Operating on a smaller-scale – the Great Hall’s handful of rooms, corridors, and gathering spaces – than the Punchdrunks of the world, Transcen/Dance successfully evoked the sensation of being thrust back in time and across worlds; in that case, to a creaky Gothic castle haunted by vampires, ghosts, and other eerie figures.

Navigating that world (and resisting the urge to peer beyond the curtains out onto busy Queen West below), we enjoyed our ninety minutes (about half as long as Sleep No More) at the Eve of St. George, which took us from the heights of an ornate master bedroom down to the depths of a haunted crypt hidden in the Great Hall basement.

A year later, Transcen/Dance is back with a suitably mythological follow-up, this time inspired by the Medusa story. Stepping back from the nightmarish themes of St. George, this new production, Ophis, is billed as “an emotional journey through love, vulnerability, and self-discovery.”

Bloodletting is out; ambrosia is in.

Fittingly for their commitment to stretching the boundaries of Canadian dance, Ophis is an immersive theatrical experience that promises to “reimagine the myth” of Medusa, portraying her as a symbol of empowerment and resilience.

What that means in practice remains to be seen, though judging by our St. George experience audiences can expect epic choreographed dance numbers in the main hall, combined with the freedom to wander floor by floor, room by room, witnessing the worlds and interactions of a cast of characters drawn from familiar mythology. Going by the promise of a reimagination, one assumes the lead figure will not be losing her head at the climax of the piece.

Judging by past experience, it will also be something of a provocative affair. Expect sensual choreography, a gloriously diverse mix of sex- and gender-configurations, and plenty of risqué diaries and notebooks for the voyeuristic audience to poke around in.

Thanks to our experiences at St. George, we can offer some handy tips for those interested in attending:

First – though dealing with mature themes, these shows are not exactly frightening. Eerie, perhaps, but not really meant to scare you. It’s rated 14+ “due to the dark nature” of the show, but honestly, it’s not going to be a scare-fest.

Along those lines: the freedom of movement in immersive theatre means that you, as an audience member, never need to be anywhere you don’t want to. If you’re unnerved (or bored) by the scene playing out in front of you, you’re free, even encouraged, to wander off and see what is happening elsewhere.

Incidentally, the performers aren’t everything! This advice is tempting to ignore, but we strongly recommend spending time exploring the environments, in the absence of characters or any notable action. Last time, exploring a doctor’s quarters, we stumbled upon an old-timey dictaphone (in fact an iPod subtly tucked into the guts of an antique machine) with an old-timey audio receiver, playing back medical logs of the famous Prof. Van Helsing. (If you’ve seen the recent Nosferatu, the Willem Dafoe character.)

We also, just by wandering aimlessly, scored a handful of one-on-one interactions, where performers pulled us aside to whisper secrets or thrust arcane objects into our hands for safekeeping. Good stuff.

Much like Sleep No More, you should also be prepared to wear an uncomfortable plastic mask. It’s a wise touch – it helps to immediately differentiate the audience from the performers, while also adding to the sensation you’re at some kind of demonic masked ball – but if you have contact lenses, they’re a better choice than glasses.

Most importantly, though, is to enter the world of Ophis with an open mind.

Novices to the immersive theatre world might be wary of what this all entails. And sure, part of the appeal of Ophis is that tingle on the back of your neck when entering into a new, totally unpredictable space – so if you don’t find that appealing, Ophis might not be right for you.

But if that sounds intriguing, or if you like the idea of a Medusa story that toys with Ovid’s metamorphosed version of it (Ovid having introduced some noteworthy elements not present in the original mythology), Ophis is going to be one to check out.

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Ophis runs at the Great Hall on April 4-6 and 10-13, 2025. Tickets available here.

The post Ophis Brings Greek Mythology to Immersive Life in the Latest from Transcen/Dance Project appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Founded by Experiential Designer Valentino Vettori, Arcadia Earth offers a sterling experience, and particularly focuses on the most serious environmental issues of our time. In today’s world, climate change remains a topical issue and there are still ongoing conversations around the adverse consequences on our health and wellbeing. Arcadia Earth puts a spotlight on forging a better world for all.

“My greatest motivation for creating Arcadia Earth was my kids. Today as a father, I don’t worry about my kids’ careers as much as I do their needs for water, food and basic environmental health. Seven years ago, I came across environmental leader Paul Hawkins’ book “The Project Drawdown” and immediately realized my responsibility was to act in a way I could relate to,” says Valentino. “The main objective with Arcadia Earth was to create an educational space that wasn’t scary or complex, but inspirational and informative. My goal is to reach as many people, parents, and families as I can, and to work towards a more sustainable world.”

