Belfast blitz: immersive theatre experience returns to W5

In April 1941, despite the destruction being wrought throughout Britain and Europe during World War II, the consensus of opinion in Belfast was that ‘It’ll never happen here!’.

This immersive production will bring that story to life, painting a picture of life in the city leading up to the night of the first raid on April 7, 1941.

A virtual and emotional environment will take guests back to that fateful night, truly enveloping them in the experience.

As the first distant siren begins to wail, and the sharp cry of ‘put that light out’ echoes round the room, the audience is plunged into darkness for a unique acoustic experience.

With the dawn of a new day, images of the destruction wrought by the Luftwaffe flood the room, and the cast of characters, both live and virtual, begin to relay their stories of sadness, heroism and hope to the gathered audience.

Written and directed by Dan Gordon and starring Jo Donnelly (Rough Girls/Mimi’s World/Nova Jones, BBC) and Marty Maguire (Vikings, Amazon Prime; The Fall, BBC), this production mixes live performances with multi-screen projection and state of the art 360-degree audio-soundscape technology to create a dynamic and innovative new experience.

In addition to public showings, W5 will be offering special showings for school groups on selected weekdays from March 9 - 31 2023.

Adrian Lutton, head of creative for W5 said: “Following a successful run of shows last Easter, we are thrilled to bring A Belfast Blitz Experience back to AMAZE at W5 for its second year. The world-class audio-visual technology we have at AMAZE enables us to continuously push the boundaries of what theatre can be and craft experiences that puts the visitor at the heart of the story.

“Alongside our public viewings, we are also running a number of school showings for the first time. A Belfast Blitz Experience is linked to the curriculum and gives students an amazing opportunity to learn outside the classroom.”

Victoria Denoon, head of W5 experience, said: “Following a great run of shows last year, we are very proud to bring A Belfast Blitz Experience back to W5. It is very exciting to be involved in a show that pushes the boundaries of traditional theatre and has the ability to completely immerse the audience in the story.

"This year, we are delighted to offer a series of special show times for school groups to come and experience A Belfast Blitz Experience. With links to the school curriculum, this theatre production is the perfect opportunity to support and compliment learning outside of the classroom.”

A Belfast Blitz Experience takes place at AMAZE in W5 on selected dates from March 11-26 2023.

Tickets are priced at £5 per person and are purchased as an add-on experience to W5’s general admission tickets.

For further information about A Belfast Blitz Experience and to purchase tickets visit: http://​ ​https://w5online.co.uk/whats-on/belfast-blitz-2023