Storefront City London

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The Burnt City

Credit: Punchdrunk

WHAT: The Burnt City
WHO: Punchdrunk
WHEN: March – 4th December, 2022
WHERE: One Cartridge Place (1 Cartridge Pl, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6ZR)
PRICE: £55+
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Do It!

One of the highlights of being a reviewer is the ability to witness the unusual, the mystical, the bewitching. Our immersive theatre journey began over a decade ago and we have been both audience, producer, director, and performer across many projects. Back in 2013, we were fortunate enough to see Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man, which was, for us, a formative moment of wonder in our theatrical education. As such, we were eager to experience their newest production, The Burnt City, a reimagining of the paramount moments of the Trojan War. Immersive theatre should not be spoiled by revealing too much, so forgive us if this review is a little more general than you’re used to.

Photo: Julian Abrams. Performer: Yilin Kong

Adam: It is undoubted that The Burnt City is a monumental undertaking. From the moment you enter, one is thrust into the past, traversing the millennia through literal museum displays into the vibrant and disturbing world of the Trojan War. You are enveloped in this world, and although the theming may be modern, the ancient details shine through; the neon glow of Mycenaean Linear B inscriptions dappling entrances in eerie brightness.

The archaeological remnants scattered about mirror the fractured storytelling, allowing the audience to piece together the narrative as if a shattered vase. Typical of Punchdrunk, this is a promenade performance arranged over an enormous area, which means you must have dogged determination to see everything (and, even then, it’s quite possible to miss certain scenes). The individual must interpret the vignettes as best they can, so it is very useful to have foreknowledge of the Trojan War, its heroes, villains, and voyages, before attending so as to get the best possible experience.

Adding to the sense of veil between yourself, the performers, and indeed the audience, is the traditional “plague” mask that Punchdrunk requires patrons to wear. This gives added anonymity to your interactions, making it easier to lose yourself (and your compatriots, if you so desire) and have a more individual experience. In those encounters, you start to piece the scattered storytelling together through interactions with those fragments left behind in war, the abandoned spaces, or the sudden rush of a troop towards you.

The all-encompassing nature of The Burnt City means this production is true to its name. As we would expect, immaculate attention has been paid to the details of set, props, and lighting, though it is notable that the variety of spaces present in previous Punchdrunk works does seem absent. For the best experience, we recommend you book as early a slot as possible, for only with time and exploration can you uncover the full nature of this epic. You are in for a stunning dive into a tragic-heroic world that leaves no stone unturned, nor path untrodden. Take risks, explore, and always push on that closed door…

Photo: Julian Abrams. Performers: Andrea Carrucciu and Dafni Krazoudi

Alicia: Immersive theatre doesn’t start from curtains up. It starts from the moment you enter the event venue, and ends when you step back into the real world. Upon going into the building there was immediately a rather hostile atmosphere created by the front of house staff, an almost bully-ish nature directing us here and there: a judgemental edge to every interaction. And this wasn’t a thematic decision, this was a stressed out staff transferring onto audience members, creating an unfortunate environment before we even entered the world of The Burnt City. Perhaps they were overwhelmed, and that wouldn’t be surprising due to the large numbers of audience members entering every second and creating queues throughout the space. Unfortunately, we weren’t treated any better upon leaving, with instructions being barked at us up until the point of exiting the venue.

Putting front-of-house aside, let’s get to the meat of it all. Of course our expectations for this event were high – The Drowned Man was one of the best theatrical creations we’d ever seen, and the ticket price for The Burnt City naturally reflects this. But, in the end, it suffered from a weak narrative. They attempted to set the scene for the audience with a display and information boards like a museum, but with crowds and queues, we felt rushed in the preparation stages and overwhelmed by both the amount of people around us and the quantity of information we had to read and take in. And, unfortunately, the performance itself, as well as the distinction between the two different worlds presented by the company, was often confusing. One of the strangest elements was the beautiful soundscape – but sadly sometimes there would be huge builds and swells in the music with nothing much going on, and vice versa. 

Let me be clear: the level of detail and the physicality of the performances were amazing. The lighting and soundscape were steps above what we remember in The Drowned Man and added astonishing depth to the world-building. And there were some strong final scenes, a brilliant use of the unique venue in a subtle site-specific way, and real passion, energy and talent from all the performers. Of course it was stunning, it really was, but it was also confounding and a bit bereft of that magic we felt from their past performances.

Photo: Julian Abrams. Performers: Vinicius Salles, Omagbitse Omagbemi, and Andrea Carrucciu

Final Thoughts: This is magical worldcrafting that breaks all boundaries. If you are unfamiliar with Punchdrunk, this performance is the perfect introduction. If you have attended before, we still highly recommend The Burnt City despite our critiques, which come from a place of love for the company and their astounding productions.

