In the smouldering promise of the fall of Troy, a mythical world of gods and mortals rise from the ashes…

The Burnt City is the latest production behind the team from Punchdrunk, an award winning company that make powerful productions across the world. Known for productions such as Sleep No More, they use classic text, contemporary dance and physical performance in beautifully themed environments to produce something unlike you’ve seen before.

The production officially opened in April 2022 and since then, it has made a powerful statement to all those who have visited.

The experience could not be compared to anything we have done before, truly unique. Upon arriving to the venue, we had our tickets checked and scanned. From here, if we had any phones, they would need to be locked away and they took this seriously. Our phones were placed in a special bag and zip tied up so they couldn’t come out during your time at the venue. Of course if you have an emergency they can cut this and you can use your phone outside the show area. We were also given a playing card each which would come in handy very shortly. 

We then entered into a cosy lounge area. Here you could find the bar, stage and seating. This was a place outside the main show but there would be plenty going on in here still. From here, you are called forward depending on your card and enter into the start of the show area, maybe even split from your group…

We don’t want to ruin what is inside as covering all aspects would take all day! What we can say is we have never seen an experience so large compared to all the other immersive experiences we’ve done. We couldn’t count how many scenes and rooms there actually is. You can move between the haunting palace of Greece and then next roam the neon streets of downtown troy, you really did not know what to expect. 

Along the way, you would meet numerous characters who may be verbal or may stay completely silent as they performed away. One of our favourite parts of this overall experience was how the actors and stories linked together. As in, one moment they were doing a solo routine in a bar and then next, they have now met up with another actor in another room doing a whole other scene. It worked seamlessly and each scene created such emotion, tension and drama.