Photo: Matt Crockett Immersive Rumours: Hi Richard and Gary. Thanks for speaking with us today. Do you mind introducing yourselves and telling us about what your roles are for The Nutcracker Noir? Richard Crawford: I’m Richard Crawford, and I’m the artistic director at Secret Theatre and DesignScene. My role for The Nutcracker Noir is creator, writer, and co-director alongside Gary Lloyd. Gary Lloyd: I'm Gary Lloyd, and I am the choreographer and co-director of The Nutcracker Noir. IR: Richard, can you give us a brief history of Secret Theatre and some of the company’s past productions? It's been several years since you last staged a public show in London. RC: Absolutely. It all started in New York when I was running the Brooklyn Studio Lab. After having seen some of Punchdrunk’s work just before moving over there, I really wanted to experiment with audience interaction, which culminated in the world stage debut of Edward Scissorhands in 2009. Shortly after that, we established Secret Theatre. We’d often launch shows in London, because that was the place to cut your teeth, but they were always very low-key. You had a much smaller audience size to capture, which made it a little easier. We’ve always been different from the other big companies because we’ve been mobile from day one, which meant that if we had a show designed for an audience capacity of between 100 and 300, it was a lot easier to take it on the road and explore the world, whether that's in Europe, Madrid or Hong Kong - where I've done at least 10 shows over the last decade. Two years ago, we were acquired by DesignScene after I worked on a number of corporate activations with them. Alongside those brand activations, which took us to Cannes Lions and New York, amongst other places, we continued to have commercial ticketed shows with Secret Theatre, including a brand new IP in Hong Kong called Art of Dying, and in Singapore, we launched Last Night at Studio 54. Photo: Matt Crockett IR: How did the idea for The Nutcracker Noir first come about? RC: Over the last few years, I’ve done quite a few dining experiences across Europe and Asia and was trying to think if there was a time and a place to put that vision and really go big on it. Attila Keskin, the owner of DesignScene, and I had been banding around ideas and eventually landed on this one, which is an immersive adaptation of The Nutcracker with amazing food woven into the script as part of the narrative and the evening. This show is really an accumulation of everything - all of our learnings and all the magic we’ve created - with the addition of food. Attila is quite a special guy. He’s been in the industry doing events for 30+ years. If you say, ‘Elton John’s got a new song out,’ he’ll go, ‘Oh yeah, I remember doing Elton John’s birthday party in 2003.’ I remember saying to him, ‘I’m writing a show that features Diana Ross,’ and he said, ‘I remember doing a show for Diana Ross in Marrakech.’ The guy’s done everything at the highest standard. It’s really wonderful to be working with him and Gary, alongside Jenny McNeill from Feast + Fable, on this production. There are a lot of really creative geniuses getting involved in this show, and it’s really exciting to be working with all of them on this, taking Secret Theatre to the next level. IR: The inspiration behind the show is Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, but The Nutcracker Noir is a modern reworking of that, right? GL: Yeah. When Richard and I first spoke about the show, he presented a very different version of The Nutcracker, which is super contemporary. All of these characters live in the now. There's, of course, Tchaikovsky woven all the way through it, but there are times that will feel as if Tchaikovsky’s great-great-granddaughter became Chappell Roan. Musically, there’s a bit of pop in there, some jazz and American classics, sing-along moments, a bit of disco and Christmas and current chart music. Each moment really helps describe the history and the fabric of each of the characters. It’s got that classic Baz Luhrmann feel in that it's taking from all these genres and mashing them up. People are going to find it a challenge to stay seated for as long as they have to, but they will be allowed to get up and dance at the end… Photo: Matt Crockett IR: The experience begins with a number of immersive rooms before audiences enter the main performance for the main performance and meal. What can you tell us about the journey audiences will go on? RC: You know when you see those Christmas movies where the guy’s working in the cold city and goes back to the pub in his hometown and people are merry and singing, and you get a drink in your hand straight away? That’s the entry point to the show. It starts with audiences moving through a number of different rooms, a lot like when you move through The Kit Kat Club at Cabaret. In our show, it begins in a Christmas shop, which’ll be open during the day and will be a really cool and kitsch pop-up experience where you can get Christmas gifts and things related to the show. You’ll meet 10 characters in that opening that are all intertwined in the story, which I love. Without giving too much away, there’s a very interesting moment where we’re using projection mapping to really bring this story to life, and as you move into the space, there are all these performer-driven moments too. The currency of my shows is the performers, and to be that close to performers as good as we’ve got is very exhilarating. We’ve actually got some of the Cabaret cast and team in The Nutcracker Noir, so that is what’s going to be quite mesmerising, I think. You’ll see performers walking through the space at the beginning, and have the freedom to walk around yourself. I’ve been to some shows, and there are no performers there, which is something I wanted to change for this one. Let’s have amazing performers greet you so you can feel that talent right away. IR: London’s one of the world’s leading cities for immersive work, with many of the scene’s best-known companies hailing from here. When you were in the planning phase for The Nutcracker Noir, how did you approach creating an experience that stands out against some of the city’s other immersive dining experiences, like The Lost Estate’s The Great Christmas Feast? RC: I think it's a great point, and you need to understand your competitors. You used the example there of The Lost Estate, which is at the forefront of immersive dining experiences around Christmas. I went to their experiences, hung out with Ash, the chef, and I love what they do. I sat there and thought, ‘Can I do something different to this?’, and for me, yes. The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol are very different. [The Lost Estate’s The Great Christmas Feast] is very text-driven, very actor-driven. They have one performer who does a fantastic job of bringing that story to life, but I kind of want more. We have at least 12 performers bringing it to life with dance, with music, with everything. I went to lots of different dining experiences, and I thought, ‘Is it possible to get these dancers, these singers, these actors who are on the West End into an immersive dining show?’. Creating an immersive dining experience done to a West End level was the ambition, and making it really different from the other things that are going on at Christmas. It’s going to be very different in terms of going on more of a journey. At the beginning, you meet all the characters. There's a nice balance of dance, music and narrative which makes it, to me, really, really exciting. It's flamboyant, it's bright, it's West End, it's song, it's dance, it's immersive, it's intimate immersive experiences, so it's very different from the other offerings available this time of year, and I think that's the nice thing. People who love The Nutcracker, love immersive theatre, and love food being intertwined in the story like Gingerline do beautifully, it's going to be right up their street. Photo: Matt Crockett IR: Alongside the immersive elements and main performance, there’s also a three-course meal designed by Jenny McNeill from Feast + Fable. How is the show’s menu going to integrate with the world you’ve created? GL: I think from a staging perspective, what was really important to us was that this whole experience is cohesive, and our guests come out feeling like they've had an amazing immersive experience, and they've watched a spectacular show and enjoyed incredible food. We wanted to make sure that the script and what we do with our staging combine all of these things. So, along with that, the menu has been designed by Richard and Jenny to coincide with the story. So, it's super cohesive in many different ways. We’re planning on using the waiting team as part of the cast. We're hoping to have a seamless relationship between storytelling, musical numbers and food arriving so that the audience has just got this almost 5D experience that never stops. IR: Gary, alongside co-directing, you’re also the choreographer for the show. Previously, you’ve worked on shows such as Heathers and Thriller Live! in the West End. How different is your approach to planning choreography for a venue like Protein Studios, where the audience is a lot closer to the action and surrounding the stage instead of in front of it? GL: I think similarly to combining the dining in with the immersive and the storytelling and the choreography, it's about the audience getting to know each of these characters. I'll be working