Image: CityDays/Race Across The World: The Experience Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Race Across The World: The Experience (West End) is the latest city-wide scavenger hunt experience from CityDays. Following hot on the heels of the original race, which launched back in May and had racers covering a route that took in the Barbican, the City and Tower Hill, this new West End edition runs for a limited time over the festive period and covers Mayfair, Soho and Covent Garden. Taking participants through winding backstreets, past Christmas markets and down glistening thoroughfares, it's a race against not only the clock but also other teams, thanks to a digital leaderboard. While the TV series this experience is based on has competitors racing for 50-plus days across multiple countries with little more than a map, a GPS tracker, and a bumbag full of local currency, the festive edition of the London-based race runs anywhere from 2 to 4 hours and sees those taking part cover roughly 5km on foot through Central London. Staples of the BBC series - including budget management and navigating without a map - have been carried over and make up the core of the race's experience. For our team of three, our race began outside Green Park station. After some limbering up and motivational words, we were off into Mayfair to a local business (in our case, a quiet pub about 5 minutes from the tube station) to collect a black Race Across The World: The Experience branded envelope from behind the bar. Within it are six festive postcards from around the globe, a card recounting a trip through a Christmas market, and a sheet of printed A5 paper. The experience's instructions, which are all delivered via WhatsApp, told us to inspect the postcards closely, as they were key to discovering the first pit stop location, whilst the Christmas card and A5 sheet would be needed to solve physical puzzles later in the race. Photo: Jamie Davies With a destination for the first leg soon figured out, one of Race Across The World's most important components - our team's budget - came into play. Just like in the show, each team is provided with a travel budget to spend on their race, totalling £30 of in-game currency. In each of the experience's three legs, teams are presented with two options for directions, each with differing prices. Those with the cash to spare can pay over the odds for clear and concise directions, while those looking to be more frugal can pay less for more obtuse directions that require some lateral thinking to decode. While some points throughout the race are the same for all teams, your initial selection can lead you down a very different path from those who pick the alternative, making every decision you make matter all the more. With in-game currency prices ranging from £15 to £25 for each leg's directions, teams will also need to pick up 'work' along the way, which comes in the form of riddles and puzzles that can be done on the move to top up their budget. If the price of directions isn't already high enough to make a team's wallet cry, there are time penalties for incorrect answers and financial penalties for those who require hints or directions. Photo: Daria Glakteeva At the end of each leg, there's a pit stop which provides teams a chance to catch their breath, and with the clock paused, teams are free to take as long or short a break as they like before resuming the race. During each of these rest periods, an update as to your team's total time so far compared to other racers is delivered via WhatsApp, allowing you to see how efficiently you've made it through each of the legs. Given the time of year, racing in the dark is going to be the reality for a lot of teams. Doing so presents some fun challenges when it comes to navigation and locating the necessary plaques, monuments and sculptures around town, and ups the race's difficulty in comparison to the original version. During one of the race's legs, we were tasked with reading the names attached to several busts, high above street level. Relying on the surrounding ambient light made it far harder to do than it would have been during the day, and spotting far-off street signs and landmarks is equally challenging. On the flip side, racing during daylight hours would rob teams of seeing a lot of the city's best Christmas lights, which is one of this race's biggest selling points, so choose your start time wisely. Photo: Marc Kleen Moving through the affluent streets of Mayfair, the backstreets of Theatreland and the less-trodden passageways of Covent Garden over the next few hours, our team made good time. Of course, there was the occasional wrong turn, but our game plan of paying the higher price for clearer directions, with additional work completed along the way to top up our budget, was paying off. Entering the final leg, we had risen up the leaderboard from third place to first, but with only a 14-second lead, the pressure was on. After navigating around a final horde of tourists, we entered our final pit stop. All that stood between us and immortalising our names in the padlocked check-in book was one final puzzle involving the greeting card we'd been carrying with us for most of the evening. A tense few minutes followed, as we scrambled to complete our last task, and before we knew it, we were done. With our commemorative keepsakes collected from behind the bar, there was nothing left to do but celebrate our success over a drink and reflect on a job well done. Photo: Hert Niks While several of the locations we ended up visiting throughout the race were familiar to us from our collective years of living in London, being a local doesn't give any inherent advantage over those less familiar with the geography of London. The experience often relies on smaller back streets away from the hustle and bustle, so even the most knowledgeable Londoners (black cab drivers excluded) will likely end up somewhere they've never been before. Although those with a competitive side will find themselves obsessing over how much time they've gained or lost in each leg and cursing every red pedestrian traffic light, we suspect even the most casual of players will enjoy seeing how they're stacking up against other racers. Photo: Toa Heftiba Outside of navigating the capital without a map, one of the race's biggest strengths is that it forces you to engage and look at the city around you differently. Racers will spend a lot of time searching for small details on buildings, interrogating the text on memorials and statues, and searching for blue plaques that you'd otherwise walk past without a second thought. Much like for those in the BBC series, the most rewarding moments of the experience come when you're exploring the road less travelled. While London has no shortage of scavenger hunt experiences (CityDays has at least 12 other experiences available, with other companies offering similar themed experiences across all four corners of the city), this West End edition of Race Across The World: The Experience's combination of exploration, budget management and puzzling makes it a great family-friendly activity for those looking to get out of the house, marvel at the Christmas lights and experience the city this festive season. ★★★★ Final race time: 02:40:09 [Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review] Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Race Across The World: The Experience (West End) runs in Central London. Tickets are priced from £25.00 per person and can be booked via feverup.com For more reviews of immersive experiences like Race Across The World: The Experience (West End), check out our recent Reviews.

