I loved the show - and its definitely worth going with a group of friends. The amount we had to discuss after, as we all saw different things, was insane. Definitely worth more than one visit! Definitely agree about reading up a bit before - even if it's just Hecuba and on Wikipedia!
My take was definitely that 1:1s will be added. Performers led us to locked doors and then disappeared inside immediately after recitations, eye contact with the audience etc. Other folks have mentioned seeing glimpses of production design elements inside the rooms. You’re quite right about the show being so much more that though. I think it will develop into something incredibly detailed like the Drowned Man. It’s exciting to see that development in previews, but of course it can at time seem frustrating too. It’s like snatching a quick glimpse of Xmas presents!
I too got to the tiny mysterious room with a balcony and upturned tree below (mentioned at 23.45). When I arrived there was a performer and audience members in masks below. So I do think it's accessible. Somehow!
My first Punchdrunk (I live in Woolwich, so took advantage of £25 tickets for residents). It's obvious from your review that I missed a lot!! Was super-impressed by the cast -- compelling and totally in the moment at all times. I found that the maze of little rooms became rather tedious and repetitive, and some of the "action" also felt repetitive -- writhing, fake blood, death, to boil it down. A rewarding experience nonetheless, and I'll go again -- having been once, I now know how to get more out of the performance.
Great review, thank you! I was there for the very first preview and followed one of the characters for about an hour. There were two moments when she took one person into a locked room, just like for a "regular" 1:1. In both cases it was the same person so maybe this was part of some rehearsal but also an indication that there are or at least will be 1:1s :)
Alright, there definitely are 1:1s. Got two in the last show ;) And the lightning concept is so much better now. I think they played in rehearsal lightning for the first two weeks.
Very perceptive review , especially regarding the set. As regards the music, I recognised some tracks from the Drowned Man so there’s definitely a sense of the interchangeable here.. Glad I went though, and my two friends who had never see a PD show before were overawed /charmed .
Glad to hear you had a good experience, I think if they open up the restaurant I'm going to go again! Definitely feel like I didn't see much of the bar or 1-on-1s which will make it much more intricate.
121s are a thing still. Myself & my fried have just been to see it and both had 121s. Thanks this review is really helpful for when i go see it a second time in November.
I went on Saturday, It wasn't really my thing however felt the set and scale was amazing. I loved the design and spectical. There are secret rooms and one to one scenes ( I missed them but my friend had one) I have to agree that the set albeit looked amazing I felt that they needed a lot more Greek/Trojan design or refrences. It made the story more conveyluded than it had to me. As someone who doesn't normally go for things like this, I can fully understand why people do. The sense of adventure and discovery is amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone that has never been to a punch drunk show. Sorry this review is probably terrible. I want to say more but don't want to spoil anything.
Great input, I agree it's definitely not for everyone, but unlike most things you go to it lets you explore. People who go for that are going to like it!
I went at the weekend, it's really different to how you describe so maybe you could go back and experience how it is now. Other than TDM which I would have gone back to see again just to experience the magnificence of it, TBC feels like it definitely warrants repeat visits because there are important things that happen at the same time in different places...
Thanks for the review! Any suggestions on what I should look up before going? I have tickets for the 16th but not acquainted with the Greek Mythology- I have looked up about Hebuca as suggested below (which was very interesting). I am not expecting to understand much but only experience the immersive production, but sometimes it makes it more interesting if you at least know a little about the theme behind. I even considered watching Troy LOL but not sure if that will be of any use. :)
Great and useful video thanks. Any idea what time we get out if we don't bag check? I'm sorting out my route and the timings are tight. Thanks for your help
Hard to remember but I think we managed to get out of the evening show just before 10PM. Bag check was very quick when I went but this was the Previews and so maybe not many people had bags, and we also went there straight away after the show ended!
I've been to this show eight times now, starting from the very first preview. In the month it's been on, it has changed almost beyond recognition. Everything is much darker which makes the incredible lighting far more striking, theatrical haze has been added which makes everything feel more cinematic, character arcs have been refined, scenes added or expanded, performers are getting more comfortable and starting to improvise and interact with the audience more, 1:1s have been added, several music cues have changed, the finale has gone through multiple iterations, the bar experience has vastly improved, etc, etc. These shows are enormously complex to develop and they are continually evolving. The point being that if you went to Sleep No More or The Drowned Man less than, say, three months into their respective runs, you won't have seen a finished product, and the same is true of The Burnt City. But I would say I have already had some stunning moments and unforgettable experiences at this show, and I think the vast majority of people who visit now that it's officially opened will feel similarly.