on the individual movement of each character. There's a richness to what the audience is seeing, both from a stage perspective and when they're meeting them in the immersive rooms and around the space. It is tight, and so we've got a couple of performance spaces with a catwalk that joins them. It’s very much in the round, with tables all facing different directions, so the challenge really is ensuring that when you've got something downstage on the circular element that's right in the centre, everybody further back has got something to look at. It's about creating choreography that is 360 and is able to share that information so that everybody else in the cast is able to kind of translate that through their movement as well. IR: Is working in a 360-degree environment like this a refreshing challenge for you? GL: Well, I've done a couple of in-the-round or in-the-square productions previously, and it is challenging. Especially when you've got a protagonist that's delivering an important bit of information. You want to make sure that everybody gets not just the dialogue or the movement or whatever it is, but they see the emotion on their face. We’ve been working on this show for a very long time, and all of these conversations are part of it, making sure that the experience is fully 360 and fully enriched and just taking in the format of the room. It's a very big production in that sense. Photo: Matt Crockett IR: The show’s also got quite a formidable cast, with performers who’ve previously appeared in everything from Hamilton to Cabaret and Wicked. How has it been having the show’s cast all under one roof as things ramp up? GL: I think between Richard and me, we've worked with most of these actors before, so there's a real sense of familiarity and knowing how the collaboration is going to work. We cast very carefully based on people's personality, as well as their talent and experience. The space will be challenging as much as it will be rewarding, so you need people who are team players, who are flexible, and who understand that every show is going to be different because the audience's reaction to them is going to be different. We've got this super high level of talent, but we've got wonderful, pragmatic and down-to-earth humans at the same time. The Nutcracker Noir will run at Protein Studios near Shoreditch High Street from 26th November to 21st December 2025. Tickets are priced from £48 for Bar Seating and £180 for a shared Club Table (inclusive of a five-course meal). To book tickets and find out more, visit nutcracker-noir.co.uk

Image: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which opens at Hammersmith's Riverside Studios later this month, is an immersive stage version of Douglas Adams' classic five-part trilogy. Co-created and written by Arvind Ethan David (Lenny Henry’s Boy With Wings, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency on Netflix), the show sees audiences join Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Fenchurch and more on a search for answers to the mystery of Life, the Universe and Everything, armed only with a towel and one very depressed robot. Ahead of the show's opening, we spoke with Arvind to find out more about why an immersive adaptation felt like the right format for the experience, how he's balanced writing a show that appeals to both life-long and new fans, and where audiences can expect to find themselves once they've hitched a ride and escaped the destruction of Earth with seconds to spare... Immersive Rumours: Hi Arvind! Thanks for speaking with us today. Do you mind introducing yourself and explaining the part you’ve played in bringing this new immersive staging of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to life? Arvind Ethan David: I'm the writer and co-creator of the show. I had the idea that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy wanted to be a piece of immersive theatre back in 2020, in the dark days of lockdown and pandemic, and started reaching out to friends and potential collaborators. Five years later, here we are with an amazing creative team and company, and it's about to open. It's exhilarating and terrifying in about equal measure... IR: Your relationship with Douglas Adams and his work stretches back to your teenage years. Do you mind explaining how you first came to meet, and tell us a bit about the impact that relationship has had on your life, both personal and professional? AED: We met when I was 19 and adapted his other masterwork series, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, as a student play. He came to see it and took an interest in me, and without really intending to, started my career. 30 years later, I've made dozens of episodes of television, written many books, produced many movies and made a lot of theatre, but I can still trace everything I've ever achieved, and most of the major professional relationships in my life back to that moment and the time I spent with Douglas in the subsequent decade. He didn't necessarily mean to be a mentor, but that was the effect of him, like a comet streaking through my universe; he took me along with him, debris in his wake and happy to be so. Image: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy IR: While Hitchhiker’s has been adapted into various mediums over the years (including a TV series, film and video game), it’s been a long time since there’s been a true stage adaptation of the series. When you first began having conversations about creating this show, was it always envisioned to be an immersive production, and why did that feel like the right choice for this adaptation? AED: The problem with adapting Hitchhiker's Guide into most conventional mediums is that it is not a conventional linear narrative. It doesn't want to fit in a three-act structure; it won't be pinned down by Robert McKee. So you need a medium that is as mad, inventive, and fluid as the story itself is. That's immersive theatre. The hero of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is Arthur Dent, an ordinary man to whom extraordinary things - most of which he does not understand - happen, apparently at random. This is a perfect hero for immersive theatre, because the audience gets to BE Arthur. They get to experience an out-of-control universe that makes no linear sense, but has a tone and a feel and a shifting perspective that invites them to turn their lives upside down. IR: The show is taking over quite a large chunk of Riverside Studios when it opens, which is fitting for a show that takes place in several corners of the universe. Where can audiences expect to find themselves, besides in the Horse and Groom pub, frantically trying to finish their drinks before Earth explodes? AED: That would be telling, but the Heart of Gold and a Vogon Cargo Ship are our modes of transport, and we may or may not get to swing by a legendary planet inhabited by someone whose name is not important. Image: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy IR: When writing the show, how did you find trying to balance creating a story that’s both satisfying for long-time fans - who are incredibly familiar with the source material - and accessible for those new to the story? AED: The secret to adapting Douglas Adams, is you can't adapt Douglas Adams. His genius was his own. He knew better than anyone that when taking his story into a new medium, you had to reinvent it, and he was blissfully unbothered by consistency or "canon". To Douglas, Hitchhiker's Guide was the well that kept giving, that allowed for infinite variations (and infinite improbability). We've taken the same approach. All the favorites - Arthur, Zaphod, Ford, Trillian, Marvin, etc - are there, but they aren't just reciting the greatest hits. They are alive and telling a story as it happens to them, for the very first time. There's plenty of easter eggs and deep love and respect for the genius of the original; the fans will see that, but there is also our attempt to tell the story the way that Douglas might have told it if he was around today, and that means doing something new and making it accessible to folks who have never heard of Arthur Dent. IR: Finally, with rehearsals now underway, how has it been seeing the show’s script come to life with the live cast and creative team all under one roof? AED: I've made 9 movies, 4 musicals, dozens of episodes of television, written books, graphic novels, radio plays and board games. Many of those things have won awards and done well. I can honestly say I've never done anything as challenging, exciting and entirely mental as this. The cast and creative team (led by our directors Georgia Clarke-Day, David Frias Robles and Simon Evans) are world-class, and giving their all. Every day is exhausting and inspiring. Or to put it another way, full of excitement, adventure and really wild things... IR: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today, Arvind. We’ll be sure to grab our best towel ahead of coming down to Riverside Studios later this month. Photos: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Live Show will run from 15th November to 15th February 2026 at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. Standard tickets are priced from £42.00, and VIP tickets are priced from £72.00. For more information and to book tickets, visit hitchhikerslive.com Follow Immersive Rumours on Instagram, X and BlueSky to stay up to date with all the latest news and reviews from London's immersive and interactive theatre scene.

