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NEW CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

CHANNING TATUM’S

MAGIC MIKE LIVE IN LONDON

AT THE HIPPODROME CASINO

Channing Tatum and his co-producers are delighted towelcome new cast members to Magic Mike Live at The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino in London, currently booking until Sunday 1 January 2023.

New cast members include James Percy, Luca Figarazzi, Natacza Boon, Peter Cleverley, Petr Fedorovskii and Sarah Annakin.

They are joining existing cast members Daniel Blessing, Jake Brewer, Harry Carter, Hannah Cleeve, Myles Harper, Charlie Knight, Mark Lace, Theo O. Bailey, Ross Sands, Josie Scamell and Manny Tsakanika.

Conceived and co-directed by Channing Tatum, Magic Mike Live, which has already wowed over 300,000 people in London alone and over 1,000,000 worldwide, is a large-scale, live production show based on the hit films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, which opened at The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino in London’s Leicester Square in November 2018.  Magic Mike Live has inspired a new television series on HBO Max, Finding Magic Mike which aired in the United States earlier this year. Magic Mike’s Last Dance, the third installment of the Magic Mike franchise, will be released this autumn.

From the bespoke entrance off Cranbourn Street, to the specially curated lounge and bar experience, to the cast of world-class performers, Magic Mike Live is a complete evening of unparalleled entertainment for guests aged 18 and up.  Audience members enter Magic Mike’s mythical club and marvel as a group of extraordinary perform a 360-degree dance and acrobatic spectacular in front of, behind, and above them.  Sexy dance routines intertwined with one-of-a-kind acts, are presented by a diverse cast of performers from around the world.

Magic Mike Live in London is co-directed by Channing Tatum and Alison Faulk, with Luke Broadlick as associate director, and choreography by Alison Faulk, Teresa Espinosa and Luke Broadlick.The Executive Producer is Vincent Marini with General Management by Crossroads Live. The production designer is Rachel O’Toole, with scenic design by Rob Bissinger and Anita LaScala (Arda Studio), costume design by Marina Toybina, lighting design by Philip Gladwell and video design by Luke Halls.  Musical supervisor is Jack Rayner, with sound design by Nick Kourtides.  Dreya Weber is aerial choreographer & aerial apparatus designer. 

Magic Mike Live has become an international sensation since opening in Las Vegas in April 2017.  In addition to breaking box office records and performing to sold-out audiences in Las Vegas and London, the show premiered in Berlin in 2020 and the Australia national tour opened in Sydney in December 2020.

Magic Mike Live is produced in London by Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin, Greg Jacobs, Peter Kiernan, Steven Soderbergh, Nick Wechsler and United Talent Agency in association with Warner Bros., Vincent Marini, The Hippodrome Casino, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, TSG Entertainment & Ashley DeSimone, Richard Winkler and The Creative House.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Magic Mike Live

The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino

Cranbourn Street

Leicester Square

London WC2H 7JH

Website:  www.magicmikelondon.co.uk  

Twitter:  @MagicMikeLDN

Facebook:  @MagicMikeLDN

Instagram:  @MagicMikeLiveLDN

TikTok:  @Magicmikelivelondon

Box Office:  [email protected]

Ticket Prices from: £39

Current Booking Period: until Sunday 1 January 2023

Running Time:  approximately 90 minutes (no interval)

Performances: Wednesday 7pm, Thursday 7pm & 10pm, Friday 7pm & 10pm, Saturday 4pm, 7pm & 10pm, Sunday 4pm & 7pm

No performances: Sunday 17 April, w/c 11 May, w/c 5 September or w/c 12 September

Rise and Shine – it’s Sleeping Beauty Panto Time

The Pantomime of Your Dreams!

The Grange Theatre are delighted to welcome back pantomime producers KD Theatre Productions with this year’s must-see pantomime adventure, Sleeping Beauty. The pantomime of your dreams will dazzle and delight audiences of all ages and will run from Saturday 10^th December 2022 – Monday 2^nd January 2023.

