This week I’m starting a new series called Weekly pinpoint, where I’m going to keep it short and sweet (at last!) and introduce you to an event, restaurant, one-day trip, you name it.
For the first one, I have the pleasure to present you Alice’s Adventures Underground, a very cool immersive/ interactive theatre experience. A production by Les Enfants Terribles, this weird, yet wonderful twist on the classic story has taken over the Vaults, in Waterloo, only to get everyone a chance to experience Wonderland.
For the newbies (myself included until not long ago), immersive theatre is the kind of theatre where spectators become actual participants in the play, either as a witness or a character. That often means that viewers have an active role in shaping the story and they get to experience the ins and outs of the play, not just observe it from the outside.
In Alice’s Adventures, you play the witness role as you don’t have a say in how the story evolves, but you become part of Wonderland’s madness, the one you so often tried to picture while reading.
Well that was the silliest tea party I ever went to! I am never going back there again!
The décor of the promenade is spectacular, probably my favourite aspect! At times you might not have enough time to notice it, though, with all sorts of wacky characters storming past you – you get to meet the Queen, the Mad-Hatter, the Rabbit and … I’ve already said too much. It’s better to go without expectations, so I don’t want to ruin the surprise.
My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.
For me, the exit scene was a bit up in the air and there were times when I felt like something was missing, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Nonetheless, everything went smoothly, the set was incredible and the actors were really well-prepared. It’s also hard to predict what will happen next, so there are plenty of surreal rooms and activities unfolding in front of your soon-to-be-amazed eyes!
TIP: There will be a point where you have to choose between 2 scenarios: Eat me or Drink me. If you go with friends, make sure you choose different options so you can compare your stories at the end. Each of you will play a completely different role, which is part of the fun and excitement. And yes, you don’t get to experience the whole story but you’ll get to hear about all the intricate details first hand from your friends, so it (kind of) makes up for it.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where –”
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.
I hope you’re a bit curious now, so go here to find out more details and buy tickets. The show runs until August 30th, at various times throughout the day. It’s a bit pricey for budget-conscious spenders (£35-£47.50), but totally worth it!
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