Review: PUNCHDRUNK'S THE BURNT CITY: THE VIP EXPERIENCE

Punchdrunk's The Burnt City is undoubtably one of the biggest and most impressive shows in London, if only by sheer physical scale. Is it worth upgrading to their VIP experience?

When it opened about a year ago, there was a considerable amount of hype and expectation as this would be the first major London show from the immersive theatre specialists since the colossal Hollywood-themed The Drowned Man in 2016. With its own 100,000 feet venue in Woolwich, the plan was to host the event initially until August 2022; its popularity has now seen it extended to September 2023.

Past Punchdrunk outings have taken inspiration from Macbeth, Golden Age Hollywood and the works of Edgar Allan Poe and The Burnt City promised a "future noir" dive into both sides of the Trojan War. Audiences would be able to explore freely the ancient worlds of Troy and Mycenae in two separate but connected buildings and, depending on where they went, could come across gods, monsters, secret passageways and more.

Whether following one of the large cast as they go from scene to scene, drinking in the detailed environment or standing back to watch dramatic episodes unfold, there is plenty to see wherever you go and, even with a meaty three-hour running time, it is impossible to see everything in one visit. As with past Punchdrunk productions, dedicated fans have been known to go upwards of 20 times despite a standard ticket price for this show of £45.

While the show is still much the same as it was when we first reviewed it, the VIP upgrade for The Burnt City is certainly an intriguing prospect both for those new and very familiar with it. Those who have been before will appreciate the streamlined VIP entry process with a special entry queue and complimentary cloakroom. While there is much hurrah made over the size of the theatrical area, the memo doesn't seem to have reached the front of house where the small cloakroom area and single-file corridors are an irksome bottleneck (both coming into and leaving the venue) for an audience which can reach up to 600 people.

VIPs are still asked to lock away their mobiles in a pouch which can be unlocked at the end or in the bar areas but they receive a gold-strapped pouch to make them stand out. They get the same white mask as everyone else which is a missed trick - maybe VIPs could get a gold-trimmed version? - before being politely bundled into a lounge area to kick back and enjoy a complimentary Kykeon cocktail from sponsors Dewar.

After arriving in the VIP lounge, each group gets their own personal guide who gives us a taster of the bloody stories of murder, revenge and more murder that lie ahead. When the group is ready to get going, they are led down a special pathway, a journey which features a well-acted and spooky dramatic sequence.

Once inside, we joined the general throng and were generally left to our own devices albeit with a couple of nifty extras. Those who find Peeps bar in Troy can take the weight off their feet in the VIP area where Athena provides table service; if they arrived too late at the start for the complimentary cocktail, they can grab it here. After seeing the fantastic finale in Troy, a member of staff picked us out and told us how to find the equally enjoyable Mycenae finale. Once we staggered out of there, another member of staff pointed out the VIP exit which led to our special cloakroom and a final treat, an impressive collectible gift which ties into the underlying mythos.

With each VIP ticket costing from £135 (or three times that of a standard ticket), it is certainly not cheap. Another upgrade option exists - Premium tickets begin at £95 and include priority entry, a complimentary glass of prosecco and coat check - but it lacks the dramatic prelude, the luxurious VIP areas and the parting gift, all of which had creative Punchdrunk touches. For those who only plan to see this show once, it may make sense to make the most of it; fans who have explored The Burnt City every which way and yearn for more will be rewarded with memories and a VIP-only present.

The Burnt City continues until September 2023. See ticket link for more information on the different ticket options.

Sponsors Porsche are driving one lucky person and their friend to the show every month.

Punchdrunk have also announced The Rites, a dance party on 30 April which heralds "an all new event series of Olympic proportions".

Photo credit: Julian Abrams

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