Image: Race Across the World: The Experience Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Following the launch of Race Across the World: The Experience in London and Manchester last year, CityDays have announced that Race Across the World: The Experience will be coming to three new locations; Edinburgh, Bristol and York, this Spring. This high-stakes experience offers players the chance to live out their Race Across the World dreams by navigating the streets of these historic cities, working as a team, outwitting their competitors, and unlocking the hidden secrets of the city in an unforgettable race to the finish line. Photo: Karl Moran Just like in the show, the experience requires strategy, teamwork, and quick thinking, as players will be given a budget to manage as they race through the city. This budget can be spent on valuable clues to help navigate the next leg of the journey, giving players the freedom to decide how daring they want to be. It's a high-stakes race against the clock, where every decision counts and influences the race, but could also come at a cost. Players will be scored based on their time and how much budget they have left, with their final score ranked on a live leaderboard throughout the day and week. The team that completes the challenge in the fastest time with the most budget remaining will earn a shot at being crowned the daily or weekly champions. Photo: Jarred Kyle Split into three distinct legs that weave through the heart of the three cities, the race takes participants on a 4-5 km mission through this iconic city, typically spanning 2-3 hours. Like Studio Lambert’s format, Race Across The World, this experience highlights the treasures people miss while speeding through the streets on the trams and buses. Along the way, the experience will visit key partner venues, including renowned pubs, cultural hotspots, or famous landmarks, racing through The Shambles in York, The Corn Exchange in Bristol or up to the castle in Edinburgh, each serving as a 'checkpoint' where teams must solve clever, escape room-style puzzles. These puzzles will guide them toward the next leg of the race, offering clues that unveil new parts of the city, all while providing true discovery of hidden gems. Photo: Joss Broward Tom Rymer, Founder of CityDays, said: Following huge success in London and Manchester last year, we are delighted to be bringing the Race Across The World Experience to three new cities: Edinburgh, Bristol and York! New puzzles, new characters, new decisions and new discoveries, all coming soon over three new thrilling races. Are you ready for your race? Jane Sharp, VP Licensing (Operations) at All3Media International, commented: Race Across the World celebrates new discoveries and new destinations - so we are thrilled to continue our successful partnership with City Days’ as three new cities - Bristol, York and Edinburgh - open routes for Race Across The World: The Experience this spring! With six routes launching across five cities in under a year, it’s fantastic to see how adaptable the experience is - and just how strong fans’ appetite for adventure has become. Perfect for groups of friends, family, or colleagues, CityDays’ Race Across the World: The Experience in Edinburgh, Bristol and York promises a fun, fast-paced, and surprising day out. Whether you're an avid fan of the show or simply looking for a unique way to explore the city, this experience is set to deliver a thrilling new way to discover these mesmerising cities on foot. Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Race Across the World: The Experience launches in Edinburgh, Bristol and York this Spring. For more information and to book tickets, visit raceacrosstheworldexperience.com

Image: Race Across the World: The Experience Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Race Across the World: The Experience, the live city-based adventure created by CityDays, is now open in Bristol, Edinburgh, and York, offering a thrilling new experience for friends, families and groups looking for a problem-solving adventure like no other. This exciting experience, in partnership with Studio Lambert, launches participants into the exhilarating world of the hit TV show. Following the success of Race Across the World: The Experience in London and Manchester, players can now take on an all-new adventure through the streets of Bristol, Edinburgh, and York, complete with fresh puzzles, exciting new routes and surprising twists around every corner. Working as a team, competitors must outsmart their rivals while uncovering the hidden secrets of the city in an unforgettable race to the finish line. Photo: Karl Moran Just like the show, the game requires strategy, teamwork and quick thinking. Players are given a budget to manage as they race through the city, spending in-game cash to unlock clues and choose routes for the next leg of the journey. Teams can decide whether to play it safe or take risks in pursuit of victory, with every decision shaping the outcome of the race. Blending the thrill of an interactive game with the excitement of exploring Bristol, Edinburgh, and York, it’s a high-stakes race against the clock where every choice counts. Players are scored based on how quickly they complete the challenge and how much of their budget remains. Final scores are ranked on a live leaderboard throughout the day and week, with the team finishing in the fastest time and with the most budget left crowned daily or weekly champions. Photo: Jarred Kyle The adventure is split into three distinct legs that weave through the heart of the city, taking participants on a 4–5 km mission across Bristol, Edinburgh, and York that typically lasts 2–3 hours. Along the way, teams will discover treasures often missed by those rushing through the city on buses, while experiencing Bristol, Edinburgh, and York in a completely new way. Participants will journey through each city’s most iconic landmarks, cultural hotspots, and hidden gems, with every location acting as a checkpoint where teams solve clever escape-room-style puzzles to unlock the next stage of the race. In Bristol, teams will pass through highlights such as Bristol Cathedral, the Corn Exchange, Temple Gardens, and Princes Wharf, using clues uncovered at each stop to guide them deeper into the city. In Edinburgh, the adventure winds through famous sites including Edinburgh Castle, the Grassmarket and the Scott Monument, with puzzles revealing new parts of the city while showcasing its unique character. Meanwhile, in York, teams will explore historic locations like The Shambles, York Minster, and Dean’s Park, tackling challenges that lead them from one checkpoint to the next and uncover the city’s rich history and hidden corners along the way. Photo: Joss Broward Perfect for groups of friends, families or colleagues, Race Across the World: The Experience in Bristol, Edinburgh, and York promises an exciting, fast-paced and completely unexpected day out. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the show or simply looking for a unique way to explore the city, the experience delivers an unforgettable adventure on foot. You can read our reviews of the West End and City of London versions of Race Across The World: The Experience below: Save 10% on tickets to Race Across The World - The Experience with the code IMMERSIVE10 on Fever. Race Across the World: The Experience is available in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and York. For more information and to book tickets, visit raceacrosstheworldexperience.com

Photo: The Nightmare Realm One of Europe's biggest immersive horror attractions, The Nightmare Realm, is making its UK debut this October, bringing 17 years of Irish horror, storytelling and theatrical spectacle to London for the very first time. Running for just 18 nights from 9th October to 1st November 2026, The Nightmare Realm will transform the historic Avery Hill Mansion in Greenwich into an immersive world of fear, launching its new theme, A Nightmare From Overseas. Founded in Ireland in 2009, The Nightmare Realm has spent the past 17 years creating, producing and operating entirely in Ireland, building an international reputation while remaining an independent Irish brand. Over the years, it has attracted celebrity guests including Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker), Wednesday star Emma Myers, Sweet Tooth star Christian Convery and Irish pop band Wild Youth. 2026 marks its biggest chapter yet as it brings its unique brand of cinematic horror to London for the very first time. Photo: The Nightmare Realm Rather than simply walking through a haunted attraction, guests become part of an unfolding story in which every character, location and encounter has its own history. Every year, The Nightmare Realm creates entirely new worlds from scratch, with original mythology, fresh storylines and brand-new environments, ensuring no two seasons are ever the same. This year's London debut features two brand-new headline experiences. Avery Hill Asylum invites guests inside a Victorian institution where the brilliant but dangerously obsessive Dr Thorne has pushed medical experimentation beyond the limits of humanity. Sundown Manor follows an ancient Irish bloodline that has crossed the Irish Sea in search of fresh victims, bringing a distinctly Irish horror story to London's Halloween season. Images: The Nightmare Realm Connecting both experiences is Halloween Town, The Nightmare Realm's own supernatural midway. More than simply a space between attractions, it is a living village where stories spill into the streets and every resident has their own history, rivalries and secrets. Guests may overhear conversations, uncover hidden mysteries and even discover secret rooms concealed within the town. Halloween Town isn't a break between stories - it is the story, alive, unpredictable and never quite the same twice. Across the site, more than 70 live actors bring the world to life through theatrical performances, cinematic set design, practical illusions, adrenaline-fuelled moments, immersive storytelling and special effects designed to blur the line between theatre and horror. Karl and Sylvia O'Connor, founders of The Nightmare Realm, said: For 17 years we've built worlds people don't just visit – they become part of. Bringing The Nightmare Realm to London is the biggest moment in our history and gives us the opportunity to introduce everything we've created in Ireland to a whole new audience. We can't wait to welcome people into A Nightmare From Overseas. Photo: The Nightmare Realm The Nightmare Realm is a multiple winner of Best Halloween Event in Europe at the ScareTOUR Awards and was also recognised with the Best Costume & Make-Up Award in 2025, cementing its reputation as one of Europe's leading immersive horror experiences. The Nightmare Realm will run at Avery Hill Mansion, Greenwich between 9th October and 1st November 2026. Tickets start from £38 per person. For more information and to book tickets, visit thenightmarerealm.com

