Review: PHANTOM PEAK: WINTERMAS, London

After a year of twists and turns, Wintermas finally comes to the frontier town of Phantom Peak. The latest season of this immersive experience gives us the chance to jump aboard Operation Frostbite, drink some seasonal cocktails and find out about the jolly rotund fellow walking around who is definitely not being mysterious. And just what does this all have to do with the evil Dr Winter’s attempts to bring down Father Platmas?

Immersive theatre has had a cracker of a year with a new show being announced or appearing every month. Whether it is an intimate dissection of Oscar Wilde's seminal book under a Bethnal Green church, a Batman-inspired fine dining experience or a case of murder-mystery aboard a moving train, there has been no shortage of ways to enjoy drama outside a theatre in London. 

Phantom Peak sets itself apart in a number of ways. There are four main shows each year, each with its own theme. Set in a steampunk-infused frontier town owned by mining company Jonaco and its charismatic leader Jonas, a large cast is on hand to help us along with a series of surreal missions. On press night, we worked our way through two: the rock-obsessed postmaster Littlefield asks our help with being adopted despite already being an adult and having two living parents, while Jonagraph operator Perrigate’s own parents have disguised trhemselves as office staplers and are coming to town are looking to marry her off to the nearest vaguely suitable suitor.

This is Phantom Peak's seventh season and it is still an utter blast. It has matured beyond its original outing with its flaming blimp to build in platypus-themed hijinks, mayoral politics and a raft of wonderfully daft plots. The carefully-crafted humour leans towards Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett with pure silliness alongside crafty pokes at the world beyond Phantom Peak. The individual missions are standalone adventures but tie into overarching themes and story arcs established by creative director Nick Moran and his team.

Those with keen eyes may have spotted that this is the third time (and the fourth time overall) that Phantom Peak has been reviewed by myself or others on Broadway World this year alone. Some would argue that this is overkill and ask why so much time and column inches have been dedicated to this particular production. 

There’s a few reasons for this. The first is that we are utter gluttons for enjoyment, and Phantom Peak has delivered every single time we’ve wandered down to its current Canada Water location. Every visit has given us not just a bunch of new missions but a feast of additions and updates to the rooms, characters and events (we especially enjoyed playing charades with Father Platmas and the snowfall during the closing ceremony). 

It is also more than a show: it is a monument to what can be done far from the maddening crowds of the West End, without an IP and without the deep pockets or corporate connections of companies like Punchdrunk. While the theatre press froths at the mouth over which star of film or TV are treading the board, which movie or streaming product will be churned out next as a musical or which of Shakespeare’s works will be retooled and replayed for the umpteenth time, Phantom Peak walks its own path, a shining beacon of how this kind of immersive experience can work at scale and dramatically evolve over an series of seasons. More of this, please.

Phantom Peak: Wintermas continues until 14 January.

Image: Phantom Peak

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