Image: The Vaults Next year, The Vaults returns to in-house productions with a new immersive parody musical, Ancient Grease. Following the five-star sellout success of numerous shows (Mulan Rouge, Stranger Sings, The Witches of Oz, Peter Pan’s Labyrinth, Dinner is Coming and many more), The Vaults have commissioned an original script and score packed with songs, seduction, and smut. Ancient Grease comes to the thriving heart of London, deep in The Vaults’ infamous tunnels - the perfect home for a filthy frolic up Mount Olympus. Ancient Grease is a dirty love-letter to the hit movie musical Grease, re-imagining the iconic characters and setting them amongst the Gods of Mount Olympus. The wine will flow, fate will be rewritten, and Grease gets the ending it always deserved. The show's full description is as follows: Welcome to Olympus Academy, a high school where lessons are lustful, lube is essential, and grease is the dirtiest word. Term is about to begin, and this year graduating with the Gods won’t be the only climax. The Alphas and Omegas are the studs of Olympus, but they’re going to need your help (and possibly a towel). After a fateful summer night, Zeus and Hera are destined to become star-crossed lovers - but when the Fates decide to make things rough, Hera will be forced to choose between Zeus’s thunderbolt and her own explosive desire. As the Gods writhe and the nymphs jive, we invite you to rev your chariot and lose yourself to the swinging tunes of Ancient Grease. It's time to disobey The Fates and show them that integrity is the new sexy. Packed with intoxicating songs, divine dance numbers, and a cast of celestial beings who burn brighter (and dirtier) than ever before. These Gods are behaving badly, and they’re here to bring you the greasiest new musical in town. Drop your togas at the door because, in Ancient Grease, the thunder always comes twice. Image: The Vaults Ancient Grease is the first professional production from emerging writer Lady Aria Grey (star of Mulan Rouge and creator of Grey Widow), and musical directorial debut for one of London’s most prominent queer comedians and creatives of the time, Dan Wye (critically acclaimed stand-up and creator of award-winning cabaret legend Séayoncé). Director Dan Wye comments: I'm excited to be working on such a large-scale queer comedy musical. My work always focuses on elevating queer performance and allowing audiences from all walks of life to experience the power of queer joy... And what better place to do this than The Vaults? The Vaults are proud to champion these bold creatives, pioneering a new age for queer theatre makers as they continue to forge a path for under-represented narratives, with musical supervision from Olivia Zacharia (award winning MD of Diary of a Gay Disaster, and West End Deputy for Moulin Rouge, Titanique, Operation Mincemeat and more.) Speaking on the announcement, The Vaults comment: It’s time to lift the bonnet of Grease for a total overhaul... This summer, the response to Secret Cinema’s Grease was huge, but it came with the same outdated story of becoming someone else in the desire for acceptance. As Grease grows older, the love for it grows stronger, so we decided to reimagine the narrative and bring a new message: put your leather catsuit away. Don’t change for anyone. After a three-year hiatus of producing their own work, The Vaults are embracing the risks of making new, original work in the arches. With this return, The Vaults are committed to their unique Pay What You Can ticketing offer. A limited number of tickets ranging from £5.00 to £20.00 will be available each week as The Vaults strive to ensure the industry remains affordable and accessible to all. Ancient Grease will run from 4th March to 31st May 2026 at The Vaults on Launcelot Street. Tickets are priced from £5.00 - £20.00 for Pay What You Can seats, with Standard tickets ranging from £35.00 to £61.00. To find out more and book tickets, visit thevaults.london/ancient-grease

Image: Gameshow LIVE! Gameshow LIVE! - the world’s first live, interactive gameshow experience - will launch in Central London in Spring 2026. Inspired by classic TV gameshow nostalgia fused with cutting-edge tech and a dose of Vegas showbiz, 200 players in 40 teams compete for crazy prizes in a night out filled with competitive buzzer-bashing fun. Gameshow LIVE! is a 90-minute, cocktail-fueled Gameshow experience, giving teams of 4-6 people the chance to play an immersive reinvention of the TV Gameshows you know and love, with iconic Gameshow inspired prizes up for grabs - think fondue sets, giant teddy bears, smart TVs, robot vacuums, air fryers and an outrageous star prize that’s kept strictly under wraps. From the moment contestants arrive, they’re transported into the glamorous world of Saturday-night television, complete with glossy stages, dazzling lights, dramatic reveals and a giant Gameshow wheel… Seated in state-of-the-art interactive game booths - with their name in lights, a huge red buzzer and cocktails delivered to the table, teams are guided by a charismatic, quick-witted host, as they battle it out on the leaderboard through classic Gameshow challenges including Trivia, Music, Pictures, Speed and ‘come on down’ to the stage bonus rounds. Central to the experience, Gameshow LIVE! will serve a world-class food and drink offering where guests can order signature cocktails and shareable snacks throughout the game by pressing a dedicated service buzzer in their booth. Created by entrepreneurs Josh Ford, creative behind the Swingers crazy golf pop up, and Tristan Hoffman, the operations lead behind the launch of Swingers and The Outernet venues - Gameshow LIVE! promises to shake up the industry by blending competitive socialising and immersive theatre with premium food, drinks and hospitality, in a high-tech ‘interactive entertainment’ venue. Josh Ford, Gameshow LIVE! founder, comments: Gameshow LIVE! takes the magic of the TV game shows we grew up with and transforms it into a high-tech, high-energy night out. The competitive socialising sector has evolved rapidly, and now is the perfect time to introduce something genuinely new. I’m confident our combination of nostalgia, spectacle and pure competitive joy will delight guests, from those looking for an unforgettable night out to those secretly turning up purely for the chance to win a speedboat. Tristan Hoffman, Co-founder, comments: Entertainment is at an exciting moment, where the desire for live experiences, the thrill of competition and the joy of human interaction converge - bringing new ideas and old favourites to life. Gameshow LIVE! is another genre-defining concept from the curious mind of Josh Ford, which reminds us all to have a bit of fun. Gameshow LIVE! can host up to 200 guests at a time in 40 seated game booths. Whether competing with friends or taking the whole office for an unforgettable work party, it’s immersive, interactive, and irresistibly over-the-top. Gameshow LIVE! will open Spring 2026 in Central London. For more information and to sign up for pre-sale access, visit gameshow-live.com

Photo: Matt Crockett This Christmas, globally-acclaimed scene makers DesignScene and immersive storytellers Secret Theatre will present The Nutcracker Noir - a brand-new immersive dining experience and modern reimagining of the classic Christmas tale that promises to be THE festive dining show of the season. Transforming Protein Studios in the heart of Shoreditch into a festive extravaganza for a limited time (26th November to 21st December 2025), this immersive dining experience combines world-class performances, mischief and theatrical storytelling with decadent dishes from immersive dining specialist Jenny McNeill at Feast & Fable (Gingerline, Fat Duck). Inspired by Tchaikovsky’s 1892 ballet, this dazzling show follows the story of an orphan raised in a fantastical world, Clara, as she searches for her long-lost father and somehow ends up directing her own wild adaptation of The Nutcracker in her quest to save her father’s theatre. Through striking immersive design and next-level storytelling, guests will be taken on an otherworldly adventure as they make their way through five interactive spaces filled with captivating performances, hidden surprises and extraordinary characters – think secret spaces, Christmas bodegas, fantasy elves and a journey to the North Pole – all preparing them for the incredible night ahead as they emerge into the spectacularly grand theatre for the main show. The Nutcracker Noir features a truly