Last Updated on June 16, 2025
Cutting-edge immersive theatre in Deptford
3.5 out of 5.0 starsStorehouse is a new immersive theatre production tackling the modern issue of fake news with voiceover performances from Meera Syal, Toby Jones, Kathryn Hunter and Billy Howle. Creative Director is Sophie Larsmon.
‘Immersive’ is the buzzword of the moment in London theatre right now, Punchdrunk having opened the door, and the new immersive Grease experience is also on its way. Down in Deptford, a supergroup of international creatives from multiple disciplines has combined forces to take on ‘fake news’ through the immersive theatre lens. Located in a former NewsCorp print warehouse, the irony is not lost on the production; audiences can expect a well-considered and exquisitely constructed production that is right on the cutting edge.
This show is the brainchild of production company Sage & Jester’s Founder Liana Patarkatsishvili, whose experience running Georgia’s (the one in eastern Europe) largest independent television and radio service must have inspired the work.
Enticing the audience are performances in voiceover by Meera Syal and Toby Jones, who act as two of the fictional archive’s founders. Their contributions are lightly peppered throughout the production and add star power to its cast.
The space required for proper immersion regularly needs a square footage that simply isn’t available in the centre of town. Travelling from London Bridge over to Deptford was cheap and painless by train, however, and offers the opportunity to see what is left of London’s oldest continuously in use railway station, if you are interested in such things. On arrival, the scene is set before you enter as the imposing sage green warehouse dominates the landscape as you approach through its lightly managed scrubland surroundings. Small lockers are provided to stow any valuables, and make sure to spend a penny before going in, as if you need to leave for any reason, there is no opportunity for re-entry.
Arriving in the building proper is the first opportunity to appreciate the finely assembled sets from production designer Alice Helps. Initially, we are in the mid-century waiting room where we enjoy a smooth cocktail named ‘liminal tea’. We are then sent into a time warp world that blends 1980s polyester shell suits and shoulder pads with forests and fuzzy caves made of willow and sheep’s wool. Spaces are cluttered with details to pick up on, certainly encouraging the opportunity to return and discover more. These sensitively appointed spaces are ‘infected’ with ink rot, the source of which must be discovered, adding a sense of foreboding to the environment and reinforcing the metaphor that ‘fake news’ has infected modern internet discourse.
The audience is guided through these spaces by a team of actor archivists who seem to be having a jolly good time. They’ve been banished to the internet caves after some run-ins with unscrupulous red tops. It is always better with these sorts of performances if you are willing to interact with the performers when the time comes, so close attention to what is said and a reminder not to take everything at face value is beneficial. Fake news exists in the storehouse as well as in the real world. There is a particularly enjoyable moment featuring Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon, which certainly brought our cohort of visitors together. The audience is very much present and involved in the narrative with this story, with a few mysteries to solve and patterns to notice if you are called upon by the cast. One of these moments may not be so effective if you are colour blind, so keep that in mind.
The climax of the story features some of the show’s most striking visuals and a clear call to arms to keep fighting the fight for truth and honesty in how we conduct ourselves online. Returning to the light, the view of the river and Canary Wharf across is revealed, accompanied by a bar that made me a crisp and refreshing lager shandy.
With the planet in increasing peril from lies and manipulation online and in real life, a trip to Storehouse might do us all a world of good.
STOREHOUSE
Deptford Storehouse,
Off New King Street,
Grove Street,
London, SE8 3AA
Tuesday 4th June – 20th September 2025
Wed, Thu, Fri – 6pm & 8pm
Sat – 3pm, 5pm & 8pm
Sun – 12pm, 2pm & 5pm
Tickets available at https://sageandjester.com/storehouse/
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