Review: Viola's Room

Let us have a little sleep. Drifting off into our dreams, lying in our teenage bedroom. And as the lights fade away, so the story begins. ‘Let me tell you a story, from long, long ago …’

Our unseen narrator is Helena Bonham Carter, conspiratorial and soothing, her story relayed through headphones worn throughout our journey, as we follow the trail of lights leading us through the gothic fairytale that is Punchdrunk's latest immersive theatrical experience.

From Viola's bedroom our group of six moves forward through a series of rooms and spaces. We are barefoot – a requirement of the show, which contributes to the immersive feeling of being somewhere forbidden and otherworldly. There are no actors here, no jump scares. It's all about the unfolding story and the multi-sensory experiences along the way. Participants are required to crawl, squeeze through and navigate the spaces in almost complete darkness. When the lights go out completely, you remain still and listen to the narration alone.