exceptional cast, showcasing some of the brightest talent fresh from London’s West End. Anita Nicole (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime) takes centre stage as Clara, joined by Jairus McClanahan (Hamilton) as her younger brother Frank Zane, and Patrick Wilden (Cabaret, Stage Door) as Jazz, Frank’s best friend and a fellow lost boy. Photo: Matt Crockett The cast also includes a stellar lineup of immersive and musical theatre performers: Christopher Howell (Punchdrunk) as Elf Eldar, Jessica Alonso (Pelotas, Vampire Virus, Art of Dying - Hong Kong, The Great Gatsby - Madrid) as Madame Zel, a theatre critic who plays a key role in the show’s direction, and Shoko Ito (Wicked, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker) as Clara’s best friend, Angie. David-Michael Johnson (The Bodyguard, Starlight Express and Dirty Dancing) appears as Clara’s long-lost father, and Alex Codd - renowned for his work as Assistant Choreographer to Gary Lloyd on Rehab and most recently as choreographer on Beauty and the Beast - joins the story as a mysterious outsider whom Clara entrusts to help bring the Nutcracker to life. Photo: Matt Crockett Rounding out the ensemble, Tianna Sealy-Jewiss (BOMBAY SUPERSTAR, Rock of Ages, Cross Roads) plays Future, a phenomenal dancer who has lost their way and finds renewed inspiration through Clara. Phoebe Coray (Celebrity Cruises, Sex Education on Netflix, War 2, The Collection on Amazon Prime) plays Flow, a wild Welsh talent who caught Clara’s eye as London's most fantastic specialist performer. Finally, Safeena Ladha (39 Steps - West-End and UK tour, The Great Gatsby, Immersive Everywhere; Dracula - A Comedy of Terrors) steps into the role of Saffy the Deck Slayer, blending movie quotes, game sounds and pop culture references between nostalgic tunes to create her signature DJ style. Entertained at every turn, The Nutcracker Noir promises to be the ultimate Christmas dining experience. Filled with fun, frivolity and flamboyance, the experience allows guests to be as involved in the storyline as they like – whether they want to be at the heart of the action or prefer to sit back and take it all in. Together, this dynamic ensemble will deliver soaring vocals, powerful drama, and a touch of mystery, elevating the immersive Christmas dining experience to extraordinary new heights. Adapted and co-directed by immersive pioneer Richard Crawford (SE7EN / The Great Gatsby), co-directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd (Thriller Live / Heathers) and co-produced by Atilla Keskin, founder of DesignScene (Amazon MGM Studios, Apple, Pinterest and Bacardi), the production will feature some of the city’s finest talent. Photos: Matt Crockett Designed for groups who love the unexpected, twinned with a hint of the decadent, The Nutcracker Noir promises guests a seasonal experience like no other and is set to create a new standard for festive dining experiences. Showcasing a uniquely designed food and drink concept curated by leading immersive dining specialist Jenny McNeill’s Feast + Fable (Fat Duck, Gingerline), combined with original storytelling and a newly imagined world, it truly is the ultimate Christmas party. The waitlist will open from 25th September, and tickets will be available to purchase during the general on-sale from 30th September 2025. The Nutcracker Noir will run at Protein Studios near Shoreditch High Street from 26th November to 21st December 2025. Tickets are priced from £48 for Bar Seating (Show Ticket) and £180 for a shared Club Table (inclusive of a three-course meal). VIP tickets range from £240 to £300 per person. To book tickets, visit nutcracker-noir.co.uk

Image: Punchdrunk Enrichment Punchdrunk Enrichment have announced the cast for the world premiere of their new show, Fireside Tales. An enchanting interactive adventure for children aged 7-11 and their grown-ups, running at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park, Brent, from 6th December 2025 to 4 January 2026. The cast announced today (who will rotate two roles in the production) are Siddiqua Akhtar (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, BBC/Netflix; Tartuffe, Birmingham Rep), Rebecca Clark (who has performed recently with Frantic Assembly and Complicité), Amari Harris (who has collaborated with venues including the Old Vic and Half Moon Theatre in his work as a storyteller and drama facilitator) and Alex Stedman (The Lost Lending Library, Punchdrunk Enrichment; Murder On The Orient Express, UK & Ireland Tour). Photos: Rebecca Clark, Siddiqua Akthar, Alex Steadman (Yellowbelly Photo), Amari Harris (Suzi Corker) For thousands of years, people have gathered around fires to share stories. But this tradition is fading, and many are at risk of being lost. Now, a new story has arrived: faint as an ember, not yet ready to be told. It needs help to stay alive. Without care, the fire might fade, be forgotten or take on a dangerous new form. Fireside Tales is a show about the stories we tell, the ones we pass down, the ones we forget and what happens when we take the time to listen. Audiences are invited to step into a magical world where stories flicker like flames and imagination keeps them burning bright. Developed with schools, Fireside Tales encourages young audiences to draw, write and share their own stories. The show is written and directed by incoming Artistic Director of Punchdrunk Enrichment Steve McCourt, with additional material devised by the company. The creative team also includes design by Mydd Pharo, costume design by Melissa Simon-Hartman, lighting design by Sarah Readman and sound design by Dominic Kennedy. Additional early evening performances at 7.30pm (for grown-ups only) and extra weekend performances are now on sale due to popular demand, with tickets available via the Punchdrink Enrichment website. Video: Punchdrunk Enrichment Ahead of Fireside Tales opening, from 16th to 18th October, outgoing Artistic Director and CEO of Punchdrunk Enrichment, Peter Higgin, will embark on an epic 100-mile charity run from the Isle of Wight to Wembley Park over 3 days in a remarkable effort to raise £25,000 for Punchdrunk Enrichment. The money will help Punchdrunk Enrichment reach more children and families, particularly those with limited access to arts and cultural experiences. Funds raised through the Founder to Future Challenge will support their core work: keeping ticket prices affordable, offering schools highly subsidised creative learning projects, and developing bold, imaginative experiences that place children at the heart of the story. For more details, see here. Fireside Tales will run at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park from 6th December 2025 to 4th January 2026. Tickets are priced from £15, and can be booked via punchdrunkenrichment.org

Image: Mundo Pixar Step into the vibrant world of Pixar like never before. Mundo Pixar Experience is a multi-sensory exhibition which offers fans of all ages a chance to enter the universes of Pixar’s most iconic films. Relive the stories that have shaped generations up close at London's Wembley Park from 13th February 2026. Following its record-breaking success in Brazil, Mexico, Belgium and Spain, where it welcomed over 3.2 million visitors and received widespread acclaim, Mundo Pixar Experience now arrives in the UK for the very first time. The Experience also launches ahead of the release of two brand-new Pixar films coming to cinemas in 2026 - the new original Hoppers, which opens in March, and the eagerly anticipated Toy Story 5 in June. Photo: Mundo Pixar Set in a purpose-built venue in Wembley Park, the exhibition will span more than 3,500 square metres, and will feature 14 Pixar universes, including over 25 sculptures, inviting guests to explore meticulously recreated environments from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Coco, Up, and many more fan favourites. Each space combines detailed set design, ambient music, and specially crafted scents to immerse visitors in Pixar’s most beloved stories. Visitors can shrink down to toy size in Andy’s Room from Toy Story, explore the Scare Floor from Monsters, Inc. with Mike and Sulley, race into Flo’s Café from Cars to meet Lightning McQueen, or soar through the skies with Carl Fredricksen from Up. They can also visit the Headquarters of Riley’s emotions from Inside Out 2, and journey from Coco's Land of the Living to the Land of the Dead. Photo: Mundo Pixar Presented by Golden Peak Live Entertainment, in collaboration with Proactiv Entertainment, RG Live, Senbla, and Luna, the London edition will also include a brand-new room created exclusively for this stop on the world tour - debuting for the very first time at Wembley Park and offering a unique experience available only in the UK. Beyond the immersive sets, guests can take part in a special Pixar Ball Treasure Hunt, searching for the famous yellow ball with a red star hidden throughout the exhibition - a playful nod to the beloved Easter egg that appears in many Pixar films. Photo: Mundo Pixar London's Mundo Pixar Experience is accessible for visitors with motor, hearing, visual, and neurodivergent disabilities, ensuring that everyone can share in the creativity and joy of Pixar’s storytelling. This trailblazing exhibition is a heartfelt journey through 40 years of imagination, emotion, and innovation - celebrating the timeless stories that continue to inspire children, families, and fans around the world. Photo: Mundo Pixar Mundo Pixar Experience opens in Wembley Park on 13th February 2026. To find out more and sign up for the presale, visit mundopixar.com

