Christopher BarrettSage & Jester, a newly launched arts production company, has announced it will debut with a large-scale immersive theatre show that will take over the 9,000 square metre Deptford Storehouse in London.
The Storehouse event, which will open on 4 June and run until September, is the work of an experienced team that has collectively worked on productions ranging from Secret Cinema and Peaky Blinders to Ezra Collective’s UK tour.
The immersive show will be set across a space equivalent to two football fields. According to the synopsis, audience members will be invited to step into a world where humanity’s stories have been carefully archived since 1983 – the dawn of the internet – and where they will be engaged in a battle between the defenders of truth and creators of fake news: “As audiences navigate this rich and awe-inspiring underworld, they’ll confront the powers that shape everyday narratives, questioning their own role and behaviours within society.”
The production, which will be set across a space equivalent to two football fields, is the work of a team including executive producer and AAA 100 member Zoe Snow (pictured) whose previous projects include the Birmingham 2022 Ceremonies, lead producer Rosalyn Newbery, production designer Alice Helps (Lost Origin), costume designer Julie Belinda Landau (Secret Cinema) and lighting designer Ben Donoghue (Ezra Collective’s UK Tour).
Sage & Jester was founded by Liana Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian-born media executive with extensive experience in the television and arts sectors. She said Storehouse is a catalyst for critical thinking about information consumption and its impact on society: “My whole life has been inextricably linked with the media and information ecosystem. I have witnessed firsthand the systemic impact of manipulated information on a personal, national and international level. With this awareness comes the need to share that insight and take steps to affect change.”
She said the Sage & Jester team consists of around 40 professionals, drawing talent from world-renowned organisations across entertainment, media, arts and culture: “Our collective expertise spans critically acclaimed immersive experiences from industry leaders like Secret Cinema, Punchdrunk, BBC Studios, Warner Music, and Vice Media. Collectively, we have worked for cultural events including Eurovision, Birmingham 2022 Ceremonies, and prestigious institutions like The Young Vic, Tate Modern, and Soho Theatre.”