Daft question - if you have to check in your bag and can’t access your phone, how do you pay for a drink at the bar? Do you just take a payment card in your pocket?
I respectfully disagree with some of your points. The burnt city is literally the best experience I've ever had in my life in terms of art. The small details in the set are so many, the dramatic aura, the music (Evey Reborn during the Ifigeneia sacrifice scene had me sobbing in tears). And the dancers, oh my god. Their ethereal presence, the energy they emit, the movement... I've been 3 times and planning 2 more. I'm really sad it's ending in September but this experience will stay with me for years. I would love an 1:1 with an actor/actress due to how much this would mean to me but I'm fine with not having one, there are so many people there that you never know if you'll be picked. I do agree that the Troy set could be a bit more relevant to actual Troy but I consider this an artistic freedom on their side. It was so overwhelming to me that some small details aren't of much importance.
Thank you so much for this informative review. I found a review which said it was incredibly aggressive/felt like being in a war zone. This slightly put me off. Are there enough other things going on? Thank you
There's no actual 'war fighting' in this. There are soldier and violent encounters but there are romances and mysteries too. I spent half of my time following two side characters (shopkeepers) who had a dark romantic secret. There's no loud battle music or big battle scenes so don't fear those, and if there are big scenes, it's always obvious where to stand to avoid being in the way based on the lighting and marks on the floor.
Don’t recognise this review tbh - the music is incredible and very much part of things now, I spent my entire first show sifting through rooms reading diaries, letters and so on, and the lack of Greek decor is because Troy is meant to represent “any town under siege”. It’s about war as a concept. So there are hints of 1930s London, 1960s Saigon and so on. It’s stunning - thoroughly recommend!
Unfortunately three of us came up from Devon just to see the show. I was pretty disappointed but I suppose I should not have booked preview tickets. I worked out some of the characters and plot line as I know the stories quite well. It’s just it seemed too 2D and like you I kept thinking we’d missed a great part of it even after three hours.
Black sand Go back after the previews Plus with the rush tickets co of time out The music prob more russian sci fi Tdm entrance music method works from perfume What about scents could you eat any of the props Plus the lighting has meaning
I’m afraid I was a bit disappointed with this PD show compared to the others we’ve been to ( Faust, Drowned Man and Sleep No More) Of course it’s a great experience and three hours wizzed by. The sets are by no means as atmospheric or as detailed as in previous shows and I never felt as if I was taken out of the warehouse. The dance and gymnastics was incredible but I felt most of the performers were a bit too homogeneous and one dimensional (one character aside) so the interactions became a bit too similar. The bar was pretty horrible! It was fun but for us not worth a repeat visit.
I have to say, after having seen it I highly disagree with your opinion on the set- I thought it complemented the action very well, and even the spaces where no acting was taking place felt exciting and interesting to explore- the props were all connected to the story, if you looked closely at them, so I spent lots of time on that. That might be because they made changes after you‘ve been there though. (And maybe other people have said this before, but why in the world would you expect Greek characters to wear Togas???? Togas are a very distinctly Roman thing, to the point where the Romans even defined themselves through them. )
I went again yesterday. You have to go again. Underwhelmed the 1st time. Found it Mind-blowing the second time. I realized I had underestimated Punchdrunk in my first visit. Doors will open. Keep trying. They sometimes have to close them behind them so the room is not packed. Now that you have the big picture, go and follow smaller stories and be surprised.
One of the walls had a poster with the labaryth on it and what looked like place names on it, like a map but I didn't pay much attention to it. There was something marked in the centre. They were doing 1 on 1s when I saw it today.
@@levitybooks3952 without giving too much away, it was in Mycenae and within a container. It's physical state represented what Troy had become. It was quite a spectacle to behold.
Have to say it was my least favorite PD show , the drown man like you said had soooo much details . There was a lot of rooms that felt the same in tone . And the finally was weak , the drowned man finally was incredibly-
I know what you mean, small set design seemed weaker here at least more than SNM and TDM. It felt like everything was just black floor black walls... but perhaps the set will become more developed after the Previews?
Channel 4 news went on set The rush ticket system screwed up Refs to dante 9 circles The names of the places in troy important I hope you go back Def a show ignorance is not bliss
@@levitybooks3952 try and get a locals ticket still 2 endings mycanae is the old military museum You start in m or t and end in t or m The m ending is muchbetter T enfing is just pink room dance with exe
Punchdrunk is definitely not for everyone, I think everyone needs to go knowing that it will be difficult to understand and that you will be doing a lot of walking by yourself.