Following last year’s tremendously successful production of ‘Cinderella’ KD Theatre Productions are already working behind the scenes guaranteeing first rate casting, great sets and scenery and spectacular costumes. Owing to demand tickets go on sale on Sunday 24^th April 2022.

The beautiful Princess Aurora will capture the hearts of young and old alike! But when evil Carabosse causes Princess Aurora to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into an enchanted sleep, will the dashing Prince Harry be able to save Aurora from her slumber? Will Aurora’s hilarious Nurse O’Dear ever find a new husband? And will Aurora’s best friend Muddles finally get the court Jester job he’s so longed for! This classic pantomime will dazzle and delight the young and the young at heart!

Paul Edwards, Theatre Manager at The Grange, said “The Grange Theatre is absolutely thrilled to be working in association with KD Theatre Productions again for their sixth Pantomime with us.  Pantomime is a huge part of the local community and this promises to be a “Beauty” of a Christmas show for the whole family.”

This fantastic production will keep you wide awake and is written by Daniel Bell with further creatives to be announced.

Katherine Hickmott and Daniel Bell, the Producers for KD Theatre Productions said: ‘We are delighted to be returning to The Grange for our sixth year bringing magical, high quality, family entertainment to the Cheshire audiences, who really do love their pantomime! We are creating our most spectacular and exciting pantomime to date and can’t wait to announce our casting very soon!’

This jam-packed pantomime will be glistening with our exciting blend of live music, quality professional performers, stunning sets, lavish costumes and bags of comedy. The Grange Theatre is the home of family pantomime in Northwich this Christmas.

Sleeping Beauty at The Grange Theatre, Hartford will run from Saturday 10^th December 2022 – Monday 2nd January 2023.

 Sunderland Empire – until 30 April 2022

5*****

A musical telling the story of a fierce woman, played by three equally fierce women, directed (Dame Arlene Phillips), choreographed (Oti Mabuse) and with costumes(Gabriella Slade) by more fierce women and with at least one of the Producers (Katy Lipson from Aria Entertainment) yet another fierce woman.  All competing, and currently at the top of their game, in a male-centric world makes The Cher Show an extra special, female empowering watch.

We begin with the three Cher’s – Babe (Millie O’Connor), Lady (Danielle Steers) and Star (Debbie Kurup) telling the different parts of Cher’s life story  

Babe is the very young Cherilyn Sarkisian, bullied for looking different, an innocent who finds herself at 16  with Sonny Bono and a burgeoning career.  O’Connor captures the naivety of this childlike Cher.  Her mannerisms, masking her shyness are spot on and so is her obvious love and reliance for Bono (Lucas Rush), even though he’s working her too hard, meaning she can’t see baby Chas.

In Lady, a part Danielle Steers was born to play, we find a divorced Cher, finding her feet and taking control.  Still working hard, Lady meets, marries and has a baby with Greg Allman (Sam Ferriday). Allman likes drink and drugs and Cher doesn’t, meaning the marriage is unsuccessful.  Especially while she remains friends and works with Bono.

Star (Debbie Kurup) brings us up to date with the story.  Her acting, despite having severe dyslexia.  Her Oscar wins and her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which exhausted her mentally and physically.  And her assault on the music industry with some massive, iconic songs.  Some of which were belted out during the performance.

My own personal favourite part was when the three Cher’s sing Believe to each other like a self-help mantra is a deeply personal, raw and emotional moment.

The live band (Amy Shaw, Kevin Oliver Jones, Joe Britton, Matt Billups, Tom Slade) led by Danny Belton play the numerous songs, in sometimes unexpected ways, as the songs and lyrics are used to punctuate the performances and move the plot along.  It’s not necessarily in chronological order.