Photo: Ben Sherwood In Every Single Sound in the World, the debut clown show from Manchester Fringe’s Best Newcomer nominee Natalie Patuzzo, an alien arrives on Earth with a simple task: to collect every single sound on the planet. Using her voice, everyday objects, and audience interaction, Natalie recreates and generates new sounds. A comedy at heart, Every Single Sound in the World also serves as a meditation on Natalie’s experience as an autistic person, and the alienation children with autism experience through presentations such as Echolalia - the repetition of words, phrases, or sounds, often as a response to something heard. Ahead of the show's upcoming Edinburgh Fringe debut at Greenside on George Street, we caught up with Natalie to learn more about the inspiration behind Every Single Sound in the World, the audience's role in bringing it to life, and what she hopes people take away from the experience. Immersive Rumours: Hi Natalie, thanks for speaking with us today. Do you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about Every Single Sound in the World for those unfamiliar with the show? Natalie Patuzzo: Hello! Yes, I'm a theatre maker/clown based in Manchester, and Every Single Sound In The World is my debut clown show about an alien visiting us on a mission to collect all of the sounds from planet Earth. Immersive Rumours: What can audiences expect to be involved with as part of the show? Natalie Patuzzo: Well, a crucial part of the show is the audience helping my character discover sounds! This means that you might be invited to make sounds with me using objects and your voices, and I might invite you on stage for some playful moments together (I'm trying not to give too much away!). Immersive Rumours: Can you tell us a bit about the initial inspiration for Every Single Sound in the World, and how that evolved into the show audiences will see this August? Natalie Patuzzo: The show was actually originally inspired by a TikTok trend called 'make the noise'. In this trend, people would make sounds with objects and try to make the same sound with their voices. I would play it with my flatmate (who helped co-create the show: Emily Spiers!), and we would be in fits of laughter. I then tried something like this as part of a set for a comedy club, and it went down really well. Since then it's snowballed into a full story! Photo: Matt Tate Immersive Rumours: What has been the trickiest part of bringing the show together, and what have you learned through the process of creating it? Natalie Patuzzo: The hardest part for me is sometimes having to abandon an idea you really enjoy. It might be because it doesn't fit the piece or that it just doesn't work. You can always shelf ideas you love for future shows though! Immersive Rumours: Of all the sounds that have come up during performances so far, what’s been the most satisfying to replicate? Natalie Patuzzo: Well, now that would be telling! You'll have to come along to find out ;) Immersive Rumours: What do you hope audiences are thinking about, or even listening out for, once they leave the show? Natalie Patuzzo: On a surface level, I would simply love the audience to leave feeling boosted and with a newfound appreciation for the sounds around them. Under the surface, the show is also about my experience as an autistic person. I hope that anyone who feels that they are 'different' will leave having recognised themselves in my character, and that others feel a desire to rally around those people. Photo: Matt Tate Immersive Rumours: You’ve previously attended Edinburgh Fringe with Nuns of Fury, which you co-directed. What have been some of the highlights from when you’ve previously attended the festival? Natalie Patuzzo: Yes, and 'Nuns of Fury!' will be returning again this year, so you should also check it out if you like the idea of a comedy musical about crime-fighting nuns. My highlights from when I previously attended the festival were mostly bonding with the NOF cast while flyering together, sharing fringe gossip and singing at the top of our lungs at Frankenstein's karaoke! I also absolutely loved getting to meet other clowns and see their shows. Immersive Rumours: Finally, how are you feeling ahead of taking the show to Edinburgh, and what are you most looking forward to during this year's festival? Natalie Patuzzo: With it being my debut year, I'm incredibly nervous, BUT I'm so excited to get this show in front of an Edinburgh audience. I also can't wait to meet even more clowns this year - if you're a clown and you see me, grab me for a coffee please and let's get to know each other! Every Single Sound in the World runs at Ivy Studio at Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236) from 24th to 29th August at 15:10. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com

Image: Punchdrunk Groundbreaking immersive theatre company Punchdrunk will reopen the gates to the set of its hit production of The Burnt City at its home base in Woolwich this September. Marking three years since the production’s final performance, Punchdrunk will reawaken the immersive environment of Troy for a special one-weekend-only screening of Persephone, a film of the original production as it was performed, featuring Lily Jo Ockwell and Sam Booth. The film invites audiences to return to the labyrinth through Persephone's eyes as she journeys between Troy and Mycenae. Every encounter reveals another thread of The Burnt City, binding together a story of memory, longing and fate. Still from Persephone. Photo: Punchdrunk The film will open with a special red carpet premiere screening on Friday 25th September where audiences can experience the original production on screen for the very first time and an exclusive post-screening conversation with the creative team behind The Burnt City. There will then be three further screenings on Saturday 26th September at 2.30pm and 7.00pm and Sunday 27th September at 7.30pm. General admission and VIP tickets are on sale now at punchdrunk.com with very limited capacity. Still from Persephone. Photo: Punchdrunk Persephone is directed by Derrick Belcham & Felix Barrett, produced by Lauren Storr & Sophie Hewlett, with cinematography from Derrick Belcham. Arlo Howard serves as First Assistant Director. Tickets to the World Premiere on Friday 25th September are priced at £90 for VIP, £75 for Standard and £50 for Concessions. VIP tickets include priority entry, with early access to The Prop Store ahead of general admission, exclusive access to the VIP lounge within The Prop Store, two complimentary cocktails, VIP priority seating (sofa or table seating, subject to availability and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis upon arrival), a The Burnt City gift bag and priority access to book Punchdrunk's next London production before general sale. Tickets for screenings on Saturday 26th September and Sunday 27th September are priced at £60 for VIP, £45 for Standard and £35 for Concessions. Still from Persephone. Photo: Punchdrunk Persephone will be screened at The Carriageworks near Woolwich station from the 25th to 27th September 2026. For more information and to book tickets, visit punchdrunk.com

Photo: Brite Theater The multi-award-winning creators of Richard III (a one-person show) and Timonopoly, Brite Theater, return to Edinburgh Fringe this August with their audience favourite, Hamlet (an experience). An interactive and participatory adaptation of Hamlet, the show allows audience members to get up close to the prince himself as he directs them in the story of his life. Directed by Kolbrun Bjort Sigfusdottir and starring Emily Carding - one of the best actors working in immersive theatre today - the audience takes on the role of the players arriving at Elsinore, with Hamlet needing their help to assume the roles of his friends and family to help resolve the great questions of life. Journey through the play together and become immersed in the story like never before. Ahead of its Edinburgh Fringe run, we caught up with Emily Carding to talk about the audience's reaction to performing Shakespeare in front of an audience, how a decade of performing interactive theatre has informed their process, and how it feels to be revisiting the show after its touring life was cut short by the pandemic. Hamlet (an experience) at Voidspace Live 2025. Photo: James Lawson Immersive Rumours: Hi Emily, thanks for speaking with us today. To kick things off, do you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about Hamlet (an experience) for those who are unfamiliar with the show? Emily Carding: Sure! Hi everyone, I’m an actor, writer, theatre-maker and artist. I’ve been around for a fair bit, so I’ve done a wide variety of things and have now pretty much settled into an immersive niche. Hamlet (an experience) is a very minimalist and intimate show, designed for small audiences, in which I play Hamlet and you, the audience, are the players arriving at Elsinore. With a little coaching and a simple cue script, you take on the roles of the important people in Hamlet’s life in order to tell his story. Immersive Rumours: We saw Hamlet (an experience) a little over a year ago at Voidspace Live, and vividly remember being cast as Claudius. On top of having a few brief stage directions, getting the opportunity to ham up being murdered was a really fun experience. On the whole, how do audience members respond to being cast and having an active role in the show? Emily Carding: Kolbrun Bjort Sigfusdottir (the director) and I worked really hard in rehearsal to make sure we took time to make people