so far has been amazing, and I’m so looking forward to being able to show even more people what we’ve been up to once we open! Chronic Insanity's Apple of Discord runs at The People's Hall in Nottingham from 30th March to 5th April 2026. Tickets are priced at £30.00 for the three-hour experience and £20.00 for the reduced two-hour experience. To find out more and book tickets, visit universe.com

Photo: Danny Bright This March, as part of the Barbican’s Scene Change season, a series of transformative performances and gatherings in unexpected places, the Barbican is host to the UK premiere of Landmark Productions/Octopus Theatricals one-of-a-kind production, Theatre for One. Part confessional, part peep-show booth, Theatre for One is a free, five-minute performance that showcases the best of Irish writing, performed by one actor for one audience member. Six short plays are performed in rotation as part of this unique theatrical experience, each written specifically for this project, with writing by some of Ireland’s most celebrated writers and rising stars: Enda Walsh, Marina Carr, Mark O'Rowe, Joy Nesbitt, Louise O’Neill and Katie Holly. Audiences are invited to join a queue and wait in line for their surprise, one-on-one performance in a specially constructed booth. Breaking the boundaries between performer and audience member, the experience transforms the Barbican Level G Hub Space in the foyer into an open-to-all theatre, where audience members are encouraged to join the queue and wait their turn to partake in this intimate encounter. Performances take place in the booth from 12pm to 3:30pm and 5pm to 8:30pm every day between Thursday 12th and Sunday 22nd March 2026, excluding Monday 16th March. Accessible performances are on Sunday 22nd March, when all slots will be wheelchair accessible, and wheelchair users will be given priority on this date. Theatre for One, conceived by Artistic Director Christine Jones and designed in collaboration with LOT-EK Architects, was first performed in 2003 and has been staged in public spaces across the world including Ireland, Canada and United States. Landmark Productions has championed the work of Irish creatives at home and internationally for over 20 years, and is partnering with Octopus Theatricals to bring Theatre for One to international audiences. Artistic director of Theatre for One, Christine Jones, said: Theatre for One is made by many. I am thrilled to add to this 'many' everyone at the Barbican making this residency possible and look forward to encountering this new audience, one member at a time. Toni Racklin, Head of Theatre & Dance at the Barbican, said: What a joy it is for us to present the UK premiere of Theatre for One, an incredibly special, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that celebrates the best in Irish writing. As part of our Scene Change season, we are programming in and around the Barbican Centre and welcoming as many people as possible to experience theatre in a new light. Thank you to Culture Ireland for supporting this wonderful production. Producer Anne Clarke (Landmark) said: From the plaza outside the Opera House in Cork, to the foyer of the Barbican - we’re thrilled that, with the help of Culture Ireland, these six short plays by six brilliant Irish writers will be seen in the heart of the City of London. Producer Mara Isaacs (Octopus Theatricals) said: We're thrilled to present the UK Premiere of Theatre for One at the Barbican, a serendipitous meeting of an iconic venue with this singular theatrical encounter. It's a thrilling multi-national collaboration between our incredible Irish artists, Artistic Director Christine Jones, Landmark, the Barbican and Octopus. Theatre for One runs at Barbican's Level G Hub Space from 12th March to 22nd March 2026. The event is free to attend, and audiences are encouraged to join the queue and wait in line for their one-on-one performance. For more information, visit barbican.org.uk

This outstanding collection of six five-minute-long plays are each performed for just one audience member at a time as part of Barbican's Scene Change season. Photo: Danny Bright As part of Barbican's Scene Change season, Landmark Productions and Octopus Theatricals' Theatre for One has arrived in the UK for the first time. Taking over a space within the lobby of the Barbican Centre, this free-to-attend experience does exactly what it says on the tin, offering up a five-minute-long play for one audience member at a time on a first-come, first-served basis. Precisely which of the six pieces each audience member will see remains a mystery until the dividing wall inside the custom-built, peep show-style booth slides open, revealing the performer on the other side. Those who want to see more than one performance must rejoin the queue and wait their turn before being admitted again, making an investment of time the only payment required to see the work. For this Barbican run, the one-act shows on offer have been penned by some of Ireland's biggest playwrights, including Enda Walsh, Mark O’Rowe, Joy Nesbitt, Marina