As the nights grow colder and the dark draws near, a light glows in the distance. It’s inviting you to take part in the ritual of the fire season. Punchdrunk Enrichment (Enitan’s Game, The Lost Lending Library) have announced a brand-new show for Christmas. Fireside Tales, written and directed by Steve McCourt, is an enchanting interactive adventure for children aged 7-11 and their grown-ups, running at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park, Brent, from 6 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. For thousands of years, people have gathered around fires to share stories. But this tradition is fading, and many are at risk of being lost. Now, a new story has arrived: faint as an ember, not yet ready to be told. It needs help to stay alive. Without care, the fire might fade, be forgotten or take on a dangerous new form. Fireside Tales is a show about the stories we tell, the ones we pass down, the ones we forget and what happens when we take the time to listen. Audiences are invited to step into a magical world where stories flicker like flames and imagination keeps them burning bright. Developed with schools, Fireside Tales encourages young audiences to draw, write and share their own stories. Writer and director Steve McCourt said: As someone who has dedicated their career to providing platforms for youth voice, ‘Fireside Tales’ stands as an exciting opportunity for the children of Brent and beyond to share their stories with the world. For millennia, we have gathered to share tales of resilience, hope and home - in an increasingly isolating world, it’s essential we hold on to that spark of imagination and the flame of community spirit. Punchdrunk Enrichment was founded in 2008 to take the innovative practice of Punchdrunk into communities and schools. Punchdrunk are celebrated as pioneers of a new form of theatre in which roaming audiences experience epic storytelling inside sensory theatrical worlds. Today, Punchdrunk Enrichment is an independent charity creating transformational theatrical experiences for education, community, and family audiences.   Previous productions include Enitan’s Game (the first show to be staged in the company’s own unique immersive venue, Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores, in Brent), The Lost Lending Library (Edinburgh International Festival and now touring internationally), Against Captain’s Orders  (created in partnership with the National Maritime Museum), Greenhive Green (which took place in a care home for older people including those with dementia) and digital experiences The Wild Visitor and Our Home Story. Brent-based theatre maker and educator Steve McCourt has created work alongside some of the most celebrated companies (Tall Stories, Blind Summit, Improbable) on some of the world’s most recognised stages, including the West End (The Lyric, The Vaudeville), Sydney Opera House and Bregenzer Festspiele. His work ignites intergenerational conversation and champions youth voice as a driver for change. Originally trained as a performer, Steve is an Associate Artist of The Arts Centre, Hounslow and Associate Director at Punchdrunk Enrichment. Punchdrunk Enrichment are based in Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park. Their mission is to celebrate the power of the imagination and storytelling to empower young people to be the best that they can be, whilst offering training for educators and artists and providing support for local creatives. Brent residents can get a 20% discount on tickets for Fireside Tales by signing up to the Punchdrunk Enrichment mailing list. Fireside Tales will run at Punchdrunk Enrichment Stores in Wembley Park from 6th December 2025 to 4th January 2026. Tickets are priced from £15, and can be booked via punchdrunkenrichment.org

Photo: Wundrful World of Christmas A much-loved Christmas phenomenon is set to make its UK debut this winter, bringing an extraordinary festive experience to families, right in the heart of London. Having fully sold out last year and delighted thousands of families in Australia, Wundrful World of Christmas is now coming to the UK for the very first time. This 50-minute-long immersive, festive adventure will open in a specially selected venue just moments from Borough Market, transforming one of London’s most historic neighbourhoods into a world of Christmas magic. Set amongst the atmospheric streets of Southwark, with the scents of mulled wine, spices and seasonal treats in the air, Wundrful World of Christmas will offer a truly unforgettable seasonal experience, as families will be welcomed into a mixed reality realm filled with wonder and festive cheer. Photo: Wundrful World of Christmas Created by immersive entertainment company Wundr, and produced in partnership with UK-based Live Venture Group, the experience invites guests on a 50-minute walk-through, theatrical journey to the North Pole. Blending rich storytelling, live performance, dynamic animated content, projection screen technology, detailed sets and sensory design, Wundrful World of Christmas is a magical and interactive celebration of the season. Children and their grown-ups will journey through a series of fantastical rooms, guided by a cast of animated characters and real-life actors. They will have the chance to meet Santa’s hard-working elves, sort magical mail, and travel skyward in a simulated lift ride to explore a snowy ‘Wundrland’, enjoy festive tales with Mrs Claus in her cosy cottage, and finish with a heart-warming encounter and photo opportunity with Santa Claus himself, a family moment to treasure. Photo: Wundrful World of Christmas Perfect for young believers aged 3 to 8 and their families, Wundrful World of Christmas is a celebration of imagination, wonder and joy, offering a brand-new way to experience the magic of Christmas for families in London. Speaking on the experience, Andy Edwards and Justin James, Co-CEOs of Wundr, comment: We’re thrilled to be bringing Wundrful World of Christmas to the UK. The response to our concept has been incredible, and we’ve used that energy to deepen the magic, add surprises and create something even more unforgettable for the stunning Borough location. The UK can expect to see something really special this winter. Antony Warren and Mike Levin of Live Venture Group added: We are so excited to be partnering with Wundr as they transform iconic locations into exciting new worlds filled with magic and joy. We look forward to working with their creative team to help deliver an exceptional fan experience and offer our dynamic city a new and memorable location to celebrate the festive season. Photo: Wundrful World of Christmas Wundrful World of Christmas runs in Borough Yards near London Bridge from 7th November to 24th December 2025. Tickets are priced from £17.50 and include a group/family photo with Santa Claus. For more information and to book tickets, visit wundr.live/london