P.S.: True immersion is a rare occurrence, but for a similar level of high-quality and enthralling production, we recommend you check out The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Twilight at London Zoo – Adults-Only Late Opening

Credit: ZSL London Zoo

WHAT: Twilight at London Zoo — Adults Only
WHEN: 30 June — 22 July 2022 (Thursdays & Fridays)
WHERE:
ZSL London Zoo, Regents Park, Outer Cir, London NW1 4RY
PRICE:
£21.50-£36.50
OUTDOORS: Yes

OUR RATING: Do It!

Looking for a laid-back but adventurous night out in London? Look no further than ZSL London Zoo’s late-night experience for adults only. Take this amazing opportunity to unwind and explore the world’s oldest scientific zoo where the usual crowds and kids are replaced with a super chill atmosphere complete with a wide array of street food, music, pop-up bars, keeper talks, and fairy-lights galore.

ZSL London Zoo is massive and you’ll want to arrive early to experience it all. The world’s oldest (scientific) zoo established all the way back in 1828, the truly remarkable collection spans all the major continents and species, from ferocious lions, to tropical rainforest-dwellers, and even the tiniest of leaf-cutter ants. And you’re not just here for the animals: an array of other entertainments are on offer, including street food, cocktails, and live music. Once you have your drink in hand, why not take a wander and listen to the fascinating animals talks, including for more elusive creatures such as the mysterious Komodo dragon.

Credit: Storefront City Team

Upon entering the zoo, we were immediately presented with an array of choices, from animal talks to meeting the keepers, to a variety of entertainment options. While a majority of attractions we’ve been to lately have converted to a more digital lifestyle of QR codes and apps, ZSL London Zoo is still pretty old school, asking guests to take photos of the zoo map and programme. While we honestly do have issues with all the apps these days, we thought this way of navigating around the zoo by constantly referencing a photo on our phones was also a small annoyance, but we just decided to put our phones away and see where the zoo’s paths took us!

Perhaps a highlight for us was the sheer activity the animals were displaying. These crepuscular behaviours (twilight-activated) meant that the lions were roaring away, bats were ducking over us, and monkeys were more playful than we’d seen before. Aside from the animal antics, live performance pervaded the night, with an acoustic set in the since repurposed and historic Lubetkin Penguin Pool. If you’re even more adventurous, an upgrade is available to spend the night at the zoo amongst the plentiful wildlife in one of the lodges.

Credit: Storefront City Team

One of the only grievances we had at the zoo was the limited supply of free water throughout the park. We weren’t allowed any of our water bottles going in, and once we were inside the park we had to pay to fill our bottles with cold fizzy water — very strange. It wasn’t until a few hours into the event that we finally came across a free water fountain. Since we were there in the evening and only for a few hours this wasn’t a huge problem, but we can see this being difficult for those braving the odd London heatwave during the daytime while trekking hours through the park. However there’s always plenty of shelter — we got caught in a bit of a downpour but visited the indoor birds, nightlife, and creepy creatures exhibits while we waited it out!

Credit: Storefront City Team

Final Thoughts: It’s been awhile since we’ve been to a zoo, but we were constantly awed at how quiet everything was without the crowds and kids, and instead with the sights and sounds of nature fully immersing us all evening. If you want to come to the zoo and don’t have a child, this is the ultimate way of experiencing it, with very affordable tickets and a lovely atmosphere. And if you want to upgrade, you can add a private guided tour or even a champagne experience! After our evening with thousands of animals, we can’t see ourselves going back to a zoo any other way!

Brother Marcus Borough Yards

Credit: Brother Marcus

WHAT: Brother Marcus Borough Yards
WHERE: 1 Dirty Lane, London SE1 9PA
PRICE: £7.60–14.50 (Brunch Dishes)
OUTDOORS: Yes (Seating Available)

OUR RATING: Do It!

Delicious, fresh, and wholesome Eastern Mediterranean food is the star attraction at Brother Marcus’ newest location. After wild success in Spitalfields, Angel, and Balham, the chic and trendy eatery has taken up residence in the ultimate cool of Borough Yards, superbly accessible from both London Bridge station and Borough Market. A light and bright interior is instantly welcoming and has a feel of New York about it, which we suppose is the idea.

Brunch is the name of the game here, with an extensive menu spanning the staple of Yoghurt and Granola to the decadence of a full vegan breakfast (vegan and vegetarian options are happily plentiful). One can particularly recommend the Harissa Eggs (British rainbow chard, avocado, poached eggs, toasted organic sourdough, and harissa oil), which was extremely pleasing of flavour and well-proportioned, the harissa shining through in all its abundant and fiery brilliance. This was well-paired with a grapefruit juice, a perfect brunch complement.