Carr, Katie Holly and Louise O’Neill. Each differs wildly from the other and features everything from once-scorned lovers and insecure onlookers to otherworldly entities and desperate magicians. For our visit, we were lucky enough to experience O'Rowe's The Spur, Walsh's Cave and Nesbitt's Dear Rosa in quick succession (a privilege that's not lost on us), but to see just one of these three would more than justify the potential wait times, despite each only being a few minutes long. In O'Rowe's The Spur, Derbhle Crotty plays a woman who recounts an unexpected encounter in a shopping centre that unexpectedly provided her with some much-needed closure. Walsh's Cave gives a voice to a creature used to lurking in the darkness through Art Campion, and Nesbitt's Dear Rosa casts the audience member as Rosa Parks while Tishé Fatunbi's nameless character grapples to come to terms with their racial identity through a number of stark confessionals. Anyone who's been lucky enough to be selected for a one-on-one during one of Punchdrunk's masked shows or has attended immersive shows such as The Manikins: a work in progress, Undersigned or Creature will already be aware of just how powerful and intense being the sole focus of a performer's attention can be. Outside of the awareness that the performance only exists in that very moment for your benefit, the intensity of the moment is amplified by its intimacy, with the performer looking you directly in the eye mere feet away throughout. Without doing anything but watching on, you find yourself silently taking on the role of both a confidante and companion as the person opposite shares a piece of themselves with you. Every reaction, whether it be a laugh or nod or change in expression as you watch on, is seen and silently acknowledged by the performer, leaving you with nowhere to hide. Regardless of which play you see when you step inside the booth, you’ll walk away from Theatre for One having witnessed something that existed only for you. It's an intense and moving experience that distils theatre down to its essentials: a performer, an audience member, and a moment that lingers with you long after the door opens again. ★★★★★ Theatre for One runs at the Barbican Level G Hub Space until 22nd March 2026. The event is free to attend, with performers daily (excluding 16th March) between 12pm-3pm, and 5pm-8pm. For more information, visit barbican.org.uk

Photo: Lottie Amor Groundbreaking immersive theatre company Punchdrunk have announced that LANDER 23 will make its final current mission on 10th May 2026 at its home base in Woolwich. Originally scheduled for a limited run, the production, which has captivated audiences with its unique blend of immersive theatre and live-action gaming, added additional dates in January, extending its run to May 2026. Audiences now have only a few weeks left to experience the groundbreaking production before it concludes. Photo: Lottie Amor A live action video game, LANDER 23 sees the immersive theatre pioneers collide with the world of gaming as never before. LANDER 23 splits players into two squads – Command (Drivers) and Ground Team (Fields). As the Fields navigate the alien landscape, players rely solely on the voice and guidance of the Drivers, stationed aboard the ship. There are no spectators. Everyone plays. Teamwork and communication are key. The Lander Division of the Centre for Astrobiology is responsible for exploring the outer realms of the galaxy. No division goes further or deeper into the unknown. Tasked with discovering unchartered territories, exploring the outermost reaches and bringing back valuable data to the mothership. Photo: Lottie Amor The experience was conceived, directed & designed by Felix Barrett, with Kath Duggan and Joel Scott co-directing. LANDER 23's game systems have been created by Meaning Machine, who create 'premium, author-driven AI characters that can play meaningful roles in the stories and objectives of their human creators'. Founded in 2000 by Felix Barrett, Punchdrunk has pioneered a game-changing form of theatre which places the audience at the very heart of the action. Listed amongst the 50 most influential artists of the last 50 years (Sky Arts, 2022) alongside Bowie, Sir Steve McQueen and Vivienne Westwood, Punchdrunk disrupts the theatrical norm, creating worlds in which audiences can rediscover the childlike excitement of exploring the unknown. Video: Punchdrunk LANDER 23 Creative Team Conceived, Directed & Designed by Felix Barrett Co-Directors Kath Duggan and Joel Scott Designers Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns Lighting Designers Felix Barrett and Sarah Readman Sound Designer Gareth Fry Visual Designer (Video) Bruno Cordeiro Game System Creator Meaning Machine Photo: Lottie Amor LANDER 23 is running at One Cartridge Place, Woolwich, until 10th May 2026. Tickets are priced from £38.75 and can be purchased via punchdrunk.com

