Theatre News

Adult Shows Added to MIF Punchdrunk Immersive

Editorial Staff
London's West End

To meet “enormous public demand”, the Manchester International Festival (MIF) production of Punchdrunk’s Doctor Who-based immersive theatre piece The Crash of the Elysium has today (27 June 2011) announced a number of ‘After Dark’ performances for previously excluded adult audience members.

MIF, Punchdrunk and the BBC – in whose new Salford Quays production base the show will take place – had previously said that no-one over 13 would be allowed into the production if they are not accompanying a younger theatregoer.

Punchdrunk’s first performance created specifically for six to 12 year olds, The Crash of the Elysium is a live Doctor Who adventure, created by Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett and written by Tom MacRae from an original story from Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat.

A spokesperson for the production today said the change in policy had been made to meet the demand from both Punchdrunk and Doctor Who fans, many of whom either did not fit into the prescribed age bracket or did not have children of appropriate age.

A series of later performances commencing in groups between 8pm and 9pm will now run from 5 to 17 July 2011. The After Dark tickets for The Crash of the Elysium go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 29 June 2011.

The Crash of the Elysium, which has design by Livi Vaughan with Beatrice Minns, lighting by Paul Normandale and sound by Stephen Dobbie, runs at the BBC’s new MediaCity UK production site on Salford Quays from 1 to 17 July 2011.