The multisensory experience will combine Wayne’s Musical Version, immersive theatre, virtual reality, augmented reality, holograms and other cutting-edge technology giving audiences the chance to survive the Martian invasion of 1898.
Live and virtual actors will lead groups of up to 12 to walk, crawl and travel into the heart of the story from the moment they step inside.
The show is split into two-acts and includes an interval in the immersive Red Weed bar where you can enjoy a drink and listen to extended versions of Jeff Wayne’s The Red Weed.
The journey will encompass key aspects of Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds, the scenes include:
The Theatre
Meet George and Carrie in hologram form and travel back into George’s memories through the use of a magic lantern, a zoetrope and 360 degree projection mapping.
The Observatory
Walking in Head Astronomer Professor Ogilvy’s shoes, audiences are taken on a dazzling tour of the Royal Observatory to experience the magic of constellations and planets whilst spotting a peculiar object heading straight to Earth.
Horsell Common
Smell the freshly cutgrass, and feel the misty chill that hangs in the air as you walk across Horsell Common.
Approaching a silver cylinder, you are suddenly met with slithering, animatronic tentacles as the powerful baseline of Jeff Wayne’s iconic soundtrack kicks in.
As you try to escape a deathly pyrotechnic Martian Heat Ray, you experience everything from the scent of burning flesh to writhing dead bodies.
George Herbert’s House
Considered the ‘Horror Room’ of the experience, this room is not for the faint hearted.
Audience members will break into George Herbert’s house and enjoy tea and biscuits before being plunged into complete darkness and immersed in terror as the Martians slowly close in.
The scene climaxes in a terrifying flash of strobe lighting and ambisonic surround audio, it’s the first interaction with the Martians, and by no means the last.
Journey to London
Get ready to battle through war-zone England as you encounter fully animated 300ft Martian Fighting Machines. All players travel through large-scale social VR environments as you try to reach London. The volumetric-captured actors mean that everyone in the group will have a different experience.
Forever Autumn/Thunder Child
The first act ends with a climactic naval battle as audiences are placed in boats with motion simulators – as you try to flee the attacking Martians you’ll be able to feel the water, wind and chill in the air, as you escape down the River Thames in a steamer chasing HMS Thunderchild.
Dead London
In the final scene of the show, audiences are taken on one unforgettable journey. By jumping into hot-air balloons the audience will feel themselves soaring over England in Virtual Reality.
The wind and smoke billows in your face where the biggest surprise is saved until last the final moments of the show, all scored by the iconic final song on Jeff Wayne’s album.
Event location:
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience
56 Leadenhall Street
London
EC3A 2BJ
The attraction has a 12+ age restriction.
Tickets start from £49.50 and are available to book now at www.dotdot.london/TWOTW. The experience lasts 110 minutes including a 20 minute intermission in the immersive Red Weed Bar.