Credit: Brother Marcus

Final Thoughts: Eminently eatable food, a buzzing atmosphere, and a stellar location, Brother Marcus Borough Yards is the ideal location for that birthday brunch you’ve been planning. Next time, we might even go for the bottomless drinks option.

P.S.: Still in a brunchy mood? Why not head over to Rudy’s Vegan Diner and grab your fill of the best vegan food we’ve ever tasted.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

WHAT: Ocean at the End of the Lane
WHEN: 23rd October – 14th May, 2022, Touring 12th December, 2022 – September, 2023
WHERE:
Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Ln, London WC2N 4BG
PRICE: £20 – £49.50
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Do It!

Now that London has reopened in the wake of the COVID pandemic, Storefront City has had the pleasure of returning to the theatre scene. We have a few reviews up our sleeve to share with you over the next few weeks, but the most awe-inspiring one of them all has been the National Theatre transfer of The Ocean at the End of the Lane to the Duke of York’s Theatre

In our view, this tour de force production is by far the most impressive piece of spectacle theatre in London since Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man. Based on Neil Gaiman’s 2013 novel, this work tells the story of a man who returns to his childhood home in Sussex and is transported back in time to his 12th birthday, a time when he makes a best friend named Lettie who introduces him to a magical world threatened by ancient forces. When these forces break through the protective barrier to their world, the safety of the boy’s family is put in jeopardy, and his survival depends on Lettie, her magical family, and the boy’s love for his family.

Credit: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Featuring amazing puppetry, beautiful choreography, mind-boggling magic design, and haunting set, lighting and sound design that gave us major Stranger Things feels, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a must-see story about family, memory, growing up, and imagination. 

Credit: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

To be honest, summing up this play is a difficult feat, and we also don’t want to ruin any surprises, since this performance is chock full of them. Every single element of this play was jaw-dropping, but the amazing aesthetic choices and the immersive design were only so strong because of the emotionally powerful strength of the story itself and the brilliance of the cast. James Banford performs stunningly as Boy, the main character of the play, but the supporting cast of characters were equally impressive, especially Nia Towle as Lettie, Nicolas Tennant as Dad, and Laura Rogers as Ursula. 

Credit: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Final Thoughts: We’ve already recommended this show to a few friends, loving every time they message us during intermission with expletives and all caps. It’s a play that pulls at your heartstrings but is also a feast for your ears and eyes and really makes your imagination run wild.

P.S.: For more theatrical wonder, why not check out The Haunting of Susan A.

Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner

Credit: Rudy’s Vegan

WHAT: Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner
WHERE:
206 Upper St, London N1 1RQ and 729–731 Camden Stables Market, London NW1 8AH
PRICE:
£7.50–13.50 (Main Dishes)
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Do It!

Although no longer Veganuary, we’re not ones to believe that a month should limit your actions (or your ethics). With vegan alternatives to meat and dairy products rising in popularity and hitting the mainstream, there have been many opportunities to adopt a diet that is simply better for the planet. Unfortunately, most substitutes are poor imitations of the real thing, putting many would-be vegan off. That’s not the case here — not by a long shot!

Enter Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner, a scrumptious establishment serving up the best of American comfort food from completely plant-based ingredients. We were lucky enough to recently dine at Rudy’s Islington location, which adjoins what must be the world’s first meatless butcher.

Credit: Rudy’s Vegan

A traditional diner from floor to ceiling, Rudy’s exudes a fast chic coupled with friendly staff and comfortable seating. As explained by the brilliantly energetic and passionate Chef Orr, the menu is informed by a real need for delicious vegan recipes that reflect the authentic tastes of patrons and thus each dish is carefully tailored to feedback initially received. This includes striving towards the complete removal of preservatives as well as control over those ingredients throughout the creative and culinary process. The result is delicious food that bursts with a fabulous feel and taste.

Credit: Storefront City Team

To start our decadent lunch off we each tried out one of Rudy’s smoothies, the Tropical Crush (passion fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple) and the Beet & Berry (beetroot, raspberry, banana, ginger). We had hoped for a green smoothie, but they’d already run out, so we tried their fruitier options. The beet smoothie was a bit sugary for our taste, but we really enjoyed the tropical crush, and honestly both were a welcome light and sweet balance to the heavier savoury food to come! Next time we go there we might try out some of their vegan wines on offer, or if all of that is too fancy for you they’ve got local beers on tap too.

Credit: Rudy’s Vegan

Rudy’s has just launched a few all day brunch dishes, including Eggz Avocado Toast, a Full English, and both sweet and savoury pancake options. Our chef mentioned the bacon and maple pancakes were his favourite choice, which really tempted us! The whole menu looked absolutely superb, comforting favourites with interesting spins: hedonism on a plate even with no meat or dairy involved.