feel as safe and relaxed as possible. As Hamlet in director mode, I talk through what will be required of people and give them a few minutes to flick through their cue scripts, which are very short and simple but give people enough so that they are contributing creatively without overwhelming them with too much text and action. It’s time well spent because it’s not long before people really start to have fun. Obviously every audience is different, but there’s often a pile of bodies on the floor at the end after extravagant deaths! No spoilers, but there’s one bit of audience action that often brings me to tears. People are really supporting each other…it’s a privilege to witness. Immersive Rumours: Speaking from experience here… Audience members don’t need to be familiar with the original play to enjoy and engage with the show, right? Emily Carding: That’s right, you don’t need to know any Shakespeare at all. It’s a really fun introduction for those who don’t know the plays at all, or a great antidote to the terrible way they’re often taught in schools. It’s all guided; the cue scripts are simple and easy to follow, and failing that, it’s worked into the show that Hamlet is directing, so I’m there to keep things running on course and free people up to make fun choices. For those who do know and love the play, it’s an opportunity to experience it in a really personal way. Hamlet (an experience) at Babel Festival, Romania. Photo: Augustina Iohan Immersive Rumours: The show is returning to the Edinburgh Fringe after previously appearing there in 2018. Why did now feel like the right time for the show to get another outing at the festival? Emily Carding: Well, the show toured a little in 2019, to SoHo Playhouse in NYC, Babel Fast in Romania and a few other places and then 2020 happened. We only revived it for Voidspace last year and then a couple of other performances, but I was too busy with other commitments to plunge into it properly, so after a lovely run at the Storytelling Centre with Timonopoly last year I thought…why not? Let’s have another crack at it while I can still just about get away with playing Hamlet. It’s a poor financial decision, but it nurtures my soul. Immersive Rumours: Hamlet (an experience) is the second part in a trilogy of shows, alongside 2015’s Richard III (a one person show) and 2025’s Timonopoly. Can you tell us a bit about how the trilogy of shows came to be, and how Hamlet (an experience) differs from the other shows in the trilogy? Emily Carding: Kolbrun and I met whilst studying for an MFA in Staging Shakespeare at Exeter University, which included residencies at Shakespeare’s Globe. Those residencies, where we were fortunate enough to experience the closest thing possible to Early Modern performance conditions by performing on the Globe stage, inspired us to see how far we could take the principles of shared light and direct address with the audience. I had also voiced that I’d love the challenge of a solo show, and how much I wanted to play Richard III properly (I’d played him in scenes in class and in another play of our devising, Shakespeare in Hell). All of this coalesced into the concept for Richard III ( a one person show), in which I would play Richard and the audience would play the other roles. Kolbrun was able to nab us a fantastic residency in Reykjavik, Iceland, where we had a space and a bit of time to see whether we could make the concept work, starting with the original text cut down to a couple of hours (we’d need to slice this by half) and the idea that I as Richard, would simply manipulate the audience into doing what I needed to do. By the end of the first day, we knew we had a lot of work ahead of us, but we excitedly realised the idea was going to work. Our first work in progress performance was for an Icelandic audience, script in hand, and was a huge success. This was a great sign for future international touring! We premiered at Prague Fringe in 2015, where, incredibly, we won every award on offer. People instantly started asking what other plays we might try in this style. I forget exactly when we decided on a trilogy. Hamlet was my idea; Kolbrun never liked the character. We wanted to push the idea of immersion and audience agency further and, guided by the nature of Hamlet’s character (notably not a man of action), we had the idea to include another Early Modern convention, that of the cue script. This meant trusting the audience a lot more, and it really paid off. Of course, the show’s touring life was cut short by COVID. Timon was an idea we’d had for years, originally as a dinner party which we simply had no budget for. When the name ‘Timonopoly’ popped into my head, and the concept of making it a gameshow inspired by Monopoly, that’s when it became feasible. Then Kolbrun went and booked us a venue for Edinburgh Fringe while I still struggled to render it. The deadline helped enormously - as did bringing the wonderful game designer Arlo Howard on board. I’m looking forward to finding more touring opportunities for the whole trilogy. Oh gosh, I did them all in one day a few months ago. That was nuts. I think the thing I love about Hamlet (an experience) that sets it apart is how the focus is so much on the audience and the energy they bring to it; it becomes very personal, and there’s a huge amount of trust there, both ways. Hamlet (an experience) at Babel Festival, Romania. Photo: Augustina Iohan Immersive Rumours: Outside of your work with Brite Theater, you’re also one of the best-known immersive performers around, having also worked on shows such as Bridge Command, The Locksmith’s Dream and The Key of Dreams. With such a wealth of experience under your belt, how has your approach to and understanding of interactive theatre changed over the years? Emily Carding: Immersive is such a wide umbrella, and these are all very different shows in many ways, with some skills specifically brought to bear in each one. Keeping the text on track and making the adlibbing seamless for the Shakespeares; practical service skills alongside performance, absorbing information very quickly and keeping things running to time at Bridge Command; the stamina and pacing of being in character for 24 hours at The Key of Dreams. They are all, however, responsive, with varying degrees of audience agency. In all of these shows, the audience are in the world and affect the world, rather than separated as voyeurs. That means the most important skill remains being fully embodied in character, whilst allowing the awareness of service to story, technical requirements (including timing) and audience. The most intense example of this is absolutely The Key of Dreams, where I get the most extraordinary sand pit to play in, interacting with audience members on an incredibly personal level throughout the day, including small talk (and big talk) over lunch and dinner, until we find ourselves in a dark ritual, with them either trying to save my soul or push me further over the edge. The skills to be able to carry it off were definitely forged in the solo Shakespeare shows where I have so many considerations that I have to learn, then integrate enough for them to be instinctive and feel natural to the audience. Hamlet (an experience) at Babel Festival, Romania. Photo: Augustina Iohan Immersive Rumours: What have been some of your highlights from previous years at Edinburgh Fringe? Either memorable moments or unforgettable shows. Emily Carding: Oh wow, so many. Last time I took Hamlet (an experience) to Ed Fringe, the legendary improv star and wonderful actor Mike McShane came along, and I cast him as Polonius, which was a treat for everyone! Wandering the venue in character as an AI android when I was doing my show Quintessence and being put in a bubble by children’s entertainer Poppy Bubbles…I also did a bit in a comedy show as that character, 2 Truths and a Lie. Quintessence is a deadly serious show, with the odd comic moment, but the character unleashed on the world becomes amusing in a Data in the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation kind of a way. One for the nerds (my people) there. As I think about all the shows I’ve seen over the years, it becomes a sort of wondrous montage in my mind, of extraordinary drama, colour, circus, comedy, music…it’s a celebration of the human soul. Don’t we need that more than ever? Immersive Rumours: Finally, how are you feeling ahead of bringing the show back to the festival, and what are you most looking forward to doing in Edinburgh this year outside of performing? Emily Carding: I’m looking forward to plunging into the pure celebration of art, meeting up with folks from all around the world who I only see in Edinburgh, seeing as much as I can - from shows by friends to completely unexpected treasures…and getting out into the landscape when I can. Scotland is incredibly beautiful, and the hills, forests and lochs are a necessary balm in these chaotic times. I’m also determined that Kolbrun and I will find a karaoke night, because it’s been too long... Hamlet (an experience) runs at George Mackay Brown Library at Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30) from 7th to 17th August at 16:30. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com

Donna Oblongata's interactive solo show heads to Edinburgh this August following recent performances in London and Amsterdam. Photo: Daniel Callaghan What would Vincent van Gogh make of today’s 360-degree spectacles devoted to his work? In The Van Gogh Shogh, Donna Oblongata invites audiences to step into a frame of barely controlled chaos alongside the maestro himself, now recast as a bewildered food courier who has stumbled into his own immersive afterlife. One part sip ‘n’ paint, one part karaoke and one part Sotheby’s, The Van Gogh Shogh is a deranged solo trip through the great painter’s legacy with four proteges plucked from the audience to reproduce one of his most famous works under his tutelage, live on stage. Exploring the value of art and the meaning of success, accompanied by a 1980s power ballad, the Van Gogh Shogh is a wildly original theatrical experience that combines comedy, audience participation, and some smart commentary amplified by a subversively inventive twist at the end. Oblongata, a Philadelphia-based writer, performer, producer and ‘top-notch clown’, brings her high-energy, quirky exploration of art and the value of creativity to Edinburgh, fresh from hit previews in London and Amsterdam. The show is directed by Francesca Montanile-Lyons, and audiences can expect a funny, fast-moving and unpredictable night of performance where they get the real Van Gogh experience — bloodied ear and all. She says, ‘Anyone trying to make a living as an artist, especially if they are paying to bring work to the Fringe, will be familiar with struggles of poverty, acceptance and recognition and maybe agree that it’s time to rethink our relationship with art and how much we’re willing to pay for what we say we value.’ The Van Gogh Shogh runs at Front Room at Assembly @ St Andrew Square (Venue 172) from 6th to 30th August 2026 at 18:25. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com

