Review: WISHMAS, Old Bauble Factory - Secret Cinema

Photo credit: Matt Crockett

Wishmas, found in the Old Bauble Factory of Waterloo, is an interactive experience for all ages. If you’re looking for a festive activity for the whole family, then look no further.

The experience takes you on a journey through Wishmas. Starting at the sorting office, a Wishkeeper shows us where the robins take every wish. Once aboard the sky train, there is a problem and some of the precious wishes go astray. So everyone is tasked with stopping space and time to get those wishes back by completing a number of simple interactive challenges, all led by the Wishmakers.

Ultimately, after a fun sing-song (with actions!), you find out if you were successful in finding the missing wishes in an enchanting finale.

If you are a Christmas fan, have a good imagination and are happy to suspend belief for an hour or so, then you’ll be in your element here. It really is a place where the more you put in, the more you get out. Those who enjoyed it most were the families who were joining in with the wishing, embracing the clapping, singing along, and truly believing they were in the land of Wishmas.

The story of the wishes may be a little lost on some younger children so to prepare for the experience, it may be worth having a chat beforehand about wishes and thoughts and where they go. The detail is explained in the first part of the experience but it’s all very exciting and there’s a lot to take in.

The narrative and premise are strong. The cast all give 100% effort and are fantastically convincing. The rooms are bright and colourful, the interactive elements are engaging and well explained. It would be great to have a bit more singing and audience participation to really bring all of the elements together with even more magic and pace, as some of the narrative is quite detailed so can feel a little slow at times.

The full Wishmas experience finishes with a bauble making session, which is enjoyable and a smart way to capture the children’s own wishes. Father Christmas meet and greets are also available, though the main man himself does feature in the finale of the show. Everyone then has a chance to visit the small Wishmas market, with a handful of gift and drink stalls.

Every single member of the Wishmas cast and crew are incredibly kind, helpful and engaging; really elevating the immersive experience to the next level.

Perfect for anyone who’s ever made a wish, Wishmas will fill your Christmas bucket with joy and ignite your imagination.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Cara Brazier

Wishmas runs at the Old Bauble Factory in Waterloo until 7 January 2024, with further information here.