Overview
Thursday 15 – Friday 30 August 2024
These experiences will be open to anyone who wants a deeper insight into the process and approach our creative team takes to unlock the possibilities of a space, create intricate design, build different environments with lighting and sound, and translate source texts into an unforgettable audience journey.
You could be an artist looking to develop your own practice or are just eager to explore the worlds we have created at our home in Woolwich.
For those eager to unpack the making of Viola’s Room, our new workshops and masterclasses join our existing programme to unlock the core elements of building this new show.
For those who would like to learn more about the hidden stories of The Burnt City, our intimate set tours continue with our knowledgeable guide to reveal the secret spaces in the city of Troy.
For more information, including local tickets, location, bursaries and access, please visit our FAQs.
Masterclasses
Dive into the art of creating unforgettable experiences with our new Immersive Storytelling Masterclass.
Explore Punchdrunk’s immersive practice through the lens of our newest production, Viola’s Room. Join Viola’s Room Co-Director, Hector Harkness, as he guides you through the early creation process, and the role of collaboration when making Punchdrunk’s work. With a dramaturgical focus, you will discover how to work closely with a source text, translate it into an intimate sensory experience, and navigate the formation of the audience’s journey through a labyrinthine world.
This masterclass offers a unique opportunity to explore the tools and techniques used to craft immersive narratives that leave a lasting impact.
Tuesday 20 August, 10am-2pm (four hours).
Punchdrunk Labs
Creatives and mid-career professionals who wish to apply the insight gained through this masterclass to their own professional career.
£350, local residents £195.
Follow the light in this Viola’s Room Lighting Design Masterclass with Simon Wilkinson.
Join Viola’s Room Lighting Designer Simon Wilkinson, as he unpacks the unique creation of the audience’s journey through light in Punchdrunk’s newest world.
In this masterclass, you will learn how light can be used as a pivotal tool of discovery and storytelling in an exhilarating journey through the labyrinthine maze. Through practical exercises and guidance, you will discover the techniques and processes used to build the lighting design of a fever-dream world. This masterclass aims to unlock the key components of shaping an audience’s experience to elevate your own creative work.
Wednesday 21 August 10am-2pm (four hours)
Punchdrunk Labs
Creatives and mid-career professionals who wish to apply the insight gained through this masterclass to their own professional career.
£350, local residents £195
Join Viola’s Room Sound Designer Gareth Fry as he shares his creative process in building the world of Punchdrunk’s newest show through sound design.
This masterclass offers an exclusive look into how binaural sound has been used in Punchdrunk’s immersive work. Together, you will learn to appreciate the particular details of sound design, and how it is used as a mode of storytelling through a unique exploration of Viola’s Room.
This is an opportunity to both deepen your understanding of sound design and unlock key tools of storytelling that can enrich your own creative practice.
Tuesday 27 August, 11am-3pm (four hours)
Punchdrunk Labs
Creatives and mid-career professionals who wish to apply the insight gained through this masterclass to their own professional career.
£350, £195 for local residents
Explore the key aspect of storytelling through design in this new Viola’s Room Design Masterclass.
Join Viola’s Room Designer Casey Jay Andrews as she guides you through the early stages of imagining Punchdrunk’s newest world, and how to use design to build character and era. From working with a source text, to working site-sympathetically with a variety of scale, this masterclass aims to challenge traditional approaches to design, and provide fresh insights to develop your own creative work.
Friday 23 August, 10am-2pm (four hours)
Punchdrunk Labs
Creatives and mid-career professionals who wish to apply the insight gained through this masterclass to their own professional career.
£350, £195 for local residents
Workshops
Delve into the work and performance practice of Punchdrunk, the ‘world’s leading immersive theatre company’ (GQ Magazine).
Back by popular demand, join a member of The Burnt City’s company as they explore the unique process for performers, developed by Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle, which has inspired and crafted Punchdrunk’s immersive work on The Burnt City. Over two days, you will learn how to create genre-defying experiences through physical performance on The Burnt City’s set.
