The New Wolsey Theatre and Ipswich Arts Festival are delighted to announce that tickets for The Crash of The Elysium, Punchdrunk’s live Doctor Who adventure which plays in Ipswich from 15 June – 8 July as part of the London 2012 Festival, go on sale at 10am on Friday 20 January.
Created by Punchdrunk, award winning internationally acclaimed pioneers in immersive theatre, The Crash of The Elysium is a live Doctor Who adventure in which the audience is the star of the show. Premiered to great critical acclaim as part of the 2011 Manchester International Festival, The Crash of The Elysium is revived in Ipswich this summer for 3 weeks only.
Tom MacRae writer and co-creator of the Crash of the Elysium said: “The show is unlike anything else you have ever experienced in the world of Doctor Who. This is your story, your mission, you are the hero. Everything depends on you. If you don’t turn up, the world does not get saved.
Punchdrunk are theatrical wizards. Their shows are a stunning blend of magic, excitement, adventure and impossibility. Once you enter a Punchdrunk show, the laws of physics are switched off until you leave again. There is no stage, there is no comfy seating, there is no division between the world of the audience and the world of the show. You are at the heart of the action, you drive the story forward. No two shows will ever be the same, no individual adventure will ever be repeated.
The madness and brilliance of Doctor Who could not find a better theatrical partnership than Punchdrunk, and slamming these two incendiary giants together has produced the most exciting hour of entertainment anyone could ever wish for.”
Felix Barrett, Director of Punchdrunk said: “We started this process with ‘What would be the dream show to see as a 10 year old? ’. This is it. To embrace the cultural icon that is Doctor Who and to work with their extraordinary team has been an incredible adventure and I can’t wait to bring to bring the show back to life in Ipswich.”
Liz Hughes, Creative Programmer for the East of England for London 2012, said: 'We are delighted that The Crash of The Elysium will be part of the London 2012 Festival this summer. The show offers a truly extraordinary experience which will help make this summer one to remember for a lifetime. As well as helping Doctor Who you can also get dancing with the world’s finest choreographers, ring bells with Martin Creed, or go Walking with US artist Robert Wilson. In addition to paid-for events, there are over ten million free opportunities to take part this summer across the UK. It is going to be an exceptional year.”
To find out more visit www.london2012.com/festival.
"We are thrilled that tickets are now on sale and so excited to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience," says New Wolsey Chief Executive Sarah Holmes. "Since the production was announced it has generated so much interest from fans of Doctor Who and many others who recognise that this is a truly unique experience not to be missed. My advice is to book early."
“Not everyone takes making work for children seriously, even though they can be awfully discerning and shrewd theatre-goers,” said Alex Poots, Festival Director of MIF, “and to have one of our great theatre companies take up the challenge of making art for them seemed like a very exciting proposition. Ipswich audiences of all ages will be just as thrilled, terrified and transported as those in Manchester last year.”
Helen Lax, Regional Director, Arts Council England, East, said: ‘We are very excited that The Crash of The Elysium is coming to Ipswich in July. It will be an unforgettable experience for everyone lucky enough to see it and we’re sure that it will be a tremendous success. The show is the perfect accompaniment to all the other incredible opportunities that are taking place as a part of the Cultural Olympiad in the East this summer. Its inclusion in the London 2012 Festival will bring unprecedented and well deserved national profile to Ipswich and the region.’
"Ip-art is the biggest festival in Suffolk and offers both free and paid for events right across the cultural spectrum. It is a fabulous attraction for over 100,000 people. The Crash of The Elysium will add to the festival excitement. Doctor Who is close to my heart as I grew up hiding behind the sofa when it came on. I am sure the Crash will attract people from all over the region." Cllr Bryony Rudkin, Culture portfolio-holder, Ipswich Borough Council
