Update from August 2022: Sad to hear that The Burnt City in London is closing in September. So here’s a look back at our experience last summer. And while it is sad to say goodbye to the production, I’m excited to hear what Punchdrunk has in store for us next!
We’re just back from the UK, and I’ll be sharing a few highlights over the coming weeks. First up- a follow up to my post on exciting immersive theater experiences. The Burnt City in London has gotten a lot of press, and it was one of the things I anticipated the most on our trip.
You can’t take any photos in the show- understandably. So I don’t have much to share on that front. (At check-in, they secure your phone in a little pouch around your neck. Although apparently it’s super easy to unlock it…)
Anyway, I didn’t have a magnet with me (I travel light!) and taking a break from my phone was probably a good idea. So I experienced The Burnt City in London without much digital evidence. Did it actually happen?? 🙂
I am a nerd, because one of the things I was most excited about was taking the new Elizabeth tube line to the Woolwich Arsenal station, where the Burnt City experience is located. It was pretty cool!
Woolwich is a super cute area, and I wish we had had a bit more time there. I can imagine that it will only grow and get more developed with the new line in town.
The One Cartridge space, where the Burnt City in London is held, is a few minutes walk from the station. It goes right past a pub and a couple of restaurants. We could have easily planned on having dinner in the area (but we didn’t, for whatever reason.)
A few lessons learned…
Don’t bother with the premium tickets. You get to cut the line and free coat check. The regular ticket line was super short at 6:15pm, so it might have saved us a few minutes at most. And we were traveling light- I didn’t have a bag or coat to check. And even if I did, it was quite inexpensive, maybe 1GBP?
Take every opportunity to sit down. Seriously, you will be on your feet for up to three hours. During the banquet scene (you will know it when you see it), take a seat on the long benches. Pace yourself!
Keep wandering, even if you think you’ve seen it all. Watching this video below made me realize that I missed some key scenes. A reason to go back, I guess??
I did a pretty good job on my recommendations in an earlier post. So follow them! Wear comfy clothes/shoes. Eat something in advance. Etc etc.
Take a break in the bar. The show in the bar was fun and engaging. It was a good place to meet Dear Husband since we separated during the show. And it gave us a chance to sit down, have something to drink, and gather our thoughts before heading back to our apartment in Notting Hill.
My impressions of the show
To be honest, I enjoyed Sleep No More quite a bit more. The story of The Burnt City was a bit convoluted. But there were some amazing individual scenes, and I am glad that I’ve now seen three Punchdrunk productions. Am I a bad person for hoping that they’ve moved on to something different by my next visit to London??
