Review: FESTIVAL OF INNOVATION, Phantom Peak
Phantom Peak is an enigma. Part Immersive Theatre, Part Escape Room, and Part Theme Park, Phantom Peak doesn't quite fall into either category, propelling you into a living, breathing town, filled with mystery and adventure. It's a truly unique experience, with intertwining stories allowing visitors to have completely differing experiences. While there is an overarching plotline, each visitor is free to pursue their own mysteries, with Quest clues delivered straight to your phone, before reconvening at the end of the visit for the closing ceremony. It's all incredibly inventive, with the various mysteries weaving a detailed picture of the town at the centre of it all, Phantom Peak.
The Town itself is located in Canada Water, just near the tube line, and is filled with a wide variety of colourful characters who each have their own stories to tell. The immersion, dedication, and outright personality that each of the actors have is incredible, skillfully putting many curious visitors at ease. Whether they be a charismatic mayor or the multifaceted leader of the Church of the Cosmic Platypus, these larger-than-life characters are the heart and soul of Phantom Peak, making the adventure remarkably tangible. Each season also brings its own special story, and Spring itself has brought the Festival of Innovation to the curious town, a chance for the townsfolk to showcase their ingenuity and compete for the grand prize, which will be revealed during the closing ceremony. To say any more could spoil the surprise, although, if visiting Phantom Peak, you should most definitely pay attention to both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which are full of easter eggs for eagle-eyed visitors, and tie into the mystery of Phantom Peak as a whole.
We've left with more questions than answers, but one thing is certain; Phantom Peak is not to be missed. It's an incredible experience, one which the whole family can enjoy, dropping you right into the heart of a mysterious town, where none of the townsfolk are what they appear and adventure lurks around every corner. If your curiosity is piqued, the Festival of Innovation at Phantom Peak is exactly what you're looking for.
A town out of time, Phantom Peak is a unique experience you won't want to miss.
**** Four Stars
Reviewed by Jack Francis
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