Ending the show with all three Cher’s singing along in a concert, giving the audience a chance to sing along to the well loved anthems, you leave the theatre on a high.  Knowing that if you too believe, you too can do anything

Park Theatre presents in association with Nicholson Green Productions:

Cast Announced for Tony [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] at Park Theatre

• Charlie Baker takes the titular role of Tony Blair, with Gordon Brown being played by Gary Trainor
• The world premiere of Harry Hill and Steve Brown’s satirical rock opera about the former Labour leader

Book by Harry Hill | Music and lyrics by Steve Brown | Directed by Peter Rowe

Park200, 1 June – 9 July 2022

Twitter: @ParkTheatre | facebook: ParkTheatreLondon | Instagram: ParkTheatreLondon | www.parktheatre.co.uk

Comedian and singer Charlie Baker has been announced as the titular role in Tony [The Tony Blair Rock Opera]. Baker has exercised his comedy chops on shows The Last Leg, Harry Hill’s Tea Time, Comedy Central at the Comedy Store, The Great British Bake-Off: An Extra Slice, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live, The Dog Ate My Homework and Channel 4’s Comedy Gala. He has been as a team captain on the Channel 4 panel show A Short History Of Everything Else, became a regular guest on Richard Bacon’s Beer & Pizza Club, and won Let’s Dance For Comic Relief in 2011. As an actor Charlie has also appeared in The IT Crowd, EastEnders, Doctors, Doctor Who and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Gordon Brown is played by Gary Trainor, who opened the lead role of Dewey Finn in School of Rock on the West End, and then toured in the USA; was a member of the original London cast of Carol King musical Beautiful; and was last seen at Park Theatre in 2018 as Nathan Rothschild in Rothschild & Sons.

Also appearing in the production, Howard Samuels plays Peter Mandelson, Rosie Strobel appears as John Prescott, Madison Swan as Princess Diana, Holly Sumpton as Cherie Blair, Kaye Brown as Robin Cook, Adam Price completes the named cast as Neil Kinnock, with Marisa Harris as ensemble and understudy.

Stand-up comedian and TV legend Harry Hill and his long-time collaborator Steve Brown present the world premiere of the rock opera the world has been crying out for: a reckless reappraisal of the life of former Ugly Rumours front man and Britain’s first pop Prime Minister Tony Blair. The story of how one man went from peace-loving, long-haired hippy and would-be pop star to warmongering multimillionaire in just a couple of decades. It’s Yes, Minister meets The Rocky Horror Show!, a hilarious tragedy of political intrigue, religion, power, and romance that plays fast and loose with the facts, complete with songs such as ‘Macro Economics’ and the haunting ballad ‘I Never Done Anything Wrong’. Peter Rowe directs.

Running Time: 2hrs 10 mins (including interval) | Suitable for ages 14+

Company information

Book by Harry Hill                                            Music and lyrics by Steve Brown               Directed by Peter Rowe

Choreography by Francesca Jaynes          Set and costume design by Libby Watson

Sound design by Andre T

Cast

Charlie Baker – Tony Blair

Gary Trainor – Gordon Brown

Howard Samuels – Peter Mandelson

Rosie Strobel – John Prescott

Madison Swan – Princess Diana

Holly Sumpton – Cherie Blair

Kaye Brown – Robin Cook

Adam Price – Neil Kinnock

Marisa Harris – Ensemble cast and understudy

Listings information

Park200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP

1 June – 9 July

Previews: 1 & 2 June £18.50

Mon – Sat evening 7.30pm, Thurs and Sat matinees 3pm

Audio described Sat 25 June 3pm, captioned Sat 3 July 3pm

£32.50 –  £18.50, concessions £18.50 – 16.50, Park Up 1 – 7 June £10

www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876*

* Telephone booking fee: 10% capped at £2.50 per ticket

GARY BARLOW

A DIFFERENT STAGE

NEW SHOWS ANNOUNCED

GARY’S ACCLAIMED ONE MAN SHOW HEADING TO

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK,

Friday 10 and Saturday 11 June 2022

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 29 APRIL AT 9:30AM  HERE

www.adifferentstage.show

★★★★★ A brave and beautiful retelling of his whole life story…a seriously emotional experience – Manchester Evening News