Image: Fever/Exhibition Hub After welcoming over one million people at Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, a new immersive experience is taking over London’s Shoreditch: 7 Wonders of the World. Exhibition Hub, the curator, producer, and distributor of large exhibitions and family entertainment globally, including Bubble Planet, The Art of the Brick, Dinos Alive and many more groundbreaking productions, and Fever, the leading global live-entertainment discovery platform, are debuting their latest creation in the city this November. Image: Fever/Exhibition Hub This new edutainment experience reimagines the world’s most iconic monuments, documented over time as the most remarkable human-made creations of both the ancient and modern eras, all seven of which remain standing. Spread across three floors, the journey begins with a captivating introductory video before moving through themed rooms dedicated to each ancient wonder, such as the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Guests can enjoy interactive elements, replicas of artifacts, and unique features, blending scholarship with spectacle. To give attendees a real sense of what it’s like to be in these breathtaking places, an immersive room has been built featuring 360° and two-storey projections. An original soundtrack has been carefully developed to complement the visuals and create a complete storytelling experience. Image: Fever/Exhibition Hub Visitors will have the chance to explore the Seven Wonders of both worlds through engaging and interactive content, such as a Wonder Wall, where they can sketch or write messages inspired by the Seven Wonders, and an LED Pyramid, located in the Egypt room. Family-friendly activities like “Create Your Own Wonder” and “Build Your Own Pyramid” will encourage exploration for visitors of all ages. At the heart of the experience lies the idea of wonder itself: how civilisations across history have pushed beyond the ordinary to create the extraordinary. From the myths and mysteries of the Colossus of Rhodes to the astronomy of Chichén Itzá, each gallery combines dramatic visual storytelling with authentic interpretation – through interactive screens, VR journeys, and hands-on exhibits – allowing visitors to learn not only how these monuments were built, but also why they mattered to the societies that created them. Image: Fever/Exhibition Hub Additional photo opportunities include a monumental 3m lighthouse and the chair of Zeus with an infinite temple perspective. At the end of the journey, guests can also check out the gift shop and capture AI-generated memories at the iconic Seven Wonders. With an estimated duration of 70 minutes, the experience combines storytelling, technology, and interactivity to create an unforgettable cultural journey around the world. 7 Wonders of the World: An Immersive Experience will open at 106 Commercial Road (near Liverpool Street Station and Shoreditch High Street) on 29th November 2025. Tickets are priced from £16.90 per person, and can be booked via feverup.com

From serving time behind bars, to out-of-this-world journey to other planets, London has no shortage of great immersive cocktail experiences. Here's our pick of the best on offer in the capital this year. Being immersed is often thirsty work... so we recently set ourselves the challenge of trying out some of the biggest and best immersive cocktail experiences that London has to offer. It goes without saying that this was a very rigorous undertaking, and the fifteen or so cocktails we've had over the last few weeks were purely for research purposes. We took no pleasure in drinking them, even if they were all delicious... Hexmoor: Immersive Wizarding Prison Photo: Inventive Productions Having opened in September 2025, Hexmoor is the latest experience from Inventive Productions. Already the city's foremost immersive cocktail experience creators, this new production is their most ambitious yet, and invites guests to don jumpsuits and serve their time behind bars in a wizarding prison. Upon entering, guests will be met by Cordelia Constance-Xanthe, a powerful sorceress and the Head of Hexmoor Penitentiary, who will introduce the inmates to their new life behind bars. As the immersive experience unfolds, inmates will enjoy three magical cocktails crafted by a team of mixologists, or more appropriately, hexologists. Intended to dampen abilities, with the right hex, these potions will enhance your time behind bars and may well aid in your escape. Expect to cross paths and collude with the wizard prisoners of Hexmoor and the guards who contain them, discover secret areas and travel through an ethereal portal, hidden within a fireplace in Hexmoor, to a real working Wand Shop. Combining immersive theatre, film-like set design, magical special effects and world-class cocktails, Hexmoor will transport you to a world full of dark magic and alchemy, and is one of the most exciting additions to London's immersive cocktail scene in recent years. Photo: Inventive Productions Your magical misdeeds have led you to a previously unknown wizarding prison. Will you play by the rules and see the light of day again, or descend into darker depths? Explore Hexmoor and you will find