I haven’t seen so much immersive / site-specific theatre of late. So much of it seems to have become overblown in scale or presented as novelty parties, with more serious fare suffering from inappropriate audience engagement. This one revolves around a party, but its just twenty or so guests in an apartment, with three actors, and an attentive audience engaged with the story as it unfolds.
It didn’t get off to a good start for me as I hadn’t received my email instructions of where to go and was sending desperate messages 100 minutes before, given it was with a 70 minute journey across London to that part of town. I was beginning to think this was part of the experience; a game of dare, perhaps. They responded, I headed off, with enough time to pick up some booze as instructed, and of course I was the first to arrive for Anna’s secret 30th birthday party!
Guests were introduced and people began chatting before we had to be silent for the surprise. Anna hugged us all in turn, knowing our names, and on we went to cake and presents. Then it took a darker turn, followed by an even more surprising, intriguing, somewhat surreal one. After an hour, we headed home.
It’s a clever idea, well executed and performed, but for me it ended just as it got going. It seemed unfinished, or didn’t know where to go next. I felt it was too slight, lacking in depth. What could have been a great experience was just a good one, more work-in-progress than finished piece.
Gareth's Culture and Travel Blog 
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