We started with a side of merguez — grilled “merguez’’ sausage with tomato, avocado and Rudy’s bread and dip. This was perhaps our favourite dish of the day, with some amazing spices in the sausage — we had some as leftovers and they were still brilliant! The texture is a bit crumbly, and we’re not sure these would hold up on a BBQ, but we actually enjoyed it very much. It reminded us of a vegan and less oily version of sobrasada, and we gobbled it all up.

For our mains we tried their infamous rubenz (seitan pastrami, grilled onions, cheeze slice, sauerkraut, dill pickles & sauce) and their steak frites (“tenderloin” steak with roasted mushroom, peppercorn sauce and fries). We’ve been craving rubens for awhile, and this vegan version didn’t disappoint! The ratio of all the fixings was perfect, and while we’re used to rye bread, the sourdough was heavenly and stood up to the jam-packed ingredients. Meanwhile, the steak frites was one of the most unique dishes we’ve tried for awhile. While it didn’t quite taste like steak, the meatiness was there and the peppercorn sauce was what made this a winner.

Credit: Storefront City Team

Final Thoughts: Rarely do we eat at a restaurant and immediately decide we’re going to take all our friends there. This is exactly what we said to each other during lunch — we wanted to tell all our vegan friends right away and to go back as soon as possible. Maybe it was the nostalgia of the diner, maybe it was the amazingly affordable dishes, and maybe it was just the absolute deliciousness of everything we ate. But we’d go back in a heartbeat! We’d like to try out their original location in Camden, just for a change of scenery, and we might not get the same thing either. The destructor chick’n burger, the dirty dogz and the buffalo wingz are calling to us. But first, we’ll need to work off the calories from our last meal and then build up an appetite for another feast!

P.S.: Stay tuned for a future review of Rudy’s Vegan Butcher, where we try some of their products as well as partner products you can buy at the vegan butcher shop!

The Fright Before Christmas

Credit: Harpy Productions/Danse Macabre Productions

WHAT: The Fright Before Christmas
WHEN: 11 December 2021
WHERE:
The Space (269 Westferry Rd, London E14 3RS)
PRICE: £13 — £16
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Do It!

As fans of the creepy and macabre we firmly agree that Christmas is the perfect time of year for ghost stories in front of the fire. As such, we scoured London events for anything dark and sinister this holiday season, and lo and behold we came across The Fright Before Christmas, a one-night only unique horror storytelling experience.

Presented by Harpy Productions and Danse Macabre Productions, a half-dozen teams spun six new ten-minute terrifying tales in front of both an audience and a select group of judges. This was the first time we’ve been to The Space on the Isle of Dogs, located inside a former church. The set up for the production was quite sparse, with a tiny handful of props per performance and a few lights above the stage, but across the board all six pieces had remarkable sound and light design for what they had on hand. To tie in the night’s theme there were several small tables set up for the audience, all topped with festive decorations including holly and, of course, a skull.

Charismatic host Lady Aria Grey led the audience through the night, introducing each piece and then inviting thoughts from three horror judges at the end of each performance. The concept of having judges review the pieces was novel — we’d never attended an event like that. Yet we felt that while the role of a host was essential, the role of the judges was a bit ineffective. While interesting to hear their thoughts, it took the mood out of the night and in the long run could have done without them.

Credit: Storefront City Team

But let’s talk about the most important aspect of the night, the shows themselves! Writer Sarah Hamilton’s All I Want for Christmas…Is You started off the night right, telling the story of a woman alone in a house at Christmas when a stranger knocks on her door, asking for shelter from a storm. While we enjoyed the story and the twists and turns throughout, the sound design supporting the storm outside the house led to the downfall of the second half of the piece. With the sound so loud and the actors quite quiet, we couldn’t make out everything they said in the final few minutes of the play — exactly when it was quite clear that the twists were ramping up! In the end we turned to each other to see if the other understood what was said and what happened at the end, to no avail.

Next up was Jane Morris’s Eight Legs, Eight Arms. Exploring the very real threats women face on a daily basis, this piece framed its harrowing subject through the lens of an octopus, in a Cthulhu-esque twist that pitted eight-legged beings against each other (whether spiders or octopodes). Whilst intriguing conceptually, we felt the writing needed further polishing in order to truly reach its potential.

Credit: Storefront City Team

Moving back from the mouth of madness, Rachel O’Neill’s They Comes presents us with a couple who are not at all in agreement when it comes to the subject of having children. This crisis is precipitated by the traditionalist pushing of the husband’s grandmother — but gestation occurs (piecemeal) regardless of wishes. At times, the performance felt surprisingly ordinary, but this is not to detract from the rather unexpected (and unpleasant) climax.

