STOREHOUSE

Step into the shadows of Deptford’s industrial past and you’ll find STOREHOUSE, an ambitious and atmospheric plunge into the digital underworld.

Staged inside a 9,000-square metre warehouse that once held Britain’s newsprint, this immersive experience imagines a secret archive of every message, meme and story ever transmitted online. Since 1983, an underground collective has preserved humanity’s digital traces, hoping that, together, they might reveal a universal truth. But the archive is unstable. Its stories are clashing. A successor must be found.

That’s where we come in.

Rather than passive spectators, audiences become guardians of the Storehouse’s next evolution. What unfolds is less choose-your-own-adventure, more guided initiation. It’s conceptually similar to Secret Cinema, but with less free-roam and more narrative direction.

The live performers guide the audience through the story with assurance and ease. Their presence is engaging without being intrusive, drawing you into the world and keeping the pace.

Staging is truly outstanding. Lighting, sound, costume and space work in harmony to create a sense of scale and immersion that never falters. The voice cast, including Toby Jones, Meera Syal, Kathryn Hunter and Billy Howle, provides additional depth, anchoring the broader mythology with a sense of gravitas.

If there’s one stumble, it’s in the resolution. The climax moves quickly, and some narrative threads feel unresolved. That said, I highly recommend it. The scale, the setting and the immersive power of the experience stay with you.

STOREHOUSE runs until 20 September 2025 at Deptford Storehouse (SE8). Tickets start at £37.50. Expect to stand, move, think and participate.

Tickets and info: sageandjester.com/storehouse


Photo credit: Helen Murray