Image: Grant Walker/HUMBUG This festive season, dive into a full-throttle, immersive blowout of festive magic, mayhem and mischief as HUMBUG: Santa’s Christmas Dive Bar Experience makes its return to London for the festive season. Returning to its original location at the iconic Waterloo Vaults, HUMBUG is bringing back the Christmas magic to a fully transformed festive venue to deliver a vibrant, immersive party experience like no other. Santa’s been working overtime for centuries - now it’s time to return the favour. He’s back, and he's not just checking his list; he’s throwing the ultimate Christmas blowout. Humbug is taking festive cheer to the next level with a raucous 2-hour, immersive Christmas party, where the big man himself brings joy (and booze) on tap. Revellers are invited to party with the ONLY man who truly sleighs. Expect live music, Christmas cabaret sing-alongs, immersive storytelling, and hidden experiences. And for those who love to get merry the most, they will be rewarded with confetti cannons, festive surprises, and the most joyfully chaotic celebration on earth. Image: Grant Walker/HUMBUG At Humbug, guests step into a one-of-a-kind Christmas at Santa’s cherished watering hole, where party and performance collide in a whirlwind of high-energy antics, flamboyant theatrics, and festive surprises. Expect immersive storytelling, live performances, sing-alongs, games, and nonstop holiday fun! More than a themed bar, Humbug is a ticketed show that redefines Christmas celebrations, blending walkthrough theatre sets, dazzling special effects, a live band, and a world of festive mischief. At its heart, it’s an outrageous production that combines immersive storytelling with the energy of a wild Christmas party. With space for 256 guests per night, it’s the ultimate festive knees up with the greatest holiday tunes of all time, live on-stage entertainment, a massive hit of nostalgia and an epic house band playing every night, all set against a backdrop of colourful Christmas lights, dazzling neon, mistletoe and festive memorabilia. Image: Grant Walker/HUMBUG Explore Santa’s ‘Grotto’, a shrine dedicated to Mariah Carey - the queen of Christmas, as well as a festive-themed beer can bowling alley. Along the way, guests will encounter a line-up of the finest cabaret from HUMBUG regulars, including Daphne the sassy waitress, Rudie the ever-energetic landlord, Howard the mailman who will be delivering more than just ‘letters to Santa’, and of course the big man himself, whether he’s merry, moody, or slightly tipsy, Santa’s sure to spread the festive spirit. Throughout the night, guests can sip on festive tipples from HUMBUG’s ‘Naughty or Nice’ cocktail list, before tucking into a full menu of festive street food from Bang Bang Burger – including their legendary Christmas Humburgers. Created by Speakeasy Project, HUMBUG is no ordinary night out – it’s a wild, joy-fuelled celebration packed with great drinks, magical moments, and unapologetic festive fun. Whether visiting with friends, planning an office bash, or just chasing a guaranteed good time, HUMBUG delivers. This fully immersive experience rewards both the naughty and nice – and promises a night that’s anything but forgettable. Images: Grant Waler/HUMBUG HUMBUG will run from 18th November to 31st December 2025 at The Vaults, Leake Street. Tickets are on sale at 10am on 9th September 2025 via humbugchristmas.co.uk and are priced from £22.00 per person.

From boozy immersive dive-bars, to fantastical Christmas adventures and festive three-course meals, here are our recommendations for the best immersive shows in London this side of New Year's... With the nights drawing in and the temperature beginning to drop, Christmas is fast approaching. While London has no shortage of festive activities (we're looking at you Winter Wonderland..), you might be looking for something a bit more interactive and immersive. We've made a list, checked it twice, and these are our picks of London's best immersive experiences this Christmas. From family-friend festive adventures to immersive three-course meals and adults-only parties with Santa, these are the top immersive offerings this Christmas.. Phantom Peak: Christmas at the Peak - The Beast of Winter Hot on the heels of its excellent Halloween season, the town of Phantom Peak will get a festive makeover for Christmas at the Peak. A continuation of the show's ongoing story, this Christmas edition of the platypus-obsessed mining town will have 10 brand-new festive trails for guests to complete. Last year's Christmas season saw storylines including Father Platmus trying to escape imprisonment, the evil Dr Winter being visited by the ghosts of Past, Present and Future, and Leadbelly - the town's Health and Safety Officer attempting to crack down on unauthorised gift-giving. This year, there's an add-on experience where guests can visit Father Platmus in their Wintermas Grotto, which we're sure will be a great addition to what is already a jam-packed event. Guests will also be able to compete for the Sleigh Queen crown, join Hogwood's Holiday Film-a-thon, attend the Snow Ball, and those looking to sharpen their wits can test their skills in The Wintermas Games. To finish all the trails, you'll need at least two visits, but a one-off trip is still a great experience, with the various storylines you complete throughout the 4-hour long experience being wrapped up neatly during the closing ceremony. This Christmas, experience Phantom Peak’s very own alternative festive celebration, Wintermas! Step into a town brimming with Wintermas joy as the townsfolk prepare for the arrival of their very own seasonal being, Father Platmus! The town is in lockdown, with all your favourite characters gathered together to make sure the town is set for the big arrival. Imagine entering a vintage Victorian postcard from a parallel world, complete with an odd and slightly old-school Father Christmas figure, festive platypuses knitted by Serbian grandmothers, and a huge tree festooned with all kinds of whimsical Phantom Peak frippery! 📍 Canada Water 💰 From £39.99 🕒 24th November - 30th December 2023 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure Secret Cinema return to London after an excursion up to Birmingham earlier in the year to mount a brand new, original show called Wishmas. The hour-long walk-through experience (which may be the new norm for the company..) will have guests journey alongside new wishes on their way to Father Christmas' workshop. The experience includes a ride on the Wishmas train, encounters with Wishkeepers and Robin, and, of course, a face-to-face with Father Christmas himself. There are various ticket types on offer, with upgrades including a private audience with Father Christmas and the chance to make your own memento in a crafts workshop. Wishmas is a captivating 60+ minute walkthrough experience that seamlessly blends the best of theatrical entertainment with the immersive wonder from Secret Cinema and Punchdrunk alums. Here, you'll encounter beloved and festive characters as you journey through the story of your Christmas wish. Wishmas is a breathtaking new standard of Christmas adventure, promising an unforgettable journey, teeming with incredible characters and mesmerising sights. 📍 Waterloo 💰 From £29.00 🕒 14th November 2023 - 7th January 2024 🎟️ Book via wishmas.co.uk Humbug: The Immersive Christmas Dive Bar The co-founder of Backyard Cinema and one of Immersive Everywhere's executive producers are bringing a new immersive experience to London this Christmas. Humbug - an immersive Christmas dive-bar is opening in Waterloo this November and will welcome guests into a 4-hour-long party with the big man himself. Split into two halves, with live music, festive DJ and sing-alongs following the 2-hour main show, this adults-only experience will see guests try to help Santa regain his Christmas spirit in his favourite watering hole alongside a cast of characters including the disgruntled dive bar waitress and a mailman who's lost all their letters to Santa. A mix of immersive storytelling, Christmas cabaret and festive cocktails, it promises to be a fun-filled party with something for everyone. Cocktails on offer will include 'The Grinch' and the 'Bah F****ing Humbug', which comes with a mince pie on top! Humbug is a brand-new Christmas adventure, set in a never-before-seen venue, hidden under Waterloo station. After uncovering the secret entrance, travel down a magical tunnel of Christmas lights to discover an unbelievable world of games and festivities. Here you will enjoy a 2-hour interactive show, where you meet Santa and his friends for a fun-filled evening of live performance and Christmas shenanigans. After the show the festivities continue into the night with live music, DJs, and sing-alongs. 