Ben Whitehead’s The Sister Inside was our personal favourite of the night, and won second place after the audience and judge voting process. Approaching the stage covered in a white sheet and white top hat, Whitehead, performing the piece in addition to writing it, appeared a bit ridiculous, and his facial expressions interacted well to the audience’s reaction to his costume. Whitehead brought an amazing piece of Victorian storytelling in rhyming couplets, eliciting both laughs as well as horrifying silences. Whitehead is a seasoned performer and had us in the palm of his hand for the whole ten minutes with his tale of a woman living with her sibling writhing inside her. Whitehead also had to cope with a rowdy audience member interrupting his piece several times, and he did so masterfully.

Freddie Valdosta’s Flip the Switch (performed by Freddie Gilbraith and Oscar Koronka) was the night’s popular favourite — and chillingly so. A deeply disturbing portrait of the internal voice that is OCD, the tension is soon escalated to horrific heights, ending in a place that leaves one questioning the true nature of that “voice in your head”.

The final piece of the night was Rachel Bellman’s Tooting Bec Asylum, a story about a woman living on top of what used to be a morgue in an old hospital. The woman and her boyfriend start to see ghosts of the elderly and putrefying ghosts (and start ageing themselves). Oddly enough, we had that day rewatched the Tales from the Crypt episode Only Sin Deep — a bit of a coincidence! We appreciated such a traditional horror story, but with a rather predictable ending which we hoped would turn at some point, we don’t think this was the strongest of the night.

Final Thoughts: With an excellent selection of well-staged and produced short plays, The Fright Before Christmas does not disappoint and has genres for all types of horror and ghost fans. Given the general lack of horror material in a theatre setting, it is most refreshing to see new works developed around it. It is worth noting that whilst billed as a 90 minute set of performances, the entire event stretched to over 120 minutes (with a 20 minute interval). Whilst fine by us, we think it might be challenging for scheduling purposes. That’s one whole lot of horror!

Friendship Adventure Brewery

WHAT: Friendship Adventure Brewery
WHERE: 
Unit G1, Coldharbour Works, 245a Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8RR
PRICE: 
£2.50–6 (Beer) £6–14 (Food)
OUTDOORS: No

OUR RATING: Chance It!

Credit: Friendship Adventure Ltd

When is it not the perfect day for a pint? We headed over to Friendship Adventure Brewery this week to try some local beer brewed in Brixton, and felt right at home in this pub!

We love the atmosphere this brewery and taproom creates. The space reflects its name and its obvious Friendship Adventure cares about the community it’s based in. Right around the corner from Loughborough Station, this spacious railway arch-esque pub has tons of seating, with fun high bar stools and some spots right next to their brewing equipment, which was definitely a unique experience.

The brewery’s community spirit is reflected in everything it offers, as they showcase small businesses in they food the serve, the pints they pour, and the charities they partner with. The staff are super friendly and invite you to hang out as long as you’d like without nagging you to buy another pint, and they offer water and popcorn to boot!

Credit: Friendship Adventure Ltd

Taking a seat next to their brewery equipment, we had to try a few of their home-brewed beers, although they do host several guest beers from other local businesses as well as a few varieties of wine. We tried a few half pints so we could get a better selection of what they offer, and we particularly enjoyed their Caper (modern pilsner lager) and their Headliner (big, bold, juicy New England IPA).

Did we mention this is a dog friendly pub? There were so many dogs that visited throughout the night, and it was obvious this was a place well-frequented by locals, as there was a very warm and welcoming atmosphere during our entire stay.

Credit: Friendship Adventure Ltd

Final Thoughts: We definitely can’t wait to go back to Friendship Adventure. We’ve heard they have great comedy nights so we’re keeping our eyes peeled on their event page, and we’re more than ready to come back for some nibbles too. There are some fantastic local restaurants that rotate at the brewery, including Banh BanhBaz & FredBlack Bear Burger, and Rudie’s Jerk Shack, all reasonably priced, so we’ll definitely return for some great beer, some local food and a show!

P.S.: Looking for another Brixton pub to frequent? Why not try Hope & Anchor for a different pub experience — still a warm and social atmosphere but with a different style.

Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2021

WHAT: Tullys Shocktober Fest
WHEN: 1 October — 6 November, 2021
WHERE: 
Tulleys Farm (Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE)
PRICE: 
£14–129

OUR RATING: Chance It!

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

Storefront City is back for Tullys Shocktober Fest!

We made sure for Tullys to be our finale Halloween haunt this year and we even brought some mates this time to experience it with us. It was definitely a fun event, but we have to admit we didn’t enjoy the haunts as much this year. The main problem? The batching. The batching was, not to mince words, horrific this year, and the queues completely crazy. We had a much different time than when we went in 2019. Despite arriving at opening, the queues were so long the entire night that we ended up missing three attractions this year!

But we’ll get into that rant a bit later. Let’s cover the good stuff first!

