Helena Bonham Carter will narrate Viola’s Room – the latest immersive show from hit theatre-makers Punchdrunk.
The narration is pre-recorded and audiences will be guided by Helena’s voice, scripted by Daisy Johnson, through headphones.
Helena Bonham Carter said: ‘Having long been a fan of Punchdrunk, when Felix (Barrett) shared the concept of Viola’s Room with me, I was captivated. How could I resist a gothic fairytale interpreted through Daisy Johnson’s febrile pen, layered with Punchdrunk’s incomparable sensory craft and magic? It’s an honour to be narrating this truly unique experience.’
BAFTA winning actor Helena Bonham Carter is famously known for her roles in The King’s Speech and The Wings of the Dove – both of which she was Academy Award nominated. Recognised for her iconic roles in Harry Potter as Bellatrix Lestrange, Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown, Mrs. Lovett in Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and her breakthrough role as Lucy Honeychurch in the iconic Merchant & Ivory film A Room with A View.
In Viola’s Room, barefoot, and wearing headphones, small groups of up to six at a time feel their way through a maze-like installation as an unseen narrator guides them on a sensory journey to reveal a story of innocence lost and obsession unleashed.
Written by Booker Prize-shortlisted Daisy Johnson, Viola’s Room reimagines Barry Pain’s classic gothic mystery The Moon-Slave for a new audience. It distils two decades of Punchdrunk’s immersive practice into an intimate, linear, audio-driven adventure that promises to suffuse the dreams of those who dare to follow the light.
Punchdrunk Artistic Director Felix Barrett said: ‘It was a pinch me moment hearing Helena bring Daisy’s words to life. What an icon – and what a truly mesmerising enchantment she brings to Viola’s Room. I’m beyond thrilled to offer our audiences the chance to have Helena Bonham Carter whisper in their ear and delicately, deviously steward them through our dreamworld.’
An intimate, sensory, labyrinthine journey guided by light and sound, Viola’s Room distills 20 years of Punchdrunk’s creativity into this new show.
Opening next month, Viola’s Room runs from 14 May to 18 August 2024 at Punchdrunk’s home at One Cartridge Place, Woolwich.
