And as they do, a play unfolds around them and with them.
Here, the audience is not separate from the action but a part of it.
And because of that,the similarities between Punchdrunk’s shows and video games are many.
The show is running in London until the end of September.
Bertie:It’s been a few weeks since I went to The Burnt City.
I remember there being a bitingly cold wind whipping around the Woolwich Arsenal in London when we were there.
I’m still thinking about the show.
And I’m keen to know how much you knew about Punchdrunk before you went?
What were you expecting?
It was my first experience of Punchdrunk too.
But I’d heard about the group before.
How did you feel going in?
I remember a definite sense of nervous excitement in the queue when we were there.
I hear there are also one-on-one performances that occur, though that didn’t happen for me.
Also, the space is just so darkly lit, it’s like wandering through a dungeon.
But to the show itself!
What did you think?
And it’s possible for you to go anywhere you want and follow anyone you want.
Did you get a sense of that?
Alan:I certainly went in with a mentality of what kind of games I would be thinking about.
And there’s just all sorts of directions it’s possible for you to be taken in.
I didn’t even discover Troy until the second half!
How did you go about experiencing it?
I couldn’t have gotten closer to the action if I’d tried.
But as to who I followed: I followed a whim.
It’s like a warren in there.
Alan:Did you take a stab at interact with any objects in the rooms?
But I did wonder whether there was any actual interactive element that would make it more game-like.
I’ve never seen sets so intricately populated.
But like you, I was reluctant to mess with them.
Some people weren’t, though!
It was such a bizarre scene!
It seemed like something choreographed for the show but it wasn’t - these were masked audience members!
And they froze and looked at me when I walked in.
I think I did a very quick reverse manoeuvre and walked out.
Did you come upon anything bizarre?
Bertie:You know, you’ve hit upon a common theme there: tiredness.
Because I’m going to be blunt with you: I didn’t have a clue.
Alan:Oh yeah, it didn’t make a narrative lick of sense to me!
Incidentally, was the finale you saw in that big hangar-like space below where the stone table was?
Bertie:The finale was in that big hangar-like space below the stone table - yep.
And yeah, it’s definitely built for repeat viewings.
I believe they rotate the cast each performance, too, to intentionally jumble things up.
An entire warehouse dressed with staggering detail.
It’s an unforgettable experience.
The question is, would you go back - would you see a Punchdrunk show again?
Alan:I wouldn’t mind seeing The Burnt City again to be honest!
