Wine Escape brings a bit of Northern California to the UK
Greetings from the UK! The land that brings you British Pantomime. For our readers who are unfamiliar with Pantomime, it is a form of theatre that encourages audience members to participate. The plot almost always revolves around a fairy tale. There’s some set of rules like certain characters who always appear so repeat pantomime goers have an idea of what to expect. Audiences love moments like shouting at the main character that something has appeared behind them, like a big bad wolf. Of course they don’t notice, and this drives the audience wild, especially younger audience members, who are typically the target for these type of shows. Singing and dancing along to pop songs is encouraged, and, in general, it’s a smashing good time.
Now take this concept, and target it toward an adult audience, and you’ve got Wine Escape. Set in Napa Valley during prohibition, the play transports the audience back to 1921. Guests are encouraged to dress up in period pieces, and the hotel banquet hall is set up like a dinner party. And yes, dinner is served! Guests receive a complimentary two-course meal with dietary options observed. As dinner comes to a close, our hosts Walter Von James and Margot Von James come out to introduce themselves. They own the Hawker Wine Estate, but are struggling because of prohibition. Walter has decided to sell and escape to England without consulting Margot on the matter. They say, if it smells like a fish, walks like a fish, and talks like a fish, it’s a fish. And things sure feel a bit fishy. Walter is played with utmost enthusiasm by Jack Mullings. Refreshingly, the actors don’t take themselves too seriously, which gives the roles authenticity. Margot is played impeccably by Dayna Bateman, who is giving her all. She emits Chekhov vibes.
Things get chaotic when Jimmy (Daniel Craze) and Johnny (Nick Hessling) show up as gangsters after the family loot. Jimmy is one of those chatty all-talk, no-scare villains; Johnny, meanwhile, is absolutely terrifying. Together they create the perfect balance of fright and humor. Hessling doesn’t break character at all, which is quite a feat during an interactive show. His demeanor is impenetrable and downright frightening. The two actors have incredible chemistry together and drive the second act of the show. This is where the elements of immersive theatre come into play. Immersive theatre is America’s response to Pantomime. This show fluidly combines both elements. Much like a traditional escape room, Johnny and Jimmy ask the audience for help breaking into the Von James Family safe to steal what’s inside. Audience members are given riddles and clues to help solve various puzzles. As the puzzles are solved, the plot continues to unfold, and secrets are aired out. The final twist is fairly unpredictable, as all the characters appear shady, and it is fun to guess how it’ll all wrap up.
Wine Escape is written by Rebecca Digman and produced by Digman and Natasha Stone. The interactive elements are very well done. As an audience member, I felt engaged, and I was having fun. Obviously we suspend our disbelief when we attend theatre shows, but I didn’t feel I had to suspend too much. The interactions with actors and the space felt organic. There was a technical element as well; Matthew Stevens did a super impressive job with the various light and audio cues. It all felt seamless. The actors all did an amazing job engaging with audience and creating characters who felt both real and entertaining. Hessling and Bateman both brought a lot of depth to their roles, and Mullings and Craze balanced the drama with humor, which is rare to see in UK productions. Media in the UK tends to be either entirely dark or entirely silly, so it was utterly refreshing to see a production that had moments of both. Even with about a three hour run time, the show kept my attention throughout. For those with mobility requirements, I would say this is a very relaxed space. There are no stairs or staged seating, as the venue is a hotel banquet room. You are free to move about, and there are plenty of breaks and intervals throughout the show, which is always much appreciated.
Wine Escape is touring towns across the UK on selected dates until April 1. For full schedule and ticketing information, please visit https://www.wineescape.co.uk/find-events