Photo: Daniel Callahan The Van Gogh Shogh - an interactive solo show featuring award-winning Philadelphia-based performer Donna Oblongata and directed by Francesca Montanile Lyons - sees the infamous painter, complete with bandaged ear, fur-lined cap and green overcoat à la Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear', recast as a gig-economy delivery rider who happens upon a modern-day immersive exhibition dedicated to their own work. With audience members having the chance to paint their own version of Starry Night under Van Gogh's tutelage live on stage as part of a chaotic sip and paint, alongside a bout of karaoke and other moments of interaction, the show embraces audience participation at every turn while also offering some striking commentary on the value placed on both art and artists. Ahead of its Edinburgh Fringe run, we caught up with the show's writer and performer, Donna Oblongata, to talk about how the Immersive Van Gogh Experience inspired the show, why Van Gogh was likely a massive asshole, and the quality of artwork produced by the audience during the show. Immersive Rumours: Hi Donna! Thanks for speaking with us today. Do you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about The Van Gogh Shogh for those who are unfamiliar? Donna Oblongata: My name is Donna Oblongata, and I am the writer and performer of The Van Gogh Shogh. It’s a solo clown show that’s super immersive, super interactive, and a pretty wild ride. It was inspired by the Immersive Van Gogh Experience and this question of what he would think if he walked into that today and what the real Immersive Van Gogh Experience would be. I started kicking around that idea, and I thought it was very funny as an artist struggling to make a living in the same way Van Gogh struggled to make a living. I don't like to give away too many spoilers, but I always like to say it's a little bit sip and paint, a little bit karaoke night, and a little bit Sotheby's. Immersive Rumours: How do you find people respond to being pulled into interacting with Van Gogh during the shogh? Do you find that people are very up for it, or does it take a bit of convincing? Donna Obloganta: It very much depends on the crowd. I've toured the show around most of the US, and I came over to London and Amsterdam earlier this year with it. Every place is really different. There are some towns where just everyone wants to jump up on stage and participate, and then there are some places where it’s a little bit like, ‘No really, if nobody volunteers, there's no show.' I've never had a show where I couldn't get people to volunteer. It's just that sometimes it's a little bit more of a negotiation. I really believe - and this is partly coming from my own experience as an audience member at shows, especially clown shows - that anything that has active participation on the part of the audience is always opt-in. I will never drag you up on stage. I will never say, ‘Get up and do a dance or something.' Everything is opt-in, which is great, because when I say, ‘Who wants to come up and paint?’ or ‘Who wants to do this?’, they've consented to being there and to being a part of it, even if it’s not quite what they expected. Photo: Josh Yoder Immersive Rumours: You mentioned the sip and paint element of the shogh... Where on the scale of gallery-worthy masterpiece to children’s finger painting does the work audience members create end up being? Donna Oblongata: I’ve seen it all. I’ve been doing shows this past week, and in just the last few days, I’ve had someone in the audience say, ‘That’s better than the original’, where the person clearly really cared and probably had some painting experience and education, through to one of the students just picking up a tub of yellow paint and throwing in on the canvas. She looked at me and said, ‘Can I do this?’. As the performer, I was like, ‘Oh my god, you’re going to make a mess, and I’m going to get in trouble with the venue. This is my nightmare’. But as the character, I had to be like, ‘Go for it. Let’s do it’. It was just a big splodge of yellow in the middle of the canvas. If you were looking for an average, it’s closer to kindergarten. To be fair to the painters, what they’re able to accomplish with what they’re given is remarkable. They’re given the shitty kind of washable paint that you’d give a five-year-old; they’re given four colors and maybe 20 minutes to paint. I think it’s fair to say that they’re not really set up for success… Photo: Josh Yoder Immersive Rumours: How would you describe the version of Van Gogh you play in the shogh? Donna Oblongata: I’d love an art historian's take on this, but I'm going to say it's realistic, which, of course, is ridiculous because nobody looks less like Van Gogh than me as I'm wearing this bright orange leprechaun-style beard and a ridiculous costume, but when I conceived of the show, I asked myself, ‘If he were alive today, what would he be doing?’ and the answer is he'd be a food courier. If you look at his biography and his letters, it’s clear that he was insane. Every friend he had was really just a frenemy. All of his relationships were super complicated and hard on the people he loved. He was probably just really annoying and mean and shitty, and that’s okay. He probably looked bad and smelled gross, and people thought he was a creep. That’s real. It’s not beautiful to think about it like that, but as a clown it’s really fun to play. Immersive Rumours: Looking back over your time performing The Van Gogh Shogh, what has been the biggest challenge, and how much has the production changed? Donna Oblongata: To me, the show has changed massively, but the truth is that if you were to look at the script or the technical cues, it’s essentially the same. When I started the show, this was by far the most improv I’ve ever had in a show, and I’m not an improv person. It took a while for me to get really comfortable with that, and I had to call friends who are improv artists and really pick their brains and get their advice. I’d say that I've only really gotten comfortable with the improv in the last six months or so of doing the show. Now I feel like the show has really hit its stride. The show has always been fun, but it’s reached a new level of fun that it never has before, which is crazy. I used to dread doing the show. It really stressed me out, but I’ve found ways of being meaner to the audience and fucking with them more, but in a way that’s quite safe and really fun for both them and me. Photo: Josh Yoder Immersive Rumours: There’s a famous episode of Doctor Who where Van Gogh is taken through time to the Musée d'Orsay to see how his art is regarded nowadays, and he starts crying when Bill Nighy describes him as ‘the greatest artist who ever lived’. If he were instead taken to Assembly Rooms circa August 2026 and saw The Van Gogh Shogh, what do you think his reaction would be? Donna Oblongata: That is a really good question, because I made the show thinking, ‘What would he think if he saw the Immersive Van Gogh Experience?' and I can answer that, but the question of what he would think if he saw this… He would probably think I'm an asshole. I think he would be offended. He took himself and his work quite seriously, and that is something I'm definitely not doing. I'm definitely taking the piss, but if I could sit down and have a beer with him and explain that I'm trying to get people to understand how difficult his life was and how he struggled, maybe he'd not be so upset. Immersive Rumours: The Van Gogh Shogh had a brief run at Edinburgh Fringe last year. What made you decide to attend the festival for the first time, and what advice would you give to artists thinking about going? Donna Oblongata: As everyone always says, coming over and doing the Fringe is so expensive, so I’d always wanted to come, but I’d never been able to go. I received a research grant last year, so I was able to attend as part of that research, but by the time the grant came through, it was too late to apply to do a full run, so I came over and did the show six times in an actual painting studio in Canonmills. It was a mile down the hill, and the space held about fifteen people. To me, I always say it didn’t count, but technically I did perform last year. The advice people give to artists who want to come to the Fringe for the first time is always ‘Just come as an audience member first to get the lay of the land’. I can totally understand feeling like that’s crazy, as it’s such an investment just to attend as an audience member, but it makes so much sense because you can’t possibly conceive of how insane it is until you’re actually there. Photo: Josh Yoder Immersive Rumours: Besides performing The Van Gogh Shogh for Edinburgh audiences, what are you most looking forward to at the festival? Donna Oblongata: I'm so excited to be surrounded by the energy of the Fringe again. You walk out the door, and it's just everywhere. There are artists everywhere, and there's creative work everywhere, and there's audiences everywhere, and getting to see such a diversity of work from all over the world is so rare. You can't compare it to anything else. It's so much fun. The Van Gogh Shogh runs from 6th to 30th August (excluding 12th, 19th, 26th) at Front Room at Assembly @ St Andrew Square (Venue 172) as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com Immersive Rumours will be at the Edinburgh Fringe this August. See our pre-festival coverage here.

