With his parents on holiday Sam’s having a house party. Nothing big, just a few close friends…at least that was the plan until you knocked on the door.
Zest Theatre’s groundbreaking, immersive production takes place within a huge set that puts you right in the centre of the action. Once inside the party your experience is completley up to you: eat, drink, sing, dance, play games and rummage through the bookcase! You can even control of the conversations you listen to through Silent Disco technology.
Put on your wireless headphones, step through Sam’s front door and experience the night unfold all around you as you Gatecrash the party.
Suitable for ages 14+ | Contains Strong Language
#gatecrashplay | #partyatno5
Trailer
Production Photos
Cast
2016 Cast
Amy Forde
Melissa Grace
Alex Harvey Sporle
Elena Valentine
Luke Vernon
Production
Director
Toby Ealden
Set and Lighting Design
Myk Hoyle
Sound Design / Technical Manager
Ari Levy
Producer
Fiona Moon
Company Manager
Jordan Blackwood
Assistant Stage Manager
Casey Wells
Devised by the Original Company
Toby Ealden
Melissa Grace
Nicola Hardman
Alex Harvey Sporle
Dawn Richmond-Gordon
Richard Summers-Calvert
Bethan Williams
Tour Dates
2016 TOUR
Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre
Tuesday 23rd - Friday 26th February 2016
The Civic, Barnsley
Tuesday 1st March - Friday 4th March 2016
Cast, Doncaster
Tuesday 8th March - Friday 11th March 2016
Lyric Hammersmith
Tuesday 15th March - Friday 18th March 2016
2014 TOUR
Lincoln Drill Hall
Thursday 25th & Friday 26th September 2014
Waterside Arts Centre, Sale
Thursday 2nd October 2014
Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke
Friday 3rd October 2014
the egg: Without Walls @ Victoria Hall, Radstock
Tuesday 7th & 8th October 2014
Farnham Maltings
Thursday 9th October 2014
Riverhead Theatre, Louth
Saturday 11th October 2014
Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton
Wednesday 15th October 2014
The Castle, Wellingborough
Thursday 16th October 2014
Cast, Doncaster
Friday 17th October 2014
TakeOff Festival: Town Hall Theatre, Hartlepool
Monday 20th October 2014
TakeOff Festival: Middlesbrough Town Hall
Wednesday 22nd October 2014
TakeOff Festival: Durham Johnston School
Thursday 23rd & 24th October 2014
Juice Festival: Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday 25th October 2014
The Garage, Norwich
Thursday 30th & 31st October 2014
Burnley Arts Centre
Tuesday 4th November 2014
Create Theatre, Mansfield
Thursday 6th November 2014
artsdepot, London
Friday 7th November 2014
2013 TOUR
Lincoln Drill Hall as part of Frequency Festival 2013
Friday 18th - 20th October 2013
Stamford Arts Centre
Monday 21st & 22nd October 2013
South Holland Centre, Spalding
Wednesday 23rd & 24th October 2013
Riverhead Theatre, Louth
Friday 25th & 26th October 2013
The Garage, Norwich
Tuesday 29th October 2013
Create Theatre, Mansfield
Thursday 31st October 2013
Derby Theatre
Friday 22nd November 2013
Press
Interview: Ari Levy - Gatecrash's Touring Technical Manager
The Guardian
Feature: Throwing Out the Rulebook
Arts Professional
Interview: How can we engage young audiences?
The Reviews Hub
Feature: Let's Talk About Sets
What's On Stage
Feature: Gatecrash the Stage
The Memo
“Fun and unpretentious”
“An engaging, entertaining experience of the most invigorating kind”
“Slickly set up from start to finish”
“Authentic”
“Should not be missed”
FAQs
Gatecrash is like no other touring production. This can lead to audiences having questions or feeling wary about coming. Here's a list of frequently asked questions to help you get the most from the experience:
What is the Gatecrash experience like?
The show takes place in a huge enclosed set designed to look and feel like a real open plan living room / dining room. You will stay in this room for the duration of the performance with the action happening all around you. Before entering you will meet a member of our production team who will give you your headphones and any information you need to know. Once inside the party you are in total control of your experience. As well as watching the action you can eat, drink, dance, sing, play games and even rummage through the contents of the shelves and drawers.
Is there seating?
There is limited seating in the set such as a 3 piece suite and dining chairs, but most people stand throughout the whole show. However, if you feel you are unable to stand for the 60 minutes of the show then let us know and we'll gladly help you.
Is the show accessible to wheelchairs?
Yes, again, let us know and we'll gladly make sure you have the best possible experience of the show!
The show is interactive? Does that mean I'll be made to do something embarrassing? It all sounds a bit scary.
Please don't be scared! Yes, the show is interactive, our characters will talk to you and invite you to get involved. But no one is going to make you do anything you don't want to do! Just say no and they will leave you alone. The more you get involved the more you'll get out of the experience. But some people choose to watch from the side of the room and this is absolutely fine!
What should I wear?
Anything you feel comfortable in!
Is there alcohol served?
No! This is a production for young people aged 14+, we'd be pretty irresponsible to give drink to people underage! However, non-alcoholic drinks (that look remarkably like real alcoholic drinks) are served throughout. We there is also crisps and Haribo too!
What's the deal with these headphones?
We give you a pair of headphones as you enter the party. These let you hear all the action over the noise and chatter of the party. Just like a real party there is always lots going on. For most of the show there are 2 scenes performed simultaneously. Your headphones use Silent Disco technology to let you choose the conversations you want to tune into. This means that everyone in the audience will have a different experience of the night.
Does that mean that I won't see everything?
The show lasts an hour, but because we play multiple scenes simultaneously there is actually 105 minutes of content performed during the show. We even have some scenes that happen in secret rooms that only a handful of people will experience. Our Director has to watch the show 3 times in order to see everything. So yes, this does mean you won't be able to watch all the scenes. This may seem a little strange to some of you, but for us that's what is so exciting about this show! We've put you in control, if you don't like a character or find a scene interesting then you can change the channel on your headphones! Every member of the audience can choose their own experience of the show which means you can chat to your friends afterwards and compare what you saw!
Who is it suitable for?
The show is suitable for those aged 14+. Gatecrash has been developed to target those aged 14 - 19. However, those well outside of this age range often attend the show and love it! Everyone is treated the same regardless of their age.
What is the content like?
Gatecrash is set in a teenage house party so you can take a guess at the sort of things that happen during the show. There is frequent strong language and alcohol fuels the characters to talk very openly about a range of topics. The show contains a mild reference to suggest drugs are being used in another room. There is also a messy, drunken fight between two female characters. However, there is no nudity, discrimination, horror or sex.
Any more questions? Then don't hesitate to get back to us!