★★★★ Gary Barlow…proves himself a master of solo performance – The Scotsman

★★★★★ Barlow holds his audience rapt throughout…[he’s] a candidly open and honest storyteller – Edinburgh Evening News

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Gary Barlow today announces a host of new dates for A Different Stage, his theatrical one man stage show telling his story, in his words. A Different Stagepremiered at The Brindley, the award-winning theatre in Runcorn, Cheshire, in February to a rapturous reception from his delighted fans. He has since played to sell-out audiences in Salford, Liverpool and Edinburgh and has announced his West End debut at the London’s Duke of York’s Theatre in August. Today Gary confirmed a brand new run of shows which will see him perform a further 24 dates in 7 cities around the UK.

Tickets are on sale Friday 29th April at 9:30am HERE.

Created by Gary and his long-time friend and collaborator Tim Firth, A Different Stage sees Gary narrate the journey of his life alongside the music from his incredible discography. In a project unlike anything he’s ever done before, Gary will take the audience behind the curtain, with nothing off limits in this special performance.

Gary said: “Now I’ve done shows where it has just been me and a keyboard. I’ve done shows where I sit and talk to people. I’ve done shows where I’ve performed as part of a group. But this one, well, it’s like all of those, but none of them. When I walk out this time, it’s going to be a very different stage altogether.”

Gary Barlow is one of Britain’s most successful songwriters and record producers. As part of the group Take That, he has won eight BRIT Awards and sold over 45 million records. Aside from his achievements with Take That, he has also co-written and produced music for other renowned artists including Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams.

In more recent years, Gary has also turned his attention to the world of theatre, composing the score for the hugely successful production of ‘Finding Neverland’; working alongside Tim Firth on  ‘Calendar Girls The Musical’; and collaborating with Tim and his Take That bandmates on ‘The Band’, a record-breaking stage musical currently being adapted into a feature film.

BUDDY RETURNS TO THE DOMINION!

ELF THE MUSICAL OPENS IN LONDON’S WEST END ON 24 NOVEMBER 2022

FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED 8-WEEK SEASON

FROM 14 NOVEMBER 2022

TICKETS ON SALE 10:00AM THURSDAY 28 APRIL 2022

ELF the smash hit musical returns to London in a new production at the Dominion Theatre for a strictly limited 8-week season, previewing from 14 November and opening 24 November 2022, with the season finishing on 7 January 2023.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit starring Will Ferrell, ELF features a book by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).

The new production will be directed by Philip Wm. McKinley, with original set and costume design by Tim Goodchild, choreography by Liam Steel, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe and sound by Gareth Owen.  Casting will be by Grindrod Burton Casting.

ELF is the funny and charming tale of Buddy, who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts as a baby and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf! Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities finally cause him to face the truth and realise he’ll never belong in the North Pole. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York to find his birth father, discover his true identity and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Casting is to be announced.

ELF the Musical is produced by Temple Live Entertainment.

Website: elflondon.com

Instagram: @elfmusicalLDN

Facebook: @elfmusicalLDN

Twitter: @elfmusicalLDN

Tik Tok: @elfmusicalLDN

LISTINGS INFORMATION

ELF the Musical

14 November 2022 to 7 January 2023

Dominion Theatre

268-269 Tottenham Court Road

London W1T 7AQ

Box Office:  0345 200 7982

Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday & Saturday at 2.30pm

Running Time:  2 hours 25 minutes (including interval)

& JULIET ANNOUNCES
SPECIAL “SING-ALONG” PERFORMANCE

Performance confirmed for Monday 6 June at 7.30pm Shaftesbury Theatre, London

www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk

The producers of & Juliet – the West End’s joyous and fun-loving new musical – are thrilled to announce today that there will be a special sing-along performance of the acclaimed show at the Shaftesbury Theatre on Monday 6 June 2022 at 19.30. Tickets will go on sale at 10.30 on Wednesday 27 April.

