All images courtesy dotdotdot

Experience the End of Humanity in ‘Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds’ (Review)

Dotdotdot partners with Jeff Wayne to bring the science fiction classic to life through theatre and technology

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The large green eyes of a mechanical monster stare lifelessly down at the human beings entering its domain, The Spirit of Man pub in London. Mortals are sitting around, drinking and making merry in this pub on this cold winter’s day, seemingly unperturbed by the once monstrous force that sits just above their heads. The walls are adorned with mementos of the humans’ glorious victory over an ancient race. Paintings, modified with new alien technology (augmented reality), move and showcase some of those wartime moments forever embedded in our collective memories. And we haven’t even entered the show yet.

Those of you familiar with the War of the Worlds will know that it has been the subject of many different multimedia reimaginings; the science fiction novel first came to life through magazine serialization in the late 19th century and has since been retold through multiple feature films, comic books, video games, television series, and — most famously — as a radio drama in 1938 by Orson Welles, one that caused real-world terror as those listening to it genuinely thought that an alien invasion was happening.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of the War of the Worlds, a 1978 rock opera concept album, is another well-known retelling of War of the Worlds. In the UK it became a bestseller, and despite being fairly sure I’ve never owned or ever heard the album in its entirety, it is a part of the British mainstream consciousness. And in 2019, Dotdotdot partnered with Jeff Wayne to create a brand new immersive experience, Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, which is where I find myself today.

Upon arrival in the elaborately decorated pub, we are handed a wristband and told to watch for a sign from the Martian. Suddenly, a burst of colored steam comes from the alien on the ceiling, indicating it is our turn to enter the experience. I, along with my brother and a small crowd of six others, cautiously approach the large metal doors. They slowly creak open, revealing darkness inside. A woman dressed in Victorian attire awaits us, but her face is concealed by a steampunk-looking mask. The room is dark and oppressive, and I find myself suddenly standing on a cobbled street path. She asks us who our leader is, and as we follow the mysterious woman down the war-torn street, I see that windows are boarded up all around us. Suddenly, a strong smell strikes me. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what the smell is, but it is damp and dark. Smoke and fog lie around each corner. The Martians may have been defeated, but the world is certainly still recovering from the war.

Once we have had a brief explanation of how to best use the “alien technology” that we have adapted (VR headsets), she pushes us through into a dilapidated theater space, with just enough seats for each of us. The stage is filled with rubble, and it is clear that this Victorian vestibule has not been used for some time. Once we are seated, a life-sized hologram of a man appears on the stage in front of us. He invites us to follow him, going deep into his memory of the terrible days gone by.

“No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space,” he says.

A previously unnoticed cylinder on stage comes to life. It spins and spins, light shining from within it. Images of the destructive aliens are thrown around the room as the famous first strains of Eve of War come blasting on all around us. The 70’s synth has clearly had a 21st-century facelift, with booming bass and soaring orchestral strings, firmly bringing the music up to date. The seats seem to shake with the sound and the walls are suddenly overrun with movement; explosions and alien limbs are being projected from an unseen source onto the room. The projection mapping, combined with the well-timed use of darkness and the deafening 70’s rock soundtrack, is a wonderful introduction into our destination: the 1890’s.

We are then escorted backstage, where we are greeted by a scientist, who is looking forward to welcoming us to his planetarium lecture. We have stepped back through time, to the era before the visitors from Mars attacked, and from here we follow the story in a linear fashion.

We move through a series of about a dozen or so scenes, each with a different character guide, and each one using forms of virtual reality technology. In the first scene, we gaze into the night sky through some cleverly implemented AR “telescopes” while our scientist talks us through what we amateurs should be looking for. Suddenly, the red planet seems to glow with a green flash and we are able to track a meteor falling through the sky straight towards us. As we step out into the garden to see what has happened, we see the giant mechs heading in our direction, before our poor scientist is burnt alive in front of us. The mix of practical effects, with the aid of more recent technical developments and the rock opera soundtrack around us, makes for an intense and thrilling experience.

The venue for Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds feels like an incredible labyrinth of rooms. Chasing a confused lieutenant, in search of cover, we sneak into a townhouse through an open window. Waiting in the townhouse, we come across the maid who seems to be just as confused as we are. The Martians attack, and the lights falter all around us, with the sounds of huge booming footsteps and mechanical scratchings all around us. After a sudden flash of light, the poor maid is being dragged away, tentacles grabbing and tearing at her. She leaves only a blood-stained apron on the floor when the lights return. We eventually make our way to the river where we board small boats. We bear witness to the destruction of Thunderchild, a gigantic warship and the last hope of man, as we make our way out into the sea. The use of VR here uses all of our senses, with the boats rocking and swaying in parallel, as water spray hits both our goggles and our faces.

Personally, I struggle with virtual reality. I admire the teams that create it and am always astounded at the levels of creativity that they bring, but for me, the technology still feels like it is years away from being truly ready. That being said, Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds was by far the best use of the technology that I have seen implemented in an immersive experience. The creative team clearly knows the limitations of the technology, and have done a wonderful job of supplementing VR with practical effects, curated smells, and actors at each station along the journey.

That said, there were one or two moments of tech issues during my run, including a prolonged stop partway through the second act. Showtimes are broken into 10-minute slots, with around a dozen or so spots available in each time slot. With a show that is so timed to the minute, any issue with the technology has to be resolved quickly. Some of the characters seemed to be better equipped for these moments of delay than others, but overall the experience was not hampered severely by these brief interludes.

One marvelous production decision was the inclusion of a “Red Weed Bar” as a sort of intermission from the experience. Halfway through the show, we came across this respite from the aliens. This scene was a moment to breathe, to take off one’s headset, to use the restroom, to order a drink or two, and even to order food (to be consumed after the experience, presuming that you would make it out alive). Completely “in world,” this particular “scene” gives the audience anything they need before continuing onwards, while also helping supplement the show’s income at the same time.

There are moments of British dry humor integrated into Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds immersive experience (this is a Victorian England disaster, after all). When combined with the traditional stiff upper lip of the characters, it makes for an interesting tone. The production never quite goes for full comedy, but equally, it never goes for true horror, finding a solid middle ground that makes the production entertaining for the whole family (the show is recommended for ages 12+ or so). Each of the characters will give back to you just as much as you give them, while keeping audience members wits’ on their toes. The soundtrack to the experience is “out of world” but helps to drive the narrative forward through the lyrics. And the use of an over-the-top rock opera has a wonderful way of making the entire show feel cinematic.

I can quite easily see Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds running for years to come, upgrading as technology improves. This family friendly production is a great way of introducing people to H.G. Wells’ timeless story, while also updating Jeff Wayne’s well-loved adaptation. Immersive experiences are ever expanding their audiences, and Dotdotdot has created a wonderful feast for the senses, which should prove popular with a wide range of attendees.

Perhaps this production can be one of the first VR experiences to truly conquer the world, even if the Martians don’t.

Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds continues through August 2020. Tickets are £49.50 and up.

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Brit in NYC, trading the West End for Broadway, and still misspelling theatre apparently