Offering a multi-sensory journey, Arcadia Earth merges large-scale art installations and exciting technology. Guests will set out on a rememberable adventure through dazzling underwater worlds and impressive lands. Art installations have been developed using upcycled materials and reusable elements. You’ll be transported to the “heart of global climate challenges such as plastic waste, overfishing, and biodiversity loss.”

Starting with an underwater world built from salvaged commercial fishing nets to a massive beehive made from thousands of pages of reclaimed books, the scenery promotes individual empowerment. Visitors will be equipped with practicable ideas to help protect the future of our planet.

According to Craig Perlmutter, the President of Arcadia Earth Toronto, “Exciting new technologies are integrated throughout the entire exhibit. We’ve created a proprietary app that visitors can connect to on their personal phones while using one of our iPads.” Craig shares further that “the app guides visitors with incredible animations, inspirational messages, and stories as they are ushered through an immersive augmented reality experience.”

“I’m particularly excited about one VR experience– our VR experience will occupy an entire room and transport guests just millimetres away from animals from around the globe. Another room is comprised of curved-LED screens, immersing visitors in a variety of different landscapes. The list goes on and on,” says Craig.

In partnership with World Wildlife Fund Canada, Arcadia Earth will showcase “Regenerate Canada”, an interactive environment exploring two sides of an “invisible line” that divides a path to the irreversible destruction of nature from its recovery. In a projection mapping room, attendees will witness the significant message behind “Regenerate Canada”, and capture illustrations about how we can collectively take action to reverse wildlife loss, prevent climate change and rejuvenate habitats over the coming decade.

Another noteworthy highlight is the aesthetic space which was fashioned in collaboration with outstanding environmental artists. The stunning venue embraces gripping creativity and educational narratives that will positively impact the community, and our surroundings.

Certainly, digital art technology is a burgeoning movement and Arcadia Earth glorifies the beauty of our planet in magnificent ways. A champion of motivating environmental action, the futuristic art exhibit and expanded reality experience hopes to make a forward-looking difference.

This camera-ready location has an additional perk. A “Marketplace” will be situated at Arcadia Earth. The Marketplace is a curation of eco-friendly and sustainable products mainly conceptualized by innovative Canadian entrepreneurs. Again, attendees will be introduced to utilitarian, solution-based items that encourage the adoption of rightly impactful sustainable practices.

Are you looking for an eventful outing with pals, then this is a great opportunity to be engrossed in captivating exhibits of sound and colour while uncovering mesmeric stories. Located within The Well at 486 Front Street West, guests can purchase their tickets at a price ranging from $24 to $39, with $2 from every ticket donated to World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada). Visit arcadiaearth.ca to learn more and purchase your tickets today.

Arcadia Earth wants to spark a conversation on the environment and sustainability in a whole new way, and there is so much more to expect from the singular exhibitions. For upcoming art shows and projects, visit their website to find out more.

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The Office Experience was created by Original X Productions (OGX) and Universal Live Entertainment in consultation with The Office’s U.S. creator Greg Daniels. It delivers an experience that is as close to being on the set of the series as possible.

As guests walk through the space they will come across fun facts about the series, the characters, set re-creations, original costumes and props and so much more! The high level of detail in creating this fully immersive experience really surprised us. Mega-fans will definitely get the most out of this self-guided wander through Dunder Mifflin Business Park experience. If you’re a newbie to the show (or those who have maybe just dabbled here and there) it’s still a fun walk through and a throwback to the average office vibe in the 80s. It may even inspire many to return to the series!

The Office has been such a phenomenon and a huge hit for many years. It ran for nine seasons. Recently,  a whole new generation of college and high school students have given the series a fresh boost along with existing fans, making it the most streamed television series in the U.S. during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

What is the enduring popularity of this show? “It’s the subversive, and sometimes shocking, humour,” said Michael Silver, President of Global Business Development, Universal Parks & Resorts. “It’s also very relatable. The characters on the show were just ordinary people working in an office but they got into a lot of eccentric and crazy things happening in very ordinary situations.”

This experience is filled with the tiniest of details. “It’s not just an Instagrammable walk through for people to take pictures, although there’s lots of opportunities to do so, but we wanted people to actually do stuff like open drawers, pick up the telephone receiver, play Dunder Ball,  and dance down the wedding aisle. There are a lot of fun ‘Easter eggs’ to discover.”

