Punchdrunk - Burnt City

{Spoiler - click to view}

For context, I consider myself an admirer of Punchdrunk's work - I have seen most of their work in the last 15 years at least once - and have come to realise I much prefer their smaller projects (which of course are harder to get tickets for).

This has the usual Punchdrunk aesthetic and their new self-owned venue appears very impressive (when you squint), albeit pretty much carpeted throughout which does remove a certain sense of otherworldliness.

Now - take the following whinge with a pinch of salt, because I am rather angry at myself: I discovered after the show that I had completely missed an entire section of the experience. It's divided into two areas - Mycenae and Troy - and you're in some kind of 'time mix up' between the two, as you encounter scenes from Ancient times mixed with some 1920s archaeologists who have gotten involved in some kind of mythical misadventures.

You are led in to the building via a 'museum tour' of ancient artefacts which, I think, give hints about the story you're about to see (but it was so dark I didn't take much of it in, and at this stage it's not even clear what you're seeing is relevant) and (it turns out) you end up in one of either Mycenae or Troy. I think I was in Mycenae, but there is nothing to confirm this. It's a big area on two levels with a couple of sandy side areas. There is a long table on the top level/balcony upon which various scenes play out and there are some cool light displays. Apparently, the Troy area is more modern, with a bar, neon lights, hotel rooms etc - BUT I CAN'T CONFIRM BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IT! I just didn't find it. I had no idea it existed. I had no idea who any of the characters were or what was going on. I only have a passing understanding of Greek mythology so I would say 99% of what was going on was lost to me. To be honest, I hate to say it, but I was a little bored after the first hour when - clearly missing 50% of the performance space, despite doing my best to take myself off and explore - I started to see the same scenes repeated. There was a 'final' dance as such, but there didn't seem to be a clear end point, and my other half (who did find 'Troy') reported that he didn't even know it was over. He had spent a pleasant 30 minutes in the bar watching a cabaret singer, all of which was a surprise to me.

This morning I have spent some time looking at the fan Facebook groups for the show, and it seems there is a small army of people who see these shows 10, 15, 20, 100 times (presumably they are lottery winners or have hefty trust funds). They have Google docs plotting out the narrative arcs and character journeys and maps of the secret routes and places where you might experience an elusive 'one to one' experience. Someone noted that they always take a map and a notebook and try and follow a different actor each time. Presumably these are the people I witnessed trailing the actors at an uncomfortable distance and marathon-sprinting after them each time they moved on to the point that made me think I was always missing out on something because I didn't have the energy to leg it around for 3 hours.

Should I really have to do all this background reading to understand what's going on, or to even know that there is more to the experience than I managed to find? Do I have to go more than once? At £80-ish a time, I'm not sure I can afford to go back and 'correct my mistakes'. I know the mantra is 'you get a personal experience' but I just don't think I knew enough to get more than a passing glance at the sort of stuff I've seen from them many times before - some albeit impressive interpretative dance and some scantily-clad people swooshing sand around as if trying to imbue meaning (but, I suspect, actually to fill time). I was lucky enough to get tickets for their last London outing, Kaberoi, which was a sort of treasure hunt around London, and a lot of the 'Greek Gods return' stuff was very reminiscent of that one.

I have been told (by the Facebook fans) that the show changes substantially throughout previews, which is understandable, but they also report that the show isn't even fully complete yet - there are empty areas where scenes will be added, there are minimal one-to-one experiences until the main story is fully realised. Last night there was even a camera man and a photographer (with staff members telling them what to film next) which broke the sense of escapism somewhat. 

Anyway - these are my thoughts. I am a grumpy old man, maybe, but I feel like I shouldn't come away feeling disappointed because I didn't have the inside knowledge to make the most of it or that I should have waited to get the most bang from my buck, or too stupid to understand who anyone was/what was going on because I don't have hours to pore over wikipedia articles.

{Spoiler - click to view}
on the upper level/balcony where the long table is, go to the end with the 'bedroom' and somewhere round/behind there is a door leading a corridor (the corridor apparently isn't 'dressed' much so many people assume it's a staff area, but it isn't.

When in Mycenae (the space with the long table on the mezzanine level) follow any of the soldier type men and they will lead you to Troy eventually.

Alternatively when in Mycenae look for the big stairs that lead up to the Mezzanine level (you can’t miss those). Walk away from those and through the doors on the other end of the space. There’s a long corridor that looks really bare that leads to Troy (there are some signs saying “To Troy” in there but they’re easily missed).