Even though their TV show is set in Birmingham, it seems that London isn’t really London these days if the notorious Shelby family doesn’t have a hand in the criminal enterprises.
The TV show in question is Peaky Blinders, the global hit series that ran for six series and a movie starring Cillian Murphy and a host of incredible actors. The latest immersive experience is Peaky Blinders Underworld, which invites audiences inside the world of the Shelby criminal empire and is once again making the titular gang the stars of London’s immersive set.
We sent George Wood, Producer of Peaky Blinders Underworld our standard Now Playing questions and we got some incredibly in-depth answers about the production — from how they approached lowering the barrier to entry for those who have been turned off by other immersive theatre experiences to what their incredible venue inspired them to build.
Peaky Blinders Underworld is open now and is booking though December 30th, and after this Now Playing you may find yourself under a railway arch in London. In a good way.
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NO PROSCENIUM: Tell us a little bit about your experience! What's it about? What makes it immersive?
George Wood: Peaky Blinders Underworld is the world premiere of the official Peaky Blinders experience, created in partnership with Banijay Rights and produced by KMJ Entertainment. Located in the brick railway arches underneath London Bridge station is a labyrinth of tunnels which made the perfect setting for the experience. Guests enter the Garrison Tavern, a faithful post-war recreation of the Shelby family's pub: free to enter, no ticket required, with live music and an exclusive range of Peaky beer, brewed in Birmingham by Freedom Brewery.
Past the Garrison Tavern lies the gateway to the Underworld, which is the ticketed experience. Guests have up to 90 minutes to explore every corner of the Shelby’s world, making their way along Garrison Lane, into the Shelby Front room and back-room illicit bookies, through China Town, where they will find the Back Street Needle tattoo parlour and the hidden opium den; as well as the Small Heath Fairground. The scenic world created in the experience is rich in texture and detail, and layered with production effects, smoke, scent and audio, for a full assault on the senses.
The heart of the experience is the fantastic cast of actors, who bring to life some of the most nefarious characters of Small Heath. Guests are taken on a journey of suspicion and mistrust as cast explain that there is a rat in the Peaky empire, feeding information to their arch-rivals, the Sabinis. Guests are required to help the Peakys discover the name of the rat through character-led scenes and by joining missions within the shady Underworld. The characters they meet all have their own story and agenda. They're working out whether you're worth trusting, because the premise of the whole experience is that the family is deciding, in real time, whether you have what it takes to become a Peaky.
NP: What was the inspiration for your upcoming experience? Was there a direct inspiration? An idea you've been chasing?
GW: The honest answer is the venue had a lot to do with it, which isn't usually how it happens. Five interconnected six-metre railway arches in a fantastic, central London location - the kind of space that tells you what it wants to be before you've even got a concept for it.
And, of course, the inspiration came from Peaky Blinders, which is a rare IP with a world people are already desperate to step inside, and a test already built into it. Tommy Shelby is constantly sizing people up, working out who's loyal. We didn't invent a narrative and bolt the branding on - we pulled out the one already sitting inside six seasons of brilliant television and made it physical and interactive.
The moment you're told there's a traitor feeding the Sabinis, you stop being someone who bought a ticket and become someone the family needs something from. And it’s been a joy to see people relishing that challenge and enjoying the chance to spend an evening in 1920s Birmingham.
NP: What do you think fans of immersive will find most interesting about this latest experience?
GW: A few things. First, it isn't linear. You're free to roam - Garrison Lane, the Bookies, Chinatown, the Fairground - in whatever order you like, and the zones don't wait for you, which is exactly what makes it feel true rather than choreographed.
Second, there are two live storylines running under the surface the entire time: Catch the Rat, where you're helping the Peakys uncover the traitor in their midst, and a parallel hunt for a shipment that Alfie Solomons doesn't want found. Presenting multiple story threads concurrently, makes the experience hugely exciting for both the audience and of course for the cast. The format takes elements of promenade theatre, where you spend time with different characters that inhabit the underworld, but you can move freely throughout and in any direction that takes your fancy. That's hopefully a real point of difference that makes Underworld a bit special.
Beyond that, we're hoping to reach people who've been put off by the idea of "immersive theatre". There are certainly those who have the sense that it's going to demand a lot of them. The Garrison Tavern is free to enter. You can take a stool at the bar, soak up the atmosphere and find out what's behind the curtain before you commit to the ticket price. And when you are in the Underworld you can navigate how immersed you would like to be – there's no one asking you to do a Birmingham accent - we want the experience to appeal to the broadest possible audience, from the diehard fans to those who have never seen an episode of Peaky Blinders in their lives. This sector needs lower barriers to entry, and a lot of people are doing exactly what we hoped: coming for a drink, having a load of fun in the bar and then coming back to do the full experience.
NP: Once you started designing and testing, what did you discover about this experience that was unexpected?
GW: One of the things that has surprised us the most is how well the experience appeals to those who know nothing about Peaky Blinders. When you design this type of attraction, so much of the focus is on ensuring it’s completely true to the source material (and having Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky give his input in that respect has been invaluable of course), but in creating a format where we’re deliberately making the experience as inclusive and accessible as possible, it’s been interesting to see how people enjoy exploring the physical world, its dark cobbled streets, characters in classic Peaky attire, and of course the drinks, that really means it’s as much fun without having even seen the show as it is for the most fanatical Peaky afficionado.
NP: What can fans who are coming to this, or thinking about coming, do to get into the mood?
GW: We’ve deliberately designed this experience so you can just show up and enjoy it. It has been lovely getting feedback from those people who have been dragged along by their friends or loved ones, but who know nothing about the Peaky Blinders. So often it seems they leave feeling inspired to watch it.
But to get in the mood, it’s worth revisiting the TV show. Series one and two, for the Garrison itself and the fairground energy, are probably the closest thing to a location scout for what we've built. The show was never interested in a period-accurate soundtrack and neither are we. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand" is the obvious starting point but listen to the show’s soundtrack and you’re right there, in the Peaky world. And for those who want to dress up, (there’s no obligation) get out your flat cap and a waistcoat. You’ll fit right in.
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