Punchdrunk to premiere Lander 23, a video game/immersive theatre hybrid show

Punchdrunk, the immersive theatre company, has announced a new project, Lander 23, which will be presented at its Woolwich home from 17 September 2025.

The production is a live action video game that blends theatre with gaming, featuring a multiplayer stealth game where audiences become players with video game mechanics and, according to the company “genuine agency.”

The premise of the game is based around a team sent to investigate the disappearance of a previous crew on a new planet.  In the co-op stealth game, players are split into two teams of two: Command, who are the drivers, and Ground Team, who are the fields. The fields navigate the alien landscape based on the voice guidance from the drivers on board the ship. Teams also have the chance to swap roles.

Felix Barrett, Punchdrunk’s artistic director, spoke to WhatsOnStage about the show in an interview here. 

The production uses technology to bring video game mechanics to life, including maps and lives that can be lost and regenerated. The company is repurposing the world of Troy from their previous show, The Burnt City, for the new project’s narrative.

The creative team behind Lander 23 includes Barrett as director and designer, with co-directors Kath Duggan and Joel Scott. The designers are Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns, and the lighting designers are Felix Barrett and Sarah Readman. Gareth Fry is the sound designer, Bruno Cordeiro is the visual designer, and Meaning Machine is the game system creator.

Previews from 17 September are considered an early access launch, and tickets are priced at £23. This is to allow players to provide feedback and influence the game’s future. Standard pricing will apply from 7 October. The running time is approximately 90 minutes. Players will be provided with audio equipment. The show is suitable for ages 12 and up, and any child under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.