This March, AMAZE at W5 presents the return of A Belfast Blitz Experience, an immersive theatre production, in association with award-winning writer and director, Dan Gordon. For the first time, W5 is offering special show times for school groups to enjoy this live production which is linked to the Key Stage 2 – Key Stage 4 school curriculum.
Alongside viewing A Belfast Blitz Experience, students can also explore the floors of W5 with over 250 interactive exhibits.
Dates and Times
Shows run at 11am and 12:15pm on the following dates:
- Thursday 9 March - Friday 10 March
- Thursday 16 March
- Wednesday 22 March
- Wednesday 29 March
- Thursday 30 March - Friday 31 March
A Belfast Blitz Experience lasts approximately 45 minutes. Cost of A Belfast Blitz Experience visit to W5 for schools is £5.50 per student.
To register your school's place, please contact our team using the form below.
More about the show:
In April 1941, despite the destruction being wrought throughout Britain and Europe during World War II, the consensus of opinion in Belfast was that “It’ll never happen here!”.
The immersive production will bring that story to life, painting a picture of life in the city leading up to the night of the first raid on 7th April 1941.
Written and directed by Dan Gordon and starring Jo Donnelly (Rough Girls/Mimi’s World/Nova Jones, BBC) and Marty Maguire (Vikings, Amazon Prime; The Fall, BBC), this production mixes live performances with multi-screen projection and state of the art 360-degree audio-soundscape technology to create a dynamic and innovative new experience.
The story begins with a cast of characters, based on real life witnesses to the Blitz and performed by actors, Jo Donnelly and Marty Maguire. As the first distant siren begins to wail, and the sharp cry of ‘put that light out’ echoes round the room, the audience is plunged into darkness for a unique acoustic experience.
An immersive theatre production differentiates itself from traditional theatre by removing the stage and immersing audiences within the performance itself, making them feel like part of the whole experience.
A virtual, and emotional, environment will take guests back to that fateful night, truly enveloping them in the experience. As a new day dawns, images of the destruction wrought by the Luftwaffe flood the room, and the cast of characters, both live and virtual, begin to relay their stories of sadness, heroism and hope to the gathered audience.
Archive images from Belfast at the time of the Belfast Blitz used in the production were sourced from The Belfast Telegraph and PRONI.
For an optimal experience: this 360-degree immersive show is designed to be viewed from a standing position, though some seating will be positioned around the performance space. The experience lasts approximately 45 minutes. Part of the show contains some very loud bangs and sound effects during a period of darkness. This show is not suitable for young children and is recommended for an audience of children aged 8+ and adults.
Contact us
For further information, please reach out to our Learning and Engagement Team via our Contact Us form which can be found below.
What the trailer for A Belfast Blitz Experience