The musical, which has recently extended its booking period through until 24 September 2022, contains many of the biggest and most anthemic songs of the last 30 years, including Baby One More Time, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), Love Me Like You Do, Confident, It’s My Life, Can’t Feel My Face and the roof-raising Roar.

This special performance, complete with screens displaying the lyrics to every song, will be an opportunity for theatre goers and fans of the show to let their hair down and sing-along to the sound- track of their lives.

& Juliet soars with the music of Max Martin, the acclaimed songwriter of some of pop’s most iconic songs and recorded by artists including Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande, all brilliantly arranged for the musical by Tony® and Grammy Award-winning orchestrator Bill Sherman.

Luke Sheppard, the director of the production, said: “During our hugely successful run at the Shaftesbury Theatre, we’ve been reminded again and again that audiences love the songs of & Juliet. We wanted to create a special occasion where everyone is welcome to join in and have as much fun singing our songs as the actors do every night – when normally we ask the audience to leave the performing to them! A key message of the show is celebrating inclusivity through the magic of theatre, and our hope is that this event continues to open up this show to new audiences as well as those who want to experience the show in a unique way.”

Miriam-Teak Lee – who was awarded the Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2020 for her performance as Juliet – leads a cast including Cassidy Janson, who also won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anne Hathaway, Oliver Tompsett as William Shakespeare, Tim Mahendran as Francois and Alex Thomas-Smith as May.

They are joined by new cast members – the internationally renowned star of the global smash-hit movie The Greatest Showman, Keala Settle as Angelique the Nurse, Julius D’Silva as the amorous Frenchman Lance and Tom Francis as Romeo.

The new ensemble includes Ebony Clarke, Bessy Ewa, Collette Guitart, Cassandra Lee, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Zara MacIntosh, Carl Man, Christian Maynard, Rachel Moran, Owen Saward, Aaron Shales, Benjamin Terry and Suki Wong, who join Ivan De Freitas, Rhian Duncan, Alex Tranter, Sophie Usher and Rhys Wilkinson who continue with the show.

Brought to life by an award-winning creative team in an explosive fusion of styles, & Juliet is directed by Luke Sheppard with a book by David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), electrifying choreography from Jennifer Weber, stunning set design from Soutra Gilmour and costume design by Paloma Young.

Max Martin and Tim Headington present & Juliet, which is produced by Martin Dodd, Tim Headington, Max Martin, Jenny Petersson and Theresa Steele Page.

The Alexandra, Birmingham – until Saturday 30th April 2022

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

4****

Catch Me If You Can is a slick and surprisingly funny thriller which is based on a French play by Robert Thomas. This adaptation is written by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert and directed by Bob Thornton. With a small but superb cast, this play pulls of a rip-roaring romp with a deeply thrilling plot containing more twists than the winding roads of the Catskills, which is where the ominous story opens.

Away in an Alpine style honeymoon cabin, several days after the disappearance of his wife Elizabeth, Daniel Corben is visited by a local priest, who brings home Daniel’s wife. Daniel, however, is convinced that this woman is an imposter, but no one seems to believe him, and he doesn’t seem to be able to prove he is telling the truth. Things start to take a sinister turn for the worst and Daniel not only has to protect his sanity but also his life.

Why is this happening? What is the truth? With the help of a detective, a sandwich maker and a moose, all is revealed…or is it?

Catch Me If You Can, in a word, is brilliant. It’s a well thought out and clever story that keeps you guessing up until its gripping climax. There is such great synergy between the cast leads, Patrick Duffy, Linda Purl and Gray O’Brien who work seamlessly together to deliver excellent performances which lift the production to another level. The writing punches, the humour is on point and importantly, the pace and movement of the piece is timed so you can keep up with the sleuthing.

Catch Me If You Can is compelling, engaging and genuinely funny. If you’re looking for some real, old-school entertainment in the truest sense of the word, I would urge you to catch it if you can.

