The Story Behind The Burnt City

London theatre shows don’t get much better than The Burnt City. Created by the world’s best immersive theatre company, this unique event retells the story of The Trojan War in a sensory, imaginative and explorative way. As the Greeks storm the mythical city of Troy, all kinds of weird and wonderful things happen. Let’s find out more about the tale behind The Burnt City, an interactive theatre London experience like no other.

The Trojan War

Greek mythology is not simple - far from it. Stories of treachery, murder and incest often blacken the lives of famous Greek figures, with Agamemnon, the King of Mycenae’s rage sparking The Trojan War. When his brother’s wife Helen was kidnapped by Paris of Troy, Agamemnon was so incensed he raised an army to invade the ancient Kingdom of Troy.

But the battle was not simple. Agamemnon’s fleet was unable to set sail immediately because he had offended the goddess Artemis. In order to get to Troy he had to sacrifice his daughter – an action which, years later, would be the cause of his own death. Once the Greeks landed in Troy, they were met by a powerful army and a strong city that could withstand siege. The war famously lasted for ten years, ending only when the Greeks pretended to sail away in defeat, leaving only a wooden horse behind them as an offering to the goddess Athena.

Of course, inside the horse were the best Greek soldiers, who once through the gates of Troy, crept out, opened the gates for their comrades and sacked the city.

What to expect at The Burnt City

The Burnt City is an immersive experience set amid the moments surrounding the fall of Troy. The Greek army has laid waste to the city, many citizens have fled, others have been captured and carried off as trophies or slaves. The Burnt City is a promenade show, leading audiences through the fallen city where performers dance ritualistically, mourn for their loved ones, and despair for their lost homes.

The set, with its meticulous attention to detail, puts visitors right in the heart of doom-struck Troy, while the sound and lighting design brings drama. Don’t expect an awful lot of speaking – the atmosphere of the fallen city is expressed instead through choreography, mime and movement, with Aeschylus’ Agamemnon and Euripides’ Hecuba acting as the source texts.

Audiences choose their own experience as they traverse over 100 rooms across two mythic cities. Here, gods, mortals, dreamers and lovers meet one last time.

The story behind The Burnt City is one of the biggest in Greek mythology. It has been told for some 3,000 years and is now the backbone of this spectacle of immersive theatre in London. Don’t forget to book your tickets today for an experience you won’t forget.