Punch Drunk

Punchdrunk is an immersive style of theatre founded by Felix Barret in 2000.

Punchdrunk productions create fully immersive worlds where audience members are free to roam and explore expansive, intricately detailed environments. These can span multiple floors of large buildings, with every room and space filled with props and set pieces that can be interacted with. Unlike traditional theatre, Punchdrunk gives audience members complete freedom to choose what to watch and where to go within the performance space. Each person has a unique experience as they follow different actors, storylines, or simply explore the environment at their own pace.

 common features of Punchdrunk are dark, atmospheric environments in which the adapted texts take place. They style of theatre focuses on the five senses and attempt to evoke visceral feeling within the audience. the audience are often giving masks in order to hide themselves to create a sense of bravery and anonymity to encourage the audience members to go and explore the setting and to roam freely around the place.

When creating Punchdrunk Barrett aimed to provide the following artistic intention:

1) he wanted to empower his audience

2) he wanted to get the audiences out of their comfort zones

3) he wanted to promote choices made upon gut instinct

4) he wanted audiences to feel physically present

he aimed to provide these intentions to create a fully immersive play in order to separate the audience from the outside world.