Photo: Cole Crawford exit strategy's How to Win a Gameshow, which comes to Edinburgh Fringe this August, is a participatory show that follows Graham, who has spent an indeterminate amount of time trapped as a contestant inside a bizarre game show. The show explores our own capacities for complicity under observation, our impulses as a group and as individuals, and our presumed anonymity in theatrical, social, and technological spaces. Blending the entertainment inherent in game shows with improvisation and audience interaction, the show turns spectators into active participants as it explores surveillance, conformity, complicity, and challenges the expectation that audience members can ever be passive observers in theatrical space. Ahead of its Edinburgh Fringe run, we caught up with one of exit strategy's founding members, MaryKate Glenn, to talk about the creation of How To Win A Gameshow, the relationship between audiences and live performance, and the strong reactions the show has generated during previews in New York City. Immersive Rumours: Hi MaryKate! Thanks for speaking with us today. To kick things off, do you mind telling us a bit about exit strategy and your approach to making theatre? MaryKate Glenn: exit strategy is a multi-disciplinary, New York City-based performance collective investigating the role of the audience in live performance. We were founded by me, Rupert Krüger, and Jane Skapek, and we draw on the founding members’ respective backgrounds in dance, martial arts, and visual composition. As a collective, we ground our research interests in themes of surveillance, the absurd, conformity, violence, humor, cruelty, and our ability to hold all of these realities simultaneously as one. exit strategy is a company made up largely of physical performers - though so far our work has skewed much more image-based than physical choreography. The concepts for Gameshow specifically grew almost completely out of these images. For example, a giant red timer, a bowl full of Jolly Ranchers, a handheld microphone, a man alone writing postcards at a desk, a bejeweled cowboy hat... these images all fed the initial inspiration for Gameshow, and using tools many of our company members learned from physical devising companies such as The Useless Room or Frantic Assembly, we began to piece together these image montages into a structure that was built to affect, involve, and implicate the audience in a specific way. Our collaboration in the room is wholly non-hierarchical. We argue a lot, write a lot on giant pieces of paper, throw out absurd ideas, and more often than not decide to incorporate them, and generally operate by a ‘best idea wins’ or ‘let's just try it and see’ approach. Photo: The Garrett Theatre Immersive Rumours: Your show, How To Win A Gameshow, is heading to Edinburgh Fringe this August. In a few words, can you tell us about the role the audience plays within it? MaryKate Glenn: The audience is THE central component of the show and the reason it happens at all! You'll have to come to understand why… Immersive Rumours: Amongst other themes, the show asks whether audiences can be passive observers within theatre. What first drew you to that idea, and how is it explored in the show? MaryKate Glenn: We were very inspired by the work of American performance artist Ann-Liv Young - an incredible boundary-pushing artist whose work wholly upends the relationship between audience and performer. It was after seeing her piece ‘Marie Antoinette’ that we, as makers, really began to rethink the justification for LIVE theatre. How can we earn an audience's attention and presence in a world of screens and constant media onslaught? What can truly differentiate live theater from a movie or streaming series? The answer, of course, is that all of our bodies are together in space, so how can we center that, honor that, and capitalize on that to create a potent emotional and intellectual experience for performers and audience alike? Gone, for the most part, are the days when a standard kitchen sink drama is drama or the proscenium structure is enough to hold an audience's presence. I even think about going to see Shakespeare in the Park, here in NYC or at the Globe in London. I had a distinct experience of a woman at Shakespeare in the Park (a free, outdoor, prestigious summer theatrical event in NYC) shushing me and my friend when we reacted too vocally to a production of Richard III a few years ago. Why do we feel like we have to do this? Why can't we all confront together that we’re live humans having emotional responses in real time to the other live humans in front of us? What a unique thing - let's lean into it. Immersive Rumours: How did How To Win A Gameshow first come to be, and how has it evolved since it was first conceived? MaryKate Glenn: Our initial residency was with Triplets Amsterdam at the Broedplaats Bouw Arts Center, and we toured Gameshow’s first draft to 4bid Gallery at 0t301 and Dijke Theater in the Netherlands. Thematically, it was still in its infancy, but we explored themes of absurdity and the ‘quotidian uncanny’ - simple gestures and behaviors that make the audience feel something is not quite right. Tonally, the piece is inspired by work like Twin Peaks and Severance - art that asks the viewer to consider what might be absurd and horrifying about the everyday. This quickly expanded into questions and explorations of auto-surveillance: how do we comply in advance with everyday forms of surveillance, and how do people behave differently under perceived (and real) observation? Photo: The Garrett Theatre Immersive Rumours: What has the audience reaction to the show been like so far? MaryKate Glenn: It's been vast and varied. When we performed an earlier iteration in Europe last year, it was largely to movement and dance spaces that I think didn't quite know what to do with it. They were locked in for sure - we had people come multiple times to different venues - but I think it was very different from other work they were used to seeing. Some of our methods are perhaps slightly more familiar to New York audiences, but our initial approach of image-based associative storytelling, as opposed to traditional narrative building, seemed to really hook people in an interesting way. Some feedback we've gotten that we're proud of from the version a year ago and our New York preview this past weekend described it as ‘wonderfully unnerving', ‘so stressful I wanted to leave’, and someone said that they felt like at any point they would be taken out back and shot. Of course, no one is getting shot - we're not that American, don't worry! Photo: The Garrett Theatre Immersive Rumours: Finally, how are you feeling ahead of taking the show to Edinburgh, and what are you most looking forward to during this year's festival? MaryKate Glenn: We are so tired already but so excited and grateful for the chance to workshop this piece sixteen times. As you'll see, it's nearly impossible to rehearse the show without an audience. Even during our preview weekend here in New York, we'd changed the ending by the final show. So we are excited to test out and experiment with different ways to create this experience… exit strategy's How to Win a Gameshow runs at Lower Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9) between 7th and 15th August, and Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45 between 17th and 22nd August 2026. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com Immersive Rumours will be at the Edinburgh Fringe this August. See our pre-festival coverage here.

