Taking audiences back to 1979 when Britain was on the brink of political collapse for the second time in a decade, Parabolic Theatre’s thrilling live-action board game Crisis? What Crisis? comes to The Colab Factory this autumn. The innovative immersive theatre company cracks open the government machine to give participants the chance to get hands-on with the levers of power.
Crisis? What Crisis? puts audiences firmly in the driving seat and the mechanics of the production mean that the participants’ decision alters every show so no two are the same; the ending changes with each choice they make. This truly interactive experience tasks participants with managing the escalating political crisis and steering the country to stability while fears of riot, strikes and economic meltdown spiral.
Exploring the parallels between the Winter of Discontent and the current surge of uncertainty rippling through our own divided and turbulent times, the production immerses its audience in a time of heightened political and civil unrest. With a direct line to politicians and journalists, foreign dignitaries and the armed forces, all manned by Parabolic’s expert improvisers, the audience can take action in any way they see fit. As government special advisers, they must negotiate with union leaders, wrangle rogue MPs and handle an increasingly obstructive media, while keeping the economy under control as MPs face a vote of no confidence.
Artistic Director, Owen Kingston comments, “The country’s current political climate means a lot of people think they can do a better job than the politicians. After successfully getting audiences involved in political decision making in For King and Country, we wanted to take things to the next level. In Crisis? What Crisis? we explore the infamous government struggles of the late seventies, and, as always, we’ve empowered the audience to directly influence the outcome. With the Brexit crisis continuing to escalate the show is more timely than ever.”
Crisis? What Crisis? Is at The Colab Factory 12th November to 8th December 2019.