Forum Theatre, Malvern – 24th April 2022

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

Since Covid had most of us sitting in our nowhere lands making all our nowhere plans, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this rescheduled show. It’s been a long, long, long time but we’ve finally got to get back to rock and roll music. Given the pedigree of The Bootleg Beatles (in its 43rd year) playing history’s most celebrated songbook a splendid time was guaranteed for all. In anticipation, I was praying hey dudes, just make me glad, take some fab songs and make life better – well they certainly please pleased me!

The lights dimmed, the video screen set the scene with some classic contemporary newsreel and music footage, the boys let fly with “She Loves You” and for the next couple of hours the hits never let up! It was also lovely to hear some genuinely surprising additions to a live Beatles set such as “Another Girl” (from the “Help!” Soundtrack), “Hey Bulldog” and “I Me Mine”.

The attention to detail was awe inspiring with the clothes, guitars, accents, mannerisms (John’s “going mad” at Shea Stadium for instance or Paul’s stuttering, breathless song introductions) all astonishingly accurate. It was like watching newsreel footage of the actual Fabs, but live in front of you. George’s guitar solos were especially impressive; playing them more faithfully than the original did live!

They also totally nailed the irreverent humour – whether recreating the skits of the originals (the live at Blackpool post “Yesterday” bouquet gag) or in adding new layers of modern humour in the same vein (John’s jokey “phase one, in which Doris gets her oats” becoming “…in which Boris gets a fine”.

With a little help from their friends in the orchestra, the band could also regale us with songs such as “Lady Madonna” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” with authentic sonic precision and pay fitting homage to George Martin, the fifth Beatle always present in spirit. Special mention also to Max (I hope I heard that right, there was a lot of cheering and clapping during the introductions) adding percussion and various keyboard parts like Billy Preston’s fine additions or Martin’s piano on “In My Life” being particular highlights.

By the encore we were all on our feet and singing like it was the Last Night of the Proms with “All You Need Is Love” and “Give Peace A Chance” proof positive of how relevant the Beatles still are in these perilous times. Finally “Hey Jude” raised the roof, joyously shredding the last vestiges of my own vocal chords.

Total Guitar Magazine once called them “the toppermost of the copymost” and I couldn’t agree more (or put it better myself). Not only was it the closest thing to seeing the Beatles it actually was seeing (and experiencing) them. There was everything to enjoy about this evening’s entertainment. A total triumph which I couldn’t recommend highly enough to anyone who loves The Beatles, music in general or just a great night out. Life affirming perfection!

One Cartridge Place, London – booking until 4 December 2022

Reviewed by Alun Hood

4****

You never forget your first Punchdrunk. Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle’s epoch-making shows have transformed expectations of what immersive, site-specific theatre can achieve, in terms of scale, production values, all-encompassing design and attention to detail, and audience engagement. To experience one – you can’t just watch a Punchdrunk production, not least because you’ll be on your feet and on the move pretty much the whole time – is to go on a complete sensory journey, one where you decide which story arcs and characters to watch and follow, which of the stunningly realised sets to explore, and to be utterly transported. With The Burnt City, their biggest show to date, they take on Greek myth, although the aesthetic is anachronistic: boho chic meets old school Hollywood glamour meets monochrome starkness: there’s not a floaty tunic in sight, although there is a fair bit of blood and gore.

Part of the fun comes at the end, seeing the disorientation of audience members/participants removing their masks and readjusting to being back in the “real” world, as opposed to the elaborately curated one the Punchdrunk collective have manifested. For the uninitiated: everybody is provided with a rigid, bone-white mask for the duration, and the effect is curiously liberating while at the same time impeding peripheral vision and spatial awareness in ways that some may find discomfiting. Indeed, one of the enduring images I’ve taken away from each Punchdrunk show I’ve been to, is of distant flotillas of these pearlescent white masks moving at speed through the gloom as a host of audience members pursue their chosen character to a different part of the vast space and the next instalment of that particular plot strand.