Tulleys Shocktober Fest is an absolute must to visit with a whopping TEN attractions — eight scare mazes, a haunted hayride and a twisted circus act, not to mention the amazing atmosphere surrounding the whole event. We may have gone at an interesting time (it was half term so the park was swarming with audiences much younger than us) but there was still an amazing spooky and exciting atmosphere with roaming characters, many bars, an astonishing variety of food, and rides and music stages. If it wasn’t giving us a theme park feeling in 2019 it was now — there was definitely not enough time in one night to do everything!

The Cellar Imprisoned
Our Scare Factor: 3/10
Atmosphere Rating: 7/10

Storyline: Those that dwell in the Cellar have not been forgotten, they have been locked in.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

We were smart to do this one first last time — we waited until the last second this year and were definitely in a group of 15, missing all the scares. We remember this to have been one of the best and scariest haunts at Tullys, which definitely made this year disappointing. But the haunt is still detailed, with different room sizes and a dark and dank feeling throughout that made it feel like a cellar. There was also a creepy toy room that had a great performer in it. We wish we could have enjoyed this haunt more!

Twisted Clowns
Our Scare Factor: 2/10
Atmosphere Rating: 7/10

Storyline: The Greatest Show not of this Earth…

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

We loved the glow in the dark 3D theming of this maze again this year, especially with its disorienting must-have tunnel and tons of crouching areas and play with space and depth. We enjoyed crawling up and down the steep areas and seeing the wandering eyes upon the walls that kept moving due to the 3D glasses. But, once again, we were in a huge batch, and we didn’t see a single character in full-clown-getup, just everyone with circus makeup. Except a cool jester — can’t forget him! The worst part of this event? The completely unsanitized and reused 3D glasses. Yuck.

Wastelands Penitentiary
Our Scare Factor: 6/10
Atmosphere Rating: 6/10

Storyline: The year is 1998, after the explosion ripped through the world, bringing an end to civil life.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

Wasteland Penitentiary still has the best outdoor set design in the park, with the steampunk-esque metal designs huge and detailed and setting a statement when you head towards the haunt. This was a super lengthy labyrinth, with the prison theme throughout well reflected and a few good jumps. A very consistent maze that doesn’t seem to have changed since last time, but still does what it needs to.

The Island
Our Scare Factor: 4/10
Atmosphere Rating: 10/10

Storyline: Something more than man. Something more than animal. An evil scientist’s creations are loose on The Island and they will protect what is theirs.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

According to Tulleys this maze was new for 2021, and while true it was a re-skin of their previous haunt The Wreckoning. But, instead of adventure and pirates we got evil beasts of every shape and size, with very creative takes on creatures everywhere we looked. And since the 2019 set design was a favourite of ours, it was again, with amazing details everywhere you looked. The length of this maze was astounding — we must have been in there at least 15 minutes if not 20, and felt like explorers the whole way. While not exactly scary, there were still tons of crazy elements, including spongy floors, fire, air compressors, and huge sets — definitely a maze not to miss.

The Chop Shop
Our Scare Factor: 2/10
Atmosphere Rating: 2/10

Storyline: You better be careful now, Billy-Bob and Billy-Joe are real handy with a reconstruction.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

We wish we would have skipped this one this year in favour of another we didn’t have time to see. Unchanged since 2019, this maze was not very creative, filled with blank walls and blood spatter. It was “turn left, turn right, chainsaw, rinse, repeat”. Quite short too, but we were happy to leave it.

Horrorwood Haunted Hayride
Our Scare Factor: 2/10
Atmosphere Rating: 6 or 7/10

Storyline: Explore the abandoned backlot at the Horrorwood Film Studios.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

Another unchanged maze but we still love this one. It may not be scary but it’s a ton of fun. They fit about 30–40 people on each tractor as they take you on a ride through Horrorwood Film Studios. There were a few jumps and loads of funny moments, with some great interactions with the actors. Was it worth queueing 80 minutes? We’re on the fence, but this is a unique experience at the park and we love-love-loved the creepy ending (we don’t want to completely spoil the surprise). The speaker system could do with a revamp (or at least a turn-up) if nothing else though!

The Village Coven of 13
Our Scare Factor: 5 or 6/10
Atmosphere Rating: 9/10

Storyline: A witch confirmed, tried and convicted; Death upon her was afflicted.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

This was another of our favourites last time, and it remains a favourite this year too! This is a lengthy maze which we appreciate, and every scene in the coven is different with a level of detail unrivalled at other scare attractions we’ve visited in the UK. There was a new final part of the room (or we don’t remember it) that we loved, especially the sensory detail. An absolute great and immersive haunt that will leave you reeling.

Circus of Horrors

Storyline: Blending horror and burlesque with bizarre and unbelievable acts performed to live rock music.

Credit: Tulleys Entertainment Group

We didn’t attend this this year, instead using our final minutes on one the other haunts, but our two visiting friends enjoyed it and loved the mix aerial, burlesque, and horrific stunts.

