Punch Upside The Head

The last few years has seen the inexorable rise of the immersive, interactive theatre experience. Audiences wanting to be transported to other worlds, to feel a part of their encountered surroundings and to really get their noses and hands in the dirt.

Leading the way has been the Punchdrunk Company who from their earliest shows in 2000 have steadily ramped up the vision, scope and imagination of their productions.

Personally, my first experience of the Punchdrunk world was The Firebird Ball that really saw Punchdrunk make a name of itself and since that point the magnitude of each subsequent show has unequivocally expanded to the point where they are now one of the most well known and oft spoken of theatrical collectives, with every new show being discussed in hushed and hallowed terms.

Now despite my tendancy to dismiss anything that suddenly comes to the verge of being popular culture, I am GENUINELY FUCKING EXCITED to hear about the next Punchdrunk project.

Aligning themselves with the English National Opera (ENO), they are currently hard at work squirreling words down, badgering routines and foxing plotlines for a collaboration that will give birth to a captivating, consuming and undoubtedly conspicuous production of The Duchess of Malfi.

Here's where I shoot you all a creepy wink, a sly nod and an unnecessary nudge by directing you to where you can be among the haughty few to find out when tickets for this will go on sale as soon as they do.

Now don't say I don't spoil you...