Sets have been re-created where fans can even act out a few of the most iconic scenes. Confessions in the conference room anyone? There’s also The Bullpen, Michael’s Office, Ryan’s Closet, Pam’s Reception Desk,  Kevin’s Chili Spill, The Conference Room, Jim and Pam’s Wedding Chapel and more. Be ready for a few “Oh, I remember that episode” type of nostalgic moments!

Find actual printed out business cards in the cardholders? Keep that as a souvenir. Consider this a scavenger hunt full of surprises!

We also love all the 80s office things. The fax machine, vending/coffee machines, inspirational posters hanging on the walls, mission statements made us laugh. No in-office baristas making bespoke coffee or matcha lattes here! Also, be sure to open the fridge.  For those who may not be as familiar to the series. A visit to the meet the team wall, office romance graph, and even Pam and Jim’s Love Story timeline will offer insight into the characters.

You can take ALL the photos you’d like but there are also a few premium photo opps that fans might want to nab with printed photos. We won’t give away all the surprises! Trust us, there’s LOTS!

What else could fan expect? We wouldn’t be surprised if they host trivia nights, scavenger hunts, and corporate team building events. Heck, someone could maybe do a buy out the space and host a wedding here. Just a thought. Apparently someone did do a marriage proposal when the The Office Experience was in Chicago.

THE OFFICE Experience at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre is now open until June 4, 2023. For more information and tickets visit www.TheOfficeExperience.com — some walk-in tickets will also be available depending on capacity numbers. The Warehouse Gift Shop will be open to ticket and non-ticket holders during regular business hours.

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Toronto’s Alice – there are at least forty others on right now, in Vancouver, and Houston, and Sheffield, and Melbourne, and so many more cities across the globe – takes place in the back room of luxury goods shop/café Thirty-Six Knots, near Summerhill Station. Beautifully redecorated in a not-Disney-but-not-not-Disney aesthetic, the “Wonderland” of the Alice cocktail experience does a great job of immersing guests. The attention to detail, from the playing cards, threaded along the ceiling, to the mannequin Alice’s legs dropping down the “rabbit hole” (the café ceiling), to the sly nods to figures and places from the Lewis Carroll novels, all come together to really make you feel like you’re stepping out of the mundane and into the extraordinary.

The event itself, involving some fairly straightforward riddle-solving and the crafting of a couple amusingly magical cocktails, is mostly fun, though some of the scripted performances – there are actors dropping in and out as the Red Queen, the March Hare, and so on – tend a little bit silly and draw you out of the illusion.

The Alice cocktail evening lasts approximately an hour and a half, during which attendees will solve riddles, interact with boisterous actors taking on various roles in the Wonderland universe, and mix up some delightfully gimmicky cocktails.

First, the good: the first step through the faux-forested archway into Wonderland at the back of Thirty-Six Knots is quite fun. It would be a leap to say you feel “transported”, but there’s a fun little rush you get from letting the world fall away and entering a lovingly decorated mini-Wonderland. We actually wished the experience gave us more time to just browse all the neat little decorations and trinkets spread around the room, though the scripted events start right away.

Also good: the riddles. The riddles are fun, silly things, requiring you to unpack clues handed out on paper menus that then direct you to certain actors to solve the puzzle. Upon solving, you obtain one of the ingredients, a small magic potion-looking vial, to mix together in the teacup back at your table. (Happily, each Alice group/couple gets its own table, so you don’t have to worry about solving clues or mixing drinks with strangers.)

Even better: the cocktails themselves. While definitely on the sweet side, the two cocktails you wind up “concocting” each have a suitable dose of magic in them. Working with dry ice, a paintbrush dipped in melted chocolate, and plenty of froth, you and your party will have a grand ole time putting together quite aesthetically pleasing drinks. Again, Alice was made for Instagram.

Now, the not-so-good (there will be no ugly, I promise): for most of its duration, the writing in Alice veers from annoying to awful. And even though billed as a 19+ experience, I was further disappointed at the occasional crudeness of some of the dialogue. Generally, I felt sorry for the actors, who were saddled with lame banter, terrible Lady Gaga jokes, a tiresome amount of lazy double entendres (do you find the word cocktail funny? Are you twelve years old?), and all sorts of silliness which felt very out of place in the otherwise magical environment. I have no objection to deliberately adult revisionist takes on Wonderland, but those require a different aesthetic and wittier humour than the Alice cocktail event delivered.

That said, The Alice: An Immersive Cocktail Experience is still overall a fun time. The puzzles are fun and not too challenging. The refashioned café is delightful. The drinks are tasty and very pretty, and it’s neat that you get to mix them yourselves. Grab your tickets now… before you’re too late! too late! for a very important date!

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The Alice: An Immersive Cocktail Experience tickets can be purchased here.

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