Critique: We didn’t get to Hell-ements (a blindfolded rope maze) or the Creepy Cottage this year, since we ran out of time and tried to focus on seeing the mazes we know we loved in previous years. As mentioned before, we arrived at opening and stayed until we were kicked out but still missed out on so much this year due to the amount of people in the park.

Don’t get us wrong, we had an amazing time. The haunts have such a level of detail you don’t see elsewhere at smaller attractions in the UK and the atmosphere is electric. But we didn’t enjoy the haunts themselves as much this year. We’re used to going in groups of 6–8. But it wasn’t 6. It wasn’t 8. It wasn’t even 10 or 12.

15. We were batched in groups of 15 this year. And no, this wasn’t for the hayride, this was for every single haunt. The park was packed and we waited anywhere from 45–80 minutes for each attraction, so yes — batches any smaller than 15 and we wouldn’t have even been able to get more than two or three haunts in because the queues would have been even more outrageous. Nonetheless, with groups of 15 we somehow drew the short straw almost every haunt and were at the back, and missed out on the majority of scares in every, single, haunt. Such a pity. Whilst we freely admit it is total speculation, we suspect there was an effort to make up financially for losses incurred due to last year’s cancellation, with a much higher cap on the tickets sold. Even if it meant raising prices, fewer people per entrance slot would have added to the audience experience. Also, don’t think that Fast Pass will spare you the queuing — these lines were just as long.

Also, all the scare actors must have attended the exact same acting session. We were so tired after the first of couple haunts when every single actor makes the exact same unintelligible voices and then throws their hand in your face and withdraws. Yes, very scary, but not when every single actor does this exact same thing! Each haunt should have had mannerisms and sounds specific to the haunt, while in this case they all sounded and acted the exact same and it got a bit boring.

Final Thoughts: We’re harsh critics. If you love haunts, you should definitely attend Tullys. Will we attend next year? We’re not sure. If we’re free early on in their season and they’ve made a change or two in their attractions — definitely! But we won’t go this late in the season again if the queues and batching stay how they were this year.

P.S.: It’s not a haunt, but it is certainly haunting! You’ve got just enough time to check out Festival of the Dead — Halloween Returns.

Festival of the Dead — Halloween Returns

WHAT: Festival of the Dead — Halloween Returns
WHEN: Multiple Dates throughout the UK
WHERE: Various (most recently at 
Troxy)
PRICE: Varies by event, London events was 
£32–45.20

OUR RATING: Do It!

Credit: Festival of the Dead

We posted a few days ago with a sneak peek rating of “Do It” for Festival of the Dead’s ‘Halloween Returns’ at Troxy. Now after having attended the event we’ve come back to tell you all about it. There are upcoming iterations in Birmingham, Bristol, and Manchester: if you’re anywhere near you need to attend!

Europe’s biggest touring Halloween show started quite calmly, with some great music blasting out at the amazing Troxy venue, and a few surprising puppets on the dance floor coming out to invite everyone to start spinning the night away. Stilt-walkers and other amazing carnival elements came out of the woodwork to electrify the atmosphere with fun, togetherness, and yes a little devilish mayhem!

Credit: Festival of the Dead

Once the floor puppets and performers had had their fun it was time for the main event. The lights came down and the monstrous and beautiful contraption in the above photo came out onto the stage, Medusa’s snakes writhing around, manipulated by their talented puppeteers.

Then Huw Joseph joined — the event’s host who has headlined Festival of the Dead events since 2019. Part skeletal rock musician, park whimsical ring master, Huw Joseph is one of the best hosts we’ve seen perform, always keeping the energy up and knowing how to work the crowd.

While we didn’t keep a keen eye on our watches, there must have been two long sets to these performances, about an hour each with a 15 minute break between. And what did these sets consist of? One of the most fabulous and immersive carnival and puppet stage shows you could imagine with a gifted ensemble of performers creating absolute art with a nostalgic and electric rock metal soundtrack in the background.

Credit: Festival of the Dead

When you attend one of these performances you are promised a complete SHOW! From stunning aerial presentations to amazing fire displays and everything in-between, each moment in this over-two-hour spectacular was new, unexpected, and high-octane. We could tell the troupe cared so much about their art, and they invited the audience in to help them keep the energy and fun sizzling throughout.

We don’t want to ruin the whole show and many of its amazing surprises, but this review and the Festival of the Dead’s images give you a sense of how theatrical, stylish, and fun this party is. Part clubbing experience, part stage show, this happening is such a delight for the senses, and definitely one of the best Halloween parties we’ve ever attended in the UK.