Thu 15 & Fri 16 Aug, 10am-4pm (6 hours each day, including breaks).
Punchdrunk Labs
Ages 16+ with an interest in performance. No experience necessary.
£300, local residents £180.
Learn how to transform abandoned spaces into the fantastic worlds Punchdrunk plunges its audience into.
Back by popular demand, this Production Management workshop provides you with insight into the Production department’s role in building an immersive, site-specific experience at Punchdrunk. Through dynamic activities and exercises on the set of The Burnt City, our Production Manager, Rich Irvine, will give you the tools to think and problem solve creatively, as well as give an overview of how to deliver a project that breaks the mould of theatrical experience.
Friday 30 August, 10am-2pm (four hours).
Punchdrunk Labs
Ages 16+ with an interest and experience in Production Management, Lighting and Sound.
£100, local residents £60.
Step behind the scenes of Viola’s Room in this interactive design workshop where we demonstrate how Punchdrunk brings multi-sensory worlds to life. Led by a member of Viola’s Room design team, you’ll discover the evolution process involved in prop-making through building your own keepsake, inspired by the world of Viola’s Room.
Thursday 29 August, 10am-1pm (three hours).
Punchdrunk Labs
Ages 16+ with an interest in immersive design and prop-making. No experience necessary.
£100, local residents £60.
Tours
Explore the secret spaces of Troy in this 1:1 Room Tour. Led by The Burnt City Associate Director and long-time Punchdrunk Performer, Sarah Dowling, this exclusive tour will give you access to the stories behind each 1:1 space, and the ability to unlock the missing pieces of The Burnt City puzzle.
Various times Thu 22 & Sat 24 Aug (120 minutes).
Punchdrunk Main Entrance
Ages 11+ (under 16s accompanied by an adult). Anyone with an interest in The Burnt City, Punchdrunk, Greek mythology or immersive world-building.
Weekday: £90, local residents £50.
Weekend: £110, local residents £60.
Access patron tickets include a complimentary companion ticket.
FAQs
- Where is Punchdrunk Labs located?
We are still based in Woolwich, so please use the usual transport links to get to us. Please head to the 1 Cartridge Place entrance for the standard tours. However, for 1:1 tours, workshops and masterclasses, you will not enter via the entrance you may have historically used to visit The Burnt City.
For the most accurate way to find us, please refer to what3words.
- How do I qualify for a bursary place?
There are up to three bursary places available for each event which will be selected at random. To apply, please click on the icon below to see if you meet the criteria. If successful, we will contact you at least seven days’ prior to the respective event.
- I have access requirements, how do I book?
TOURS
If you have access requirements, including using a wheelchair, there are a number of Access Tickets available via Punchdrunk directly. You will also be able to book a complimentary Essential Companion ticket. If you have any questions about the content and facilities or would like to book, please email [email protected]
The experience is wheelchair accessible. It takes place across two levels with some areas only accessible to wheelchair users by lift (total maximum weight limit is 400kg). If you use a larger wheelchair some areas of the show will be restricted. Due to the existing architecture there is a minimum door width of 800mm. The lift’s dimensions are 1m deep x 1.2m wide.
There are accessible toilets in different locations across the site.
There is no Changing Places facility on site.
MASTERCLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Please email [email protected] to discuss how we can support your access requirements.
- Is there a local residents’ discount if I live in the Royal Borough of Greenwich?
Yes, these are capped per experience and you must provide proof of residence when you arrive. To book as a local resident, you’ll simply need to enter the qualifying postcode in your billing address at the payment stage.
If the discount is not applied, then we have sold out of the capped Local Resident tickets for that particular event.
- How do I need to prepare/what do I need to bring to my masterclass/workshop?
You should wear comfortable attire and bring water which will be refillable on site. We will send you a pre-visit email within 24 hours of the event reminding you of this, how to gain access and a more detailed itinerary.
- The Performance Workshop is across two days. Do I need a separate ticket for each day?
No, you will receive one ticket which covers your attendance to both of the days. It is not possible to purchase a ticket for an individual day.