📍 Waterloo 💰 From £29.50 🕒 15th November 2023 - 6th January 2024 🎟️ Book via humbugchristmas.co.uk The Great Christmas Feast - An Immersive Dining Experience The Great Christmas Feast is one of London's immersive dining mainstays. Now entering its sixth year, the show has quickly become many people's annual tradition - and for good reason. It's Christmas Eve 1894, and Charles Dickens is opening the doors to his home to guests - this immersive production of A Christmas Carol is famed for its world-class storytelling and excellent menu. Guests will tuck into a three-course meal designed by Ashley Clarke that's described as a 'love letter to Christmas in Victorian London'. From Smithfield Ham Hock Press or Covent Garden Pease Pudding for starters, and Michaelmas Duck or Tourte au Magi for your main, the meal is rounded off with Epiphany Tart - a black treacle and sweet ginger tart with Chantilly cream and mulled winter berry coulis. Additionally, there's a selection of Victorian-inspired cocktails on offer, including the legendary Smoking Bishop, the mysterious Rumfustian and the urbane Marley & Rye. With the backing of live music performed by violinist Guy Button, cellist Charlotte Kaslin and percussionist Beth Higham-Edwards, Alex Phelps (Shakespeare’s Globe) stars as Charles Dickens in the immersive show that's seen critical acclaim and sold out performances for the last five years. You'll see Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas come to life around you through the course of the 3-hour show. Travel back in time to Christmas Eve 1843 and step inside the enchanted home of Charles Dickens. As night draws in, Charles leads you and your fellow guests through a critically acclaimed immersive production of A Christmas Carol, accompanied by cinematic live music and a three-course Victorian feasting menu. Sold-out for five years and now in its sixth year, every Great Christmas Feast is a special occasion, and the experience continues to evolve. Bigger and better than ever before, a legendary night of feasting, drinking and fantasy awaits. Just remember – Marley was dead to begin with... 📍 West Kensington 💰 From £149.50 🕒 14th November - January 14th 2024 🎟️ Book via christmasfeast.thelostestate.com Velvet Pines - Immersive Christmas Party Swamp Motel has long been a shape-shifter when it comes to immersive experiences. With every new production, they seem to reinvent themselves. From the excellent Zoom-based escape experience Isklander, to The Drop - one of the most innovative and meta pieces of immersive entertainment we've ever experienced and more recently Saint Jude, the AI-infused audio experience that debuted earlier this year, no two Swamp Motel shows are the same. They return for Christmas with a brand-new experience - Velvet Pines. A mix of fine dining, immersive cabaret performances and meticulous set design, this immersive Christmas party is their most ambitious show to date. With a menu designed by Omar Foster (Masterchef 2023 Finalist), their retro-inspired but wholly inventive three-course menu includes Roasted Jerusalem artichoke, duck miso bourguignon and an iconic Bombe Alaska. By way of entertainment, there's a troupe of artists including aerial performer Angeliki Nikolakaki, performer Ash Weir (But I'm a Cheerleader - Turbine Theatre) and Ginger Johnson (currently on Series 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK) on select dates. Oh, did we also mention there's a yeti on the loose?! Welcome to the alpine town of Velvet Pines. The storm of the century is rolling in, and we’re cut off from rescue. You’ll need to brave the blizzard and take shelter at the hotel, populated by a cast of charming characters devoted to keeping your festive spirits up, even if the power in the town is down. Fortunately, this plucky ensemble has everything you need for an unforgettable Christmas party. Enjoy a drinks reception in the hotel... reception, then take your seat in the grand lodge, dripping in 70’s inspired design. The staff will be working hard to keep the emergency generator humming along as the dining hall plays host to a troupe of daring cabaret acts, a charismatic host and a truly sumptuous menu of incredible Christmas food and cocktails. 📍 London Bridge 💰 From £149.95 🕒 9th November - December 23rd 2023 🎟️ Book via velvetpines.co.uk For the latest news and updates on all things immersive in London, follow us on Twitter or Instagram 🎅

From boozy immersive dive bars, to fantastical Christmas adventures and festive three-course meals, here are our recommendations for the best immersive experiences in London this side of New Year's... With the nights drawing in and the temperature beginning to drop, Christmas is fast approaching. While London has no shortage of festive activities, you might be on the lookout for something a bit more interactive and immersive. We've made a list, checked it twice, and these are our picks of London's best immersive experiences this Christmas. From family-friend festive adventures to immersive three-course meals and adults-only parties with Santa, these are the top immersive offerings this Christmas... HUMBUG! Immersive Christmas Dive Bar Photo: Grant Walker Returning for 2024 following a sold-out season on Leake Street beneath Waterloo Station, HUMBUG is an immersive adults-only Christmas dive bar experience. Split into two halves, with live music, festive DJs and singalongs following the 2-hour main show, guests need to try and help Santa regain their Christmas spirit in his favourite watering hole alongside a cast of characters including Daphne, the disgruntled dive bar waitress, Rudy, the bar's overworked owner, and Howard the mailman, who's misplaced all of the letters addressed to Santa after one too many cocktails. This year, the experience is bigger than ever, taking over The Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, and includes brand-new rooms and spaces including a hectic mailroom, Santa’s ‘Grotto’, a shrine dedicated to the Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, and a festive themed beer can bowling alley. Throughout the night, guests can sip on festive tipples from HUMBUG’s ‘Naughty or Nice’ cocktail menu including the ‘Bah F*****g Humbug’, which comes with a mince pie on top, before refuelling in the spacious outdoor courtyard where they can tuck into a full menu of festive-themed street food from Bang Bang Burger. Photo: Grant Walker Santa’s been working overtime for centuries and he’s hit breaking point so, of course, he’s back at his favourite dive bar where Christmas cheer (and booze) is available on tap. Along with some of Santa’s closest friends, guests will be tasked with bringing their Christmas A-game, ready to help the big man get his groove back and, as long as they do, everyone will be rewarded with an epic party complete with confetti canons, merriment and festive surprises. Photos: Grant Walker 📍 Brick Lane 💰 From £25.00 🕒 14th November - 31st December 2024 🎟️ Book via humbugchristmas.co.uk PHantom Peak's Wintermas Photo: Alistair Veryard Hot on the heels of its excellent Halloween season, the town of Phantom Peak will once again be getting a festive makeover for its Christmas offering, Wintermas. Continuing the show's ongoing story, this festive version of the platypus-obsessed mining town will have 10 brand-new festive trails for guests to complete. Last year's Wintermas saw the return of demigod Father Platmas, who vowed to take down JONACO following their imprisonment in a make-shift jail during Phantom Peak's first Wintermas. Mayor Pocket, who had just been re-elected, cordoned off a large part of town around Father Platmas' Grotto and a Defence Centre was erected to try and keep them at bay - a plan that ultimately failed. The specifics of what's in store this Wintermas are still under wraps, but it's safe to assume that the town will be on high alert for the return of the man in purple. To finish all the trails on offer at Phantom Peak you'll need at least two visits, but a one-off trip is still a great experience, with the various storylines you complete throughout the 4-hour long experience all getting wrapped up neatly during the closing ceremony. Photos: Alistair Veryard Step into Phantom Peak's one-of-a-kind Wintermas celebrations, where festive fun meets the usual adventures and mystery of town. Join Mayor Pocket, Dr Winter, and all of your favourite townsfolk as we present a season full of surprises, schemes, shivers, and secrets - a season where the town itself faces the biggest challenge yet. Phantom Peak is a family-friendly experience, and the free-roaming, experience-at-your-own-pace design of the show means you can take a break from the storylines at any time and pick them back up without missing anything. There's a string of additional activities on offer beside the trails, including carnival games, Afternoon Tea, Father Platmas Grotto visits and the Wintermas Puzzle Hunt for those looking to pack their visit full of extra festive cheer. 