Credit: Festival of the Dead

Final Thoughts: You’ve still got three chances to see Festival of the Dead’s ‘Halloween Returns’ at Forum BirminghamMarble Factory Bristol, and BEC Arena Manchester, so go if you can! It’s truly an indescribable experience that must be lived to be understood. And, if you’re still in London, don’t forget Troxy’s two awesome upcoming events Skullrhythmics on the 29th October and Night of the Raving Dead. Both are sure to be a Hell of a good time!

P.S.: You’ve still got JUST enough time to hit up one more haunted event. See what we thought of Cursed Fright Nights.

Leviathan

WHAT: Leviathan
WHEN: 15th-26th July, 2014
WHERE: Hackney Downs Studios (17 Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT)
Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.25 PMRUNTIME: 45 mins.
WHO: Living Structures
PRICE: £16-20

OUR RATING: Skip It!

[Warning: Contains Spoilers]

The hunt for the great white whale. Immersive Theatre-makers Living Structures specialise in  visual, physical and musical performances within large-scale immersive structures, this time attempting to take audiences on an artistic adventure through the high seas.

This time, Storefront City London invited our Visual Arts editor Éimear Doherty (check her bio below) along for the ride:

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.08 PM

Photo by Angela Alegria

Éimear: My first exposure to Moby Dick was the 1956 film starring Gregory Peck. I remember feeling perplexed and uneasy after the black and white classic…then again, I was only 7 years old, so I forgave myself for not quite picking up on the complexity of the tale and film. Last night, however, I felt a little bit of a failure. No matter how hard I tried, I was unable to completely immerse myself in the experience, too distracted by a litany of questions:

Am I supposed to understand what they are saying?’

‘Why are they pushing me?’

‘What am I supposed to do with this shot of salted water?’

‘What did she say?’

‘Is this theatre or performance art?

I enjoyed the musical element of the performance; the chanting and exercise-ball-percussion brought a dimension to the experience that I think many could enjoy.

Photo from Living Structures

Photo from Living Structures

But Living Structures is known for their ‘immersive performance events’, correct? The audience was ‘immersed’ in parts, but if I am being honest, on too many occasions, I felt coerced. At 9pm, after a balmy day in London, I had experienced my fair share of pushing and shoving for the day. Either this was a play exclusively for Living Structures’ followers, who understood how to ‘perform’ as an attendee, or it aimed to immerse the audience in a space above and beyond their comfort zone.

As someone who enjoys trying new things, I cannot help but shed a positive light on the experience. It certainly did challenge and provoke many a thought. But surely nothing should be that difficult to follow and enjoy. This time, Skip it.

Photo by Angela Alegria

Photo by Angela Alegria

Alicia: Despite being a regular immersive-theatre goer, I had a strikingly similar experience of the performance as did our guest reviewer. Walking into the performance space sent chills down my spine (despite feeling clammy and uncomfortable wearing a version of an oil-skin jacket) as a naked Ishmael swam his way on a downward slope, struggling for survival, struggling to tell his heart-wrenching story. And it was powerful, beautiful, sonically excellent. But then he opened his mouth and the entire show turned for the worse.

Photo by Angela Alegria

Photo by Angela Alegria

There are seeds of beauty – flutters of potential. The use of monochrome colours, geometric shapes and Russian Constructivism are mostly all stunning, the choreography sometimes masterful. And the music? In an entire different league, at least in terms of composition – spectacularly haunting. But these moments are few and far between. The show as a whole feels extremely unpolished and the relationship with the audience completely unclear. It needs tightening here, expanding there, focus everywhere. Not just gimmicks of “Why not make the audience stand up and then push them to the side so they don’t know where you want them?” or “Let’s just put another sheet on top of their heads to play with space and height.” Many theatre makers adopt these types of tools, but never has it been so painfully obvious and obviously misused.

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.03.50 PMI commend Living Structures for the graphic and sonal beauty of rare poetically beautiful moments. But the piece overall is just confusing, rushed, and poorly tied together. Words are eaten by the very devices that are meant to project them, water cools and drizzles on the audience when it should spark and ignite their imagination, giant whales are flacid and lifeless when they should be terrifyingly dangerous, the ship sails calm seas when it should be tossed, turned and whipped around by perilous storms and a deadly beast, and large props are dragged here and there leaving one to question – what was it all for?

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.02.37 PMFinal Thoughts: While admirably composed and a good effort made, Leviathan simply doesn’t live up to the grandeur required of it. However, we hope to see what the future brings for this inspired company.

P.S. Éimear Doherty Bio:

Éimear is in the final stages of her MA in Arts Policy and Management at Birkbeck University, a project she juggles alongside a number of other projects and passions. Since moving permanently to London in the autumn of 2013, she has endeavoured to attend as much theatre as her time and pocket permits; striving to catch up after years of being immersed in the world of visual arts and art history. When not in the library or kitchen, Éimear can be found on her bike or eyeing up the city’s latest art exhibitions.

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