out soon enough. Experience a world of mysticism and alchemy at Hexmoor, the world’s first immersive, wizarding prison bar. Don your official jumpsuit and rub shoulders with the notorious dark arts wizards who call Hexmoor home. Combining immersive theatre, film-like set design, magical special effects and world-class cocktails, Hexmoor will transport you to a world you can only imagine. Photos: Inventive Productions 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £53.95 (includes 3x cocktails) 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via hexmoor.co.uk Avora: A New World Immersive Experience Photo: Avora Also from Inventive Productions, Avora invites guests to travel off-world to another planet inhabited by alien creatures and bioluminous foliage. Located in Hoxton, this 105-minute-long experience is the most visually stunning of Inventive's shows. Set across three main spaces in their basement venue, it's taken a healthy amount of inspiration from the Avatar film series, and is the closest thing you can get to visiting Pandora this side of the Atlantic. Guests are all given a jumpsuit upon arrival that's embroidered with the logo of Roscorp - a tech conglomerate they'll be acting on behalf of during their journey. We'll leave it up to you to decide if Roscorp's true intentions for exploring far-off planets are noble or nefarious (spoilers: they're not good..), but at least you're there in good faith, acting as scientists on a fact-finding expedition. Starting in the Roscorp laboratory, there's a bit of hands-on mixology as you mix various test tube liquids to create your first cocktail, which billows smoke once combined. Later in the experience, you come face-to-face with the native Avorans who take a real interest in your lives back on Earth. Intent on learning all they can from their new human visitors, you may find yourself trying to explain the most basic of human concepts to them with mixed results. These interactions are all infused with humour and playfulness, and are the stand-out part of the show. Without spoiling what unfolds in the latter half of Avora, the new equilibrium with the Avorans and Humans being on good terms is short-lived, and you're soon confronted with Roscorp's true reasoning behind these expeditions to the luminous planet. Photo: Avora Avora is a first of its kind cocktail adventure where guests can discover a brand-new world engulfed in mystery and wonder, brought to life through awe-inspiring theatrical sets, unique cocktails and a cast of talented actors. Step through the newly discovered gateway into the magical world of Avora! Meet with locals and explore the world to discover three extraordinary cocktails you will enjoy. Watch in awe as the world turns from day to night, and witness the mysterious and magical beauty of the lush new land. Be prepared, things are not what they seem, and you will have to make a decision on the fate of the world! Will you look to exploit it or will you help protect Avora! Photos: Avora 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £40.50 (includes 3x cocktails) 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via feverup.com Moonshine Saloon: Immersive Wild West Experience Photo: Moonshine Saloon It's 1904 in the town of Coldwater. The sun is setting on the glory days of the Wild West, and everyone's attention has turned to what is next for those trying to achieve the American Dream. Within the confines of Moonshine Saloon, tensions are high between the Cassidy family and the local law enforcement. It's a year to the day since the Saloon's previous owner was gunned down in cold blood, and the Cassidy family are still looking for answers. You've been invited by Clyde Cassidy, who is looking to expand their moonshine business nationwide. Though their wife isn't best pleased with the fact Clyde has been operating this clandestine operation out the back of the bar, business appears to be booming, and you're there to ink a deal and get in on the action. Across this 1 hour 45 minute experience, numerous scenes play out both in the main Saloon and several hidden spaces within the Saloon. It's the classic story of the outlaw and local law enforcement butting heads, complete with shootouts and plenty of raised voices. Guests are kitted out with cowboy hats and ponchos upon entering, and their choice of spirits (which need to be brought with them to the venue) is incorporated into four cocktails across the show. Those looking to be slightly more involved in the narrative can purchase option character add-ons, including becoming The Mayor, Deputy Sheriff or Brothel Keeper. Ideal for the outgoing types, they'll be called on throughout the show to add an extra layer of interaction. For our visit, the Mayor had to deliver a series of campaign pledges to ensure their re-election. Photo: Moonshine Saloon Howdy, y’all! Behind the swinging doors of the Moonshine Saloon, new outlaws can rub shoulders with the locals, try their luck at cards or dice games and enjoy a barrel load of illicit drinks. Just be sure to keep yourself quiet if the