Linear storytelling isn’t the point here, each gargantuan production being a distillation of it’s source material (their last big London project, 2014’s The Drowned Man, performed across multiple transformed floors of a disused Paddington post office was inspired by Buchner’s Woyzeck, while their ongoing NYC long runner Sleep No More is a riff on Macbeth, turning a dilapidated Manhattan warehouse into an elegant but demonically possessed 1930’s hotel) rather than a straightforward adaptation. As each show is virtually wordless (the Punchdrunk language is an intoxicating combination of atmosphere, music, mime and modern dance), it may be worth doing a bit of research on the background before you set out. I certainly found myself wishing I’d boned up on Greek drama, specifically Aeschylus’s Agamemnon and Euripides’s Hecuba which are the basis for The Burnt City, housed in Punchdrunk’s new HQ, a pair of former military arsenal buildings near the Thames.

Certain moments from the stories – Agamemnon’s sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia to appease the Gods of War, Clytemnestra’s revenge and her dalliance with Aegisthus – are fairly clear but there are times when it’s pretty impossible to work out what’s going on. Plus if you stay in one spot for too long you’ll experience the same sections more than once, as though on a loop. There’s a danger of FOMO setting in – it’s impossible to take the whole thing in on one visit – also a sense of ennui and disbelief that you’ve just spent minutes watching somebody make a cup of tea or a soldier climb a ladder in slo mo, or witnessed a plastic-clad pair cavort with what looks like offal. Whether or not that bothers you depends on the extent to which you surrender to the overall Punchdrunk vision. If it all takes itself very seriously, well, Greek Tragedy was never a barrel of laughs.

Technically, it is astounding: from Stephen Dobbie’s doomy, overwhelming score, drawing on everything from trance to Charleston to a lush Hans Zimmer-like orchestral swell, to David Israel Reynoso’s costume designs and the gorgeous, if occasionally too dim, lighting (by FragmentNine, Ben Donoghoe and Felix Barrett), everything pretty much takes the breath away. Maxine Doyle choreographs and her jagged, adrenalised creations for the humans in distress contrast tellingly with the fluid, other-worldly dynamism of the Fates, plus it’s an authentic thrill to experience dance at such close quarters. The cast are a sinewy, beautiful bunch, with presence and athleticism to spare, but they rotate parts so, unless you’re a clued-up regular, you don’t know who you’re watching in which role.
Designers Felix Barrett, Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns have divided the vast area into two very specific worlds. Greece is austerely, chillingly magnificent: on a mezzanine, Agamemnon’s Mycenae palace combines brutality and luxury while below a wide open space suggests a battlefield and wasteland, with massive wrought iron structures scattered about like the prows of abandoned ships, and the two levels are connected by an epic staircase, the like of which hasn’t seen so much action since Sunset Boulevard. By contrast, Troy is a funky, grungy, densely packed neon-edged city, full of weird but colourful shops, bars, hotels, and a kind of desperate, apocalyptic energy. There’s even a night club, complete with fully stocked bar, where a glorious Black diva belts out a version of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’. There is an all-pervasive sense though, in the astonishingly detailed installations and tableaux vivants, of urban lives being abandoned in a panic, and of grim resignation from the humans left behind to face an oncoming storm of the Greek invasion, and it’s hard not to contextualise this with the current events in Ukraine.

If I came away from The Burnt City impressed rather than moved, I am still, a day later, haunted by individual images: Iphigenia’s broken body splayed across the top of a gantry, a pile of bones in front of a makeshift altar, Agamemnon processing up the epic staircase in a never-ending blood red cloak, or the ghostly contortions of the nearly naked company processing back down it at the conclusion before exploding into a whirring, trance-like ritualistic circular dance as snow falls from above. Shatteringly powerful moments sit next to sections that are frustratingly elliptical. The best approach is to let it just wash over you…and wear comfy shoes. Punchdrunk are back, and it’s epic.