📍 Canada Water 💰 From £42.00 🕒 21st November 2024 - 19th January 2025 🎟️ Book via phantompeak.com The Great Christmas Feast - An Immersive Dining Experience Photo: The Lost Estate The Great Christmas Feast is one of London's immersive dining mainstays. Now entering its seventh year, the show is quickly become many people's annual tradition - and for good reason. It's Christmas Eve 1894, and Charles Dickens is opening the doors to his home to guests - this immersive production of A Christmas Carol is famed for its world-class storytelling and excellent menu. Guests will tuck into a three-course meal designed by Ashley Clarke that's described as a 'love letter to Christmas in Victorian London'. From Smithfield Pressing or Spiced Beets Terrine for starters and Confit Gressingham Duck or Devon Tart for your main, the meal is rounded off with Twelfth Night Cake. Additionally, there's a selection of Victorian-inspired cocktails on offer including the legendary Smoking Bishop, Pear Tree Cup, and the House Punch. Alex Phelps (Shakespeare’s Globe) stars as Charles Dickens in the immersive show that's seen critical-acclaim and sold-out performances for the last five years. You'll see Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas come to life around you through the course of the 3-hour show. Christmas Eve. Charles Dickens – writer, performer, occasional magician – is preparing his famous annual feast at his home near Regents Park. This year is very different. Charles has spent months stalking the City at midnight; locked in his study, weeping and gaffawing at who knows what; ushering vast theatrical machines into his home amid the pre-dawn light. Tonight, you, and his other guests, will discover why. Tonight, ‘A Christmas Carol’, the greatest festive tale ever told, will be born. 📍 West Kensington 💰 From £135.00 🕒 1st November 2024 - 12th January 2025 🎟️ Book via christmasfeast.thelostestate.com Dead Hard - Immersive Christmas Drag Panto Photo: Yippee Theatre Brand new immersive theatre company, Yippee Theatre, will debut their first production this festive season at COLAB Tower on South Bank. Dead Hard is an immersive drag pantomime, which will lovingly send up the long-debated Christmas classic, Die Hard (which is 100% a Christmas film by the way!). The show will see Hands Grubber and John McClean facing off against each other over the course of 150 minutes. Expect plenty of lip-sync battles, thrilling heist scenes, and unexpected romantic moments, all set to a soundtrack that will have you singing along. Photos: Yippee Theatre Audiences will follow fabulous drag queen Hands Grubber and the daring John McClean. Join John as they journey from being a gym bro to exploring their sexuality through a series of explosive encounters and comedic twists. All set against the backdrop of a Christmas party gone wrong, this production pushes the boundaries of traditional pantomime through a completely immersive environment. Taking on the role of the antagonist, Hands Grubber is Toby Osmond (Game of Thrones, Summerland) who will perform alongside their counterpart, Alex Dowding (NewsRevue, Jack and the Beanstalk) as John McClean. Calum Robshaw (East 15 Acting School, Boomtown Festival) is multi-rolling as Theo/Neo when siding with Grubber and as Holly, McClean’s wife. Jacqui Bardelang (The Nevers, BATSU!) appears as Towel in this riotous parody of a Christmas tale! 📍 London Bridge 💰 From £32.00 🕒 10th December 2024 - 12th January 2025 🎟️ Book via colabtheatre.co.uk Viola’s Room – A Christmas Tale While Punchdrunk's latest show, Viola's Room, may have been running since May at the company's Woolwich headquarters, it's had a festive re-theme ahead of its final performances on 23rd December. Based on Barry Pain's gothic short story, The Moon Slave, Viola's Room invites guests to explore a maze of rooms and passageways barefoot, while listening to Helena Bonham Carter’s narration through headphones. Over the course of 45 minutes, visitors follow the story of Princess Viola, a teenage girl who finds herself drawn to the centre of a hedge maze one evening and compulsively dances for hours on end after surrendering her free will to the Moon. It's a wonderfully moody and atmospheric experience which is unlike anything else on offer in London. From 20 November through to the end of the run, Viola’s Room will undergo a festive transformation with the launch of Viola’s Room: A Christmas Tale. Featuring Christmas music alongside other seasonal twists, visitors will be able to experience a different version of Punchdrunk’s intimate, linear immersive tale. An audio-driven journey through a moonlit fever dream. Barefoot and wearing headphones, audiences feel their way through a labyrinthine installation as an unseen narrator reveals a story of innocence lost and obsession unleashed. Written by Booker Prize-shortlisted Daisy Johnson, Viola’s Room reimagines a classic gothic mystery for a new audience. It distils two decades of Punchdrunk’s immersive practice into an intimate sensory adventure that promises to infuse the dreams of anyone who dares to follow the light. Photo: Julian Abrams/Punchdrunk 📍 Woolwich 💰 From £28.50 🕒 20th November - 23rd December 2024 🎟️ Book via punchdrunk.com Jury Games: Death at the Office Christmas Party Photo: Jury Games Jury Games were born in the midst of the 2020 lockdowns. The brainchild of Tom Black, Joe Ball, Edward Andrews and Ellie Russo, the Zoom-based immersive experience invited attendees to become jury members, who were asked to look over the evidence, talk to suspects and deliberate over their final verdict. With the show becoming a runaway success that ran throughout the pandemic, it later transferred to Theatre Deli near Aldgate for a real-life version. Throughout December on select dates, players can take on Death at the Office Christmas Party, a slightly sillier, festive version of a typical Jury Games show. Over the course of 90 minutes, you'll be reviewing physical evidence, sworn statements, and CCTV footage, as well as interrogating a couple of hungover suspects, to try and get to the bottom of what happened at the office Christmas party in which the company's CEO was found dead. The high-flying CEO of a ride-sharing app dropped dead at his office Christmas party last night. Police suspect foul play but have little to go on. The room was full of witnesses, but can you distinguish the useless gossip from the crucial leads? By comparing CCTV evidence and witness statements with information you can get by questioning two very hungover eyewitnesses, you have a chance of putting together the pieces of last night. Was the boss's sudden death an accident? And if it wasn't, who's to blame? Photo: Jury Games 📍 Aldgate 💰 From £41.65 🕒 6th - 21st December 2024 🎟️ Book via jurygames.com Once Upon a Kingswood Christmas Returning for its second year at Kingswood Arts in Sydenham Hill, Once Upon A Kingswood Christmas is an immersive promenade show designed with families in mind. Running between 45-50 minutes long, the experience takes visitors through several beautiful sets, as characters welcome them into a bespoke Christmas Tale in which they need to help Bella find the Fairtyale Alliance, rescue Father Christmas from the clutches of the Snow Queen and save the festive season. The show has been created by Cerebrum Entertainment, who have previously created immersive experiences for the likes of Warner Bros, New Line Cinema, Amazon Prime and Paramount+. Photo: Cerebrum Entertainment Delve into the magical world of 'Once Upon a Kingswood Christmas' and embark on a journey that will spark wonder and joy in the hearts of both young and old. Our show is a celebration of love, family, and the true spirit of Christmas. Immerse yourself in a captivating tale that will transport you to a winter wonderland like no other. Let your imagination soar as you discover the origins, traditions, and joyous inspirations behind this new and exciting Christmas Fairytale. With every moment you spend, you'll be captivated, amazed, and filled with the warmth of the holiday season. Photos: Cerebrum Entertainment 📍 Kingswood Arts, Sydenham Hill 💰 From £20.00 (Group of 4 for £60.00) 🕒 14th - 24th December 2024 🎟️ Book via onceuponachristmas.uk For the latest news and updates on all things immersive in London, follow us on Instagram 🎅