Rydell High is bigger than ever, but a lack of interaction leaves the audience on the outside looking in. Photo: Matt Crockett Tucked away between the trees of Battersea Park is a little slice of American pie. Rydell High School has traveled from the American 50’s to give immersive theatregoers a taste of the malted and sugar-coated past, complete with hair grease, lindy hops, and leather jackets in Secret Cinema’s second remounting of Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical. And while there is no doubt that the energetic approach to this classic musical is a toe-tapping crowd-pleaser, a lack of attention to the company’s immersive roots leaves the audience feeling Alone at the Drive-In. Secret Cinema has had a wild few years. With the sale to TodayTix in 2022, the company has understandably gone through some soul-searching, taking time to redefine their brand and approach to creating immersive experiences. During that period, they’ve leaned on an old reliable production - Grease - to keep some cash flowing while they lay new foundations. And what a foundation it will be. The company has announced a new flagship venue in Greenwich, which plans to open in early 2027 with one of the company’s most ambitious immersive adaptations to date, Pirates of the Caribbean. But these restructures have also impacted the company’s approach to its artistic endeavors, with their productions becoming less interactive and intimate and more focused on mass appeal and spend per head over recent years. Where there once were sweeping stories in the style of Phantom Peak or The Key of Dreams, which involved hacking computers, uncovering secret back rooms, and interacting with characters; now audiences are largely relegated to the sidelines, only invited into the action for momentary scenes and being told exactly what to do every step of the way. It’s a departure from the formats that made the company legends of the industry, guiding them dangerously close to the more corporate offerings of projector installations and pop-up brand experiences. And while the sets and performances are still top-notch, the vision and spirit of the productions have changed, and the question has to be asked - who is this for? Audiences arrive to a carnival outside of Rydell High, mimicking the final scene of Grease in which Danny and Sandy dance across fun houses and midway games. Iconic attractions like the Shake Shack and the fun house from the movie are available for audiences to try for themselves, along with other classic offerings like a ferris wheel, swings, and roll-a-ball derby games. There is also a large movie screen designed to look like a billboard which plays classic American ads from the 50s, including the Ipana “Brusha Brusha Brusha” commercial parodied at Frenchie’s sleepover in the film. The sets and sounds capture the energy and excitement of a state fair, capitalism and all. Each attraction costs a varying amount of tokens (10 tokens cost £10), so be prepared to shell out if you want to join in the fun. There are also several bars to purchase cocktails, food stalls to purchase a burger or hot dog, and merch booths to purchase mock leather T-Bird or Pink Lady jackets in case you left yours at home. In fact, there isn’t a single thing to do during the hour and a half pre-show experience that isn’t an extra cost. And while it seems fair that audiences should pay a small fee to fund the rides’ rental costs, it stings to realize that the base ticket price doesn’t cover any entertainment across such a significant portion of the experience. Photo: Danny Kaan (From 2025's edition of Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical) The true experience begins as the 1978 film plays its romantic prologue on the billboard at the fair. As the film transitions away from its sun-soaked shores and into the title sequence, live actors take over from the movie’s soundtrack. Audiences are ushered through Rydell’s front doors and into an enormous multi-purpose space. In the centre of the room is a raised stage in the round, with large movie screens positioned above it playing the original film. At the front of the room, another stage is decorated for a live filming of American Bandstand, complete with a live band playing along with the actors’ singing. The rest of the space is themed after the Frosty’s Malt Shop, a Drive-In Theatre, and Rydell’s auto shop, with the vast majority of the space dominated by tables for premium ticket holders. There is a large amount of space between the central stage and the other themed spaces for audiences with standing room tickets to move between the areas, creating a moat between the main seating and the action of the play. As a baseline, Grease is a cinema experience. The film plays on the overhead screens, and audiences watch from their themed seats (or from the peanut gallery). But at key moments, especially around the film’s musical numbers, a live cast performs the scenes and songs with the film continuing in the background. In between these live scenes, small groups of audiences are selected to engage with short mini-scenes to flesh out the theme and atmosphere of the movie. Several audience members are led by Coach in simple sports drills, another group of audience members are taught a cheerleading chant, and during the pinnacle Prom dance, audience members are invited to mingle with the cast members on the dance floor. As a musical, Secret Cinema’s take on Grease is stellar. The cast are phenomenally talented, filling out a difficult venue with energy and charm at every turn. Giórgios Michaelídes swaggers through his scenes and songs as Danny, and Lucy Penrose’s Rizzo has a powerhouse performance in both “Look at Me, I’m Sandre Dee” and “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”. But Stephanie Costi steals the show as Sandy, rivaling even Olivia Newton-John in both vocals and magnetism. Her naïve and hopeful approach to the character is anything but meek, and in an experience which vies for the audience’s attention in every different direction all at once, she anchors the performance with her commanding presence and charismatic charm. Photo: Matt Crockett The design is impressive as well, meshing several snapshots from the film into an interwoven space that jumps from scene to scene. The set design (Tom Rogers) expertly captures the youthful and rebellious energy of the time period, and navigates the magically iconic set piece moments of the film with flair (the flying car from “Greased Lightnin’” is a particular highlight). The costumes (Susan Kulkarni) are also inventive, matching the look of the film but also adapting the themes to fit the unique needs of this reimagined production. However, the beating heart of the show is Jennifer Weber’s choreography, which builds on the film’s classic aesthetic and injects a more modern Kenny Ortega-style energy into the movements. The audience audibly gasped at key moments during the Prom sequence, and the entire ensemble is meticulously in sync and endlessly energetic. Much of the production fights to drag the audience’s attention away from the screens, and Weber’s design is what makes the show truly feel alive. If this production were simply a musical on a more traditional stage, this review would be nothing but positive, and would give the show a five-star rating. But the “Musical” aspect is only one third of Secret Cinema’s “Immersive Movie Musical”. The “Movie” aspect, which the entire production uses as the foundation to build off of, is more of a distraction than a backbone. While it is helpful for the film to take over segues between scenes and fill the moments needed to set up for the next live performance segment, it actively distracts from everything else in the room. It’s difficult to focus on the live actors or the gorgeous sets when the film is playing overhead, and it’s even more difficult to pull the audience’s attention away from those screens when it’s time for the live performance to take over. This has worked better in previous Secret Cinema productions where actors could step in front of the screens to steal the audience’s attention back, but here it feels difficult to know where to look. But it’s the “Immersive” element that falls shortest, which should be Secret Cinema’s strongest aspect. The layout of the venue creates a visible barrier between the audience and the performance. There’s a clear line drawn between “on stage” and “off stage”, and while actors occasionally cross this line, the overwhelming majority of the performance takes place in an area that the audience is not allowed to impede on. Photo: Matt Crockett The moments of audience interaction are fleeting, and are scripted down to the second. This is in part because the cast need to time their performances to the film playing overhead, but there are moments when the film pauses for the cast to move into flexible periods (which allow for costume changes, additional songs, and preparation for major tech moments). Gone are the intimate moments where audiences could speak to their favorite characters from the film, possibly to get a quest or simply to spend some time living within the world of the show. The actors (many of whom are from a West End background rather than an immersive one) don’t even have time for a quick “hello” as they rush past to get changed for their next scene. All of this combines to create a feeling of the audience being on the outside looking in. This feeling might be reminiscent of some high school experiences, but not in a good way. Even when audiences are placed on stage next to the cast members, the cast are frequently performing for the non-diegetic audience rather than engaging with the audience members who have stepped into their world. In one particular scene, audiences were brought on stage to dance casually while the cast performed a choreographed number around them that was too complex to pick up organically, leaving the on-stage audience to feel like extras at best, or uncoordinated outcasts at worst. It came across as unwelcoming, even in the guided dance segments later on where audiences were relegated back to the ground floor. The production seems to have an identity problem. It’s incredibly difficult to seamlessly merge three different formats of performance, and Secret Cinema hasn’t quite threaded that needle. Instead, because Secret Cinema haven’t offered audiences the opportunity to effectively participate in the world they’ve created, their production feels more akin to a very high-budget theatre-in-the-round performance. It’s a perfectly valid and effective form of theatre, but it isn’t immersive. Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical is overall an energetic and entertaining experience with undeniably talented and passionate artists at the helm. But it never quite amounts to more than the sum of its parts. The disengagement and oversight of the audience’s presence is a worrying sign, and hopefully isn’t indicative of Secret Cinema’s future. However, much like Danny and Sandy at the end of the film, Secret Cinema has a bright future ahead of it. Here’s hoping that, like Sandy, they realize they didn’t need to change the best parts of themselves in order to make their fans happy. ★★★ [Tickets provided in exchange for an honest review] Words: Danny Romeo Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical runs in Battersea Park until 13th September 2026. Tickets are priced from £34.00 per person. For more info and to book tickets, visit greasetheimmersivemoviemusical.com For more reviews of immersive experiences like Secret Cinema's Grease, check out our recent Reviews.