Sheriff is in town and asks any questions… he’s come close to catching Cassidy before! Photos: Moonshine Saloon 📍 Liverpool Street 💰 From £35.99 (includes 3x BYOB cocktails) 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via feverup.com Alcotraz: Immersive Prison Cocktail Bar Photo: Alcotraz Likely the most well-known of Inventive Production's immersive cocktail experiences, Alcotraz has been a mainstay of the London immersive experience scene since 2017. Guests are invited to don orange jumpsuits before serving them time in this underground prison-themed bar, which will see them play a part in a rebellion against the venue's Warden, who has a firm dislike for all things alcoholic. Upon entering, you're placed in a holding cell while you await processing. Soon, you're led through a metal detector and handed your orange jumpsuit - a staple of the experience since its inception. Alcotraz operates as a BYOB venue, so your first task is sneaking your spirits into the cells without arousing suspicion - something that's made a lot easier thanks to the hollowed-out Bible you're handed by one of the prison's crooked guards. Once inside your cell, there are 4 cocktails prepared for you with the spirits you smuggled in across the 1-hour 45-minute long experience. The wider story that plays out around you is a power struggle between Cassidy, one of the inmates whose parole has just been denied, and the Warden, who is hell-bent on maintaining order within Alcotraz. There's a good amount of interaction with Cassidy, the Warden and the guards throughout the experience, who will all keep you occupied with a variety of tasks. We found ourselves folding laundry at one point, which led to us finding a blueprint inside one of the jumpsuits. There are also a couple of short excursions outside your cell, including getting your mugshot taken and, for us, a visit to Cassidy after they're locked in solitary confinement. A potential visit to the Warden's office is also on the cards to plead your innocence or guilt. Photo: Alcotraz Following a life of crime, the law eventually caught up with Mr Clyde Cassidy and his gang of moonshiners and bootleggers. After a decade of running America’s most notorious liquor smuggling empire, their criminal activity eventually led them to life behind bars at the newly established Alcotraz Penitentiary. Most of the details of the Penitentiary remain only in the knowledge of a select few Government Officials, however, what is known is that there are a collection of secret Cell Blocks dotted all over the country, which serve as home to the worst of the worst. Sometimes incarceration can’t change bad habits and the Cassidy gang have managed to turn the Guards of Alcotraz crooked, bribing them to help newly convicted inmates successfully smuggle in liquor past the Warden. Will you join the gang and smuggle liquor behind bars? Photos: Alcotraz 📍 Hoxton 💰 From £48.50 (includes 4x BYOB cocktails) 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via alcotraz.co.uk Phantom Peak's Cocktail Trail - CURRENTLY CLOSED Photo: Alistair Veryard As of March 2026, Phantom Peak is currently closed as the show relocates to Westfield Stratford City. Phantom Peak is an immersive experience we've covered extensively on Immersive Rumours over the past three years. With four brand-new seasons on offer each year, it's a show that's constantly developing and changing. Guests can explore the 30,000 sq feet town of Phantom Peak for up to 4 hours at a time, jumping into any of the ten different storylines on offer at their own pace. With a large cast of actors scattered around town, guests can easily end up speaking to a dozen of Phantom Peak's townsfolk in one visit and only scratch the surface of what's on offer here. Alongside the ten main storylines available each season, Phantom Peak also offers a cocktail trail for those willing to put in the steps for their drink. The storyline of these cocktail trails changes each season, but typically they have guests exploring the town to uncover which ingredients make up the final reward for their hard work. Just like with every other storyline at Phantom Peak, these cocktail trails are wonderfully written, irreverent, and with a stellar cast of actors across the town, hugely engaging. Considering the cocktails at Phantom Peak will run you anywhere from £9.50 to £11 each, and with an exclusive cocktail only available to those who take part in the trail, it's good value if you want to indulge in one of them anyway. For the avid Phantom Peak card collectors, there's also a trail card included for those who take part. Photos: Alistair Veryard A brand new cocktail experience, courtesy of JONACO. Explore the town to discover a new story each season, before meeting back at the Thirsty Frontier Saloon to make your own cocktail (or mocktail) to enjoy. 📍 Canada Water 💰 From £30.00 (Show Admission) + £19.99 (Cocktail Experience Add-On) 🕒 Ongoing 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com For the latest news and updates on all things immersive in London, follow us on Instagram.

Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience This March, Vikings: The Immersive Experience, a revolutionary new immersive, educational and historical exhibition that goes beyond the battlefield and Vikings TV shows, will open at Dock X in Canada Water. The experience will give visitors an unprecedented deep dive into the lives of the Viking world’s most formidable family: King Ragnar Lodbrok, the wise Queen Kraka (Aslaug), and their world-conquering sons - Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironside, Hvitserk, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye. This cutting-edge experience blends state-of-the-art technology with immersive historical storytelling from an era full of courage, longing, and mystery. Visitors can explore Viking replicas within elaborate physical sets, including a full-size forest of discovery and a towering mythological Yggdrasil tree known as 'The Tree of Light' or 'World Tree'. The exhibition also features a VR experience, a mist-filled portal room, and a 360-degree video-mapped cinematic presentation, complete with a real-life Viking longship at the centre of the action. Using cutting-edge high-resolution video mapping, this cinematic experience brings the story of Queen Kraka and King Ragnar to life, transporting visitors straight into 9th-century Scandinavia and the lands they once conquered. Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience Whilst many historical narratives focus solely on Ragnar Lodbrok’s daring raids on Paris and England, Vikings: The Immersive Experience shifts the spotlight to the vital role of Queen Kraka. Visitors will experience her extraordinary journey and mystical powers: from the hidden daughter of the dragon-slayer Sigurd and shield maiden Brynhildr, to a respected völva (seeress) whose intellect and strategic counsel were essential to Ragnar’s success. Speaking on the experience, Mitch Sebastian, creative director of Vikings: The Immersive Experience, comments: Kraka was the bedrock of this dynasty. She wasn't just a queen; she was a prophet, a warrior, and a mother who shaped the future rulers of the North. Our exhibition aims to restore her to her rightful place at the centre of the Ragnar sagas. Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience The experience begins with an opening film sequence that transports visitors to 793AD, the year Scandinavian warriors famously raided the monastery of Lindisfarne on England’s north coast. From there, the exhibition unfolds into the vast 'Forest of Time', an immersive landscape where guests can wander among towering trees and forest fauna whilst discovering display boards detailing the daily life, rituals, and beliefs of these fearless Norsemen. An iconic feature of this experience is the beautiful and mythological 'Tree Of Light' also known as the 'World Tree of Yggdrasil', representing the centre of Norse mythology, connecting the heavens, the middle world and the underworld. Using VR, the beginning of the saga of Queen Aslaug unfolds, where she first meets her future husband Ragnar Lodbrok, as an unassuming peasant woman named Kraka. The Forest of Time room contains several Viking replica cases, interactive touch screens tablets that show the conquest and history of the Viking raiders, a ’talking head portrait’ screen where any questions can be asked and answered, a knotting station where customers can try to tie a classic Viking Knot as well as a full audio guided tour explaining the fascinating history of these Norsemen and women. Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience Next, visitors enter the 'Mist of Time', a fog-filled portal room designed to transport visitors into another dimension. Here, the centrepiece of the experience unfolds: a 30-minute immersive cinematic show featuring stunning projections, a sweeping musical score, and an atmospheric presentation that brings the story of Kraka and Ragnar vividly to life. At the heart of the room sits a magnificent Viking longship, which sometimes serves as seating for guests and at other times becomes part of the performance itself. Visitors embark on an epic journey of love, power, war, conquest, death and legacy, a soaring tale of courage, passion and destiny. During the video presentation, visitors will meet the Sons of Kraka, who each worked to fulfil her prophecies and avenge their father. Guests will stand virtually alongside the formidable brothers as they assemble the Great Heathen Army and sail to the shores of England and beyond. Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience Netflix's Vikings series brought figures like Ragnar and Lagertha into the forefront of popular culture consciousness, depicting a world of fierce independence, exploration and conquest. Vikings: The Immersive Experience acknowledges this inspiration but deepens the understanding of historical facts presented in a multi-sensory experience that offers customers an insight into the core elements of Viking existence, showcasing a complex, agriculturally based but fiercely proud society. Suitable for all generations, this experience will enthral history enthusiasts, fans of Norse mythology, school groups, fans of Netflix's Vikings, and families alike. Younger visitors have the opportunity to step into the ‘Junior VR’ adventure, witnessing the story of Queen Kraka unfold in an engaging and unforgettable way. Photo: Vikings: The Immersive Experience Vikings: The Immersive Experience opens at Dock X in Canada Water on 12th March 2026. Tickets are priced from £23.00 for Adults and £19.00 for Children, and are on sale from 3rd February 2026. For more information and to book tickets, visit vikings-immersive.co.uk