Punchdrunk: The Burnt City London Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsShow-Score Member Reviews (230)
See it if You enjoy contemporary dance and immersive theatre. But in general: Just a must see! Brilliant! Captivating! Breath taking!
Don't see it if You are afraid to explore on your own. You’re expecting a typical play.
See it if you enjoy immersive theatre, classic Greek texts, and inspired storytelling.
Don't see it if You don't like/get immersive theatre... 3 hours of walking around sets may not be for you.
See it if you have any interest at all.
Don't see it if you don’t like the Punchdrunk white mask format. Read more
See it if you like punchdrunk/fully immersive productions, truly one of the most miraculous set designs you will ever see, committed acting,incredible
Don't see it if you want a clear story- this one is a bit confusing, you prefer plot, you hate immersive, you prefer a seated show with no energy required
See it if you want to see an immersive theater company at the very top of their game, making work that is almost too grand and lush to exist
Don't see it if it's a little confusing, and you'll probably get more out of it if you refresh your understanding of mythology first. the web site helps! Read more
See it if you love non traditional, immersive, site specific works. You love Greek myths/history. You want to see some truly epic staging and dancing
Don't see it if you are expecting a proscenium play, and don’t like moving to follow characters, you don’t like crowds, and you don’t like non spoken pieces
See it if you want to be immersed in a world and stories of your choosing. you enjoy greek mythology or immersive theater in general
Don't see it if you want a linear storyline that is easy to follow or don’t want to be on your feet for three hours.
See it if You want to be totally immersed in this greek play. Such a clever production and totally absorbing. A must see!
Don't see it if The prospect of not sitting down for a few hours scares you and having to navigate your way around the story leaves you bewildered.
Critic Reviews (9)
I slightly resent the way immersive theatre relies on FOMO ... [but] I was overawed by the rich, vivid, momentous achievement of Barratt, Doyle and their cast and cohorts here. Simply astonishing.
Read more
The show is rich and strange and drenched in Easter egg references to Greek mythology. I think it’s an extraordinarily beautifully wrought tribute to the savage, doomy mysticism of Greek mythology.
Read more
The set ... has an intimate filmic beauty. The Burnt City is an epic set-up without enough epic storytelling. So it is frustrating that they do not build more of it into the production. That said, those who are satisfied with spectacle above story will enjoy this meticulously crafted show.
Read more
[It] has some good ideas, but lacks the surprise of their greatest work. For every ‘through the wardrobe’ moment of wonder I experienced there were times when I felt as if I was banging my head against a brick wall. The huge redeeming feature lay in the closing sections.
Read more
The narrative is so flimsy and opaque that you could just as easily convince yourself that you’ve wandered into an avant-garde version of Cabaret. In the gloom, it’s hard to make out much detail. Thereafter you fumble your way through.
Read more
[It] is magnificently staged. Co-director Maxine Doyle's choreography is, throughout, utterly transporting. It was beautiful and memorable, but I longed for more to help me make sense of it.
Read more
It’s ... a constantly unsettling and enthralling experience that constantly challenges you to push the limits of your curiosity ... where Punchdrunk excels is in demanding as much of the audience members as of the performers.
Read more
Calling The Burnt City a theatre experience is really an undersell, it feels more like being inside a living dream. Wearing masks you descend into a fully fleshed-out world, where you can watch performers, explore entire cities and get lost in the adventure.
Read more