Image: BATSU! Presents GANBA!! Cult hit BATSU! has been a Fringe favourite for several years now. A high-energy comedy game show in which comedians compete to avoid receiving creative and often painful punishments, it's the kind of late-night Fringe show that draws in a crowd who are game for anything, and has enjoyed huge success with permanent residencies in New York and Chicago and a sold-out run at the festival in 2025. For 2026, the creative team behind BATSU! will debut GANBA!!, an energetic interactive ninja training show for families. Through sword training, physical comedy, martial arts, water fights and audience participation, young warriors will test their focus, agility, teamwork and courage through a series of hilarious challenges as they train to defeat the Batsu no Akuma (Spirit of Punishment). Ahead of its Edinburgh Fringe run, we caught up with one of the show's co-creators, Jay Painter, to talk about expanding the world of BATSU!, creating an experience that puts families front and centre, and the spirit of encouragement that sits at the heart of GANBA!!. Photo: Jay Painter - one of the co-creators of BATSU! and BATSU! presents GANBA!! Immersive Rumours: Hi Jay. Thanks for speaking with us today. Many Fringe-goers will already know about your late-night cult favourite, BATSU!, but this August you're bringing a brand-new family-friendly show to the Edinburgh Fringe. What can you tell us about GANBA!!? Jay Painter: GANBA!! is an interactive ninja-training adventure for families. The audience enters the Batsudo Dojo and becomes part of the story, training alongside our characters through challenges built around focus, teamwork, courage, imagination, and perseverance. The word ganba comes from a Japanese expression of encouragement. It carries the feeling of ‘You’ve got this’ and ‘Go for it!’. That spirit is at the heart of the show. It’s funny, physical, and very silly, but underneath all the chaos is the idea that people become braver when they encourage one another. Immersive Rumours: What can audiences (both children and grown-ups) expect to be involved with once they step into the dojo? Jay Painter: They should expect to do more than just sit quietly and watch! They’ll practice katana techniques, learn Japanese words and customs, compete in ridiculous challenges, encourage one another, and help defeat the mischievous Spirit of Batsu. Basically, they get to become demon hunters (though our mythology was around long before a certain movie!). Of course, all the involvement is optional; if anyone wants to just sit back and enjoy the adventure, that’s totally cool too. Photo: Brian 'Bu-Chan' Walters - one of the co-creators of BATSU! and BATSU! presents GANBA!! Immersive Rumours: The show is built around the idea of families training together. What made that dynamic so appealing to explore? Jay Painter: We loved the idea of the child not simply being entertained while the grown-up sits patiently beside them. In the US, when I was growing up, we had a show called Family Double Dare, where families competed as a team in silly and messy challenges. That was a big inspiration. In GANBA!!, the children and grown-ups enter the same world and experience the adventure together. Sometimes the children get encouragement from the grown-ups cheering them on; then the next moment the child is shouting encouragement to the parent. The show gives them a shared victory rather than separate experiences. Immersive Rumours: Where did the initial idea for GANBA!! come from, and how has the progress of developing it into the show audiences will see this Fringe been for you and the rest of the team? Jay Painter: GANBA!! is an extension of the BATSU!! Universe. It comes from nearly two decades of seeing how strongly audiences respond when they are invited to become part of a live event rather than just observing it. As many of us grew older, became parents and teachers, and slightly more responsible humans, we began to think about what a BATSU!-style show would look like for families. My son has been begging for a “BATSU! for Kids” show for years! However, we didn’t want to dilute BATSU! by making a cleaned-up, tamed-down version. We wanted to build a new experience around the qualities underneath the chaos: courage, commitment, play, resilience, and the joy of watching someone give everything they got to a ridiculous challenge. Photo: BATSU! Presents GANBA!! Immersive Rumours: Those who have been to BATSU! before will be aware that it’s not a family-friendly show. When developing GANBA!!, which elements of that show felt most important to carry over? Jay Painter: Well, it depends on the family! We have lots of families who say they’ve never laughed so hard together than at BATSU! - adult families, of course; definitely not children. For GANBA!!, we carried across the Japanese-inspired world, the relationship between performers and audience, the sense that anything might happen, and the belief that failure can be hilarious rather than humiliating. The Legend of BATSU! is central to the story. That long, long ago, an evil spirit wreaked havoc across the land, until some very unlikely warriors discovered the ultimate weapon: Comedy. Their antics contained the spirit, and they sealed him within the Gong of Punishment. In GANBA!!, the Spirit’s energy leaks out into the dojo. So yes, there are demon hunters, ancient evil, comedy, and heroic young warriors using their talents to defeat the bad guys. We just happened to get there about fifteen years before KPop Demon Hunters. Immersive Rumours: BATSU! has been at Edinburgh Fringe since 2023. What have been some of your highlights from previous years at the festival? Jay Painter: It’s been a real joy to watch it grow from a strange late-night show people were taking a chance on into a genuine Fringe tradition. Every performance has been incredible, but some of the most memorable moments are outside of the show itself, like seeing people wearing BATSU! merch on the street or someone recognizing us in our BATSU! cast jackets. The sense of community among the performers and theater-makers in Edinburgh is extraordinary. For one month, the Fringe seems to exist on its own magical plane, and then it disappears again, and we all go back to being Muggles. Photo: BATSU! Presents GANBA!! Immersive Rumours: Finally, how are you feeling ahead of GANBA!! debuting, and what are you most looking forward to during this year's Fringe? Jay Painter: We’re feeling pride, excitement, and of course the healthy amount of terror that comes with opening a new show. I’m most looking forward to the final moments of the show, when the entire audience has to work together. There is a point when children, parents, grandparents, performers, and complete strangers all shout GANBA!! as one enormous team. When that works, the room changes. For a few seconds, everyone believes they can defeat an evil spirit together. And, oh yeah, Edinburgh is going to get a few hundred newly trained ninjas. That's going to be pretty cool... BATSU! Presents: GANBA!! runs at Friesian at Underbelly, Bristo Square (Venue 302) from 5th to 16th August at 11:05. For more information and to book tickets, visit edfringe.com