Best Immersive Experiences in London

We went to Secret Cinema presents Blade Runner - The Final Cut: A Secret Live Experience (to give it its full, official title) and - without giving too much away - this is what we learnt. Walking into this fully immersive take on Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece you instantly feel as if you're on set. They've recreated memorable set pieces from the film so you can, depending on the character you've come as, meet the scientist who makes replicants' eyes, see toy maker J. F. Sebastian or be assigned to police HQ. We were nearly recruited to live in an off world Utopia and, after an old fashioned, discovered Taffey's, the best nightclub in town. Food and drink are extra but they're worth it - what better way to immerse yourself in downtown LA than eating noodles at a neon lit bar? After two hours exploring the set it was time for the screening, shown on three big screens while, occasionally, actors appear to act out key scenes. Secret Cinema, set up by founder Fabien Riggall in 2007, has been doing this kind of thing for a decade, so it's no surprise that it's really very good at it. A game changer for the way we watch cinema.

Set the Debating Chamber of London's County Hall - a room which resembles a courtroom in every way - Lucy Bailey's site-specific staging of Agatha Christie's mystery, Witness for the Prosecution, has an immersive effect that makes you feel as if you are part of the play. Leonard Vole is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth and must prove his innocence in this ingenious thriller, imaginatively staged. "The play's appeal lies not just in its mystery but in its courtroom formality and its reminder that the law itself is a theatrical ritual" says The Guardian in its four star review.

Bringing the fantasies of many '90s children and grown-ups to life, The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience provides the opportunity to step into the labyrinth of zones to tackle the infamous challenges played out on TV. The immersive experience sees four teams don appropriately themed bomber jackets and dash through the Industrial, Medieval, Aztec and Futuristic - newly updated for 2018 - zones to collect as many crystals as possible. Dance across planets, limbo under lasers, avoid hot lava and dig your way to treasure in order to collect as many crystals as possible before heading to the finale: The Crystal Dome. Here all four teams will come together to battle it out for the highest number of tokens in order to win an honourable place on the leader board. Participants can then celebrate their achievement with a Crystal Maze themed cocktail in the on-site bar.

Created in association with ABBA The Museum in Stockholm, the Southbank Centre presents ABBA: Super Troupers, an immersive 60 minute tour which brings to life the world of the chart-topping 1970's Swedish pop sensation. Original costumes, handwritten notes and sketches, personal photographs, music, album artwork and more take visitors on a journey through their successful career, with many of the private archives being shown in the UK for the first time. Narrated by Jarvis Cocker, the immersive exhibition includes a replica of Cocker's 1970s family living room, with television news footage from the tumultuous decade in which ABBA infiltrated the popular consciousness with their optimism and seemingly carefree pop.

A brand new immersive experience from entertainment company dotdotdot, SOMNAI invites participants to delve into the world of lucid dreaming. Taking place across a 20,000 square foot warehouse in Clerkenwell, the 90-minute event combines live performance, multi-sensory elements and immersive technologies to take you away from normal society, where individuals are focused on wanting more, and into a world where an all-powerful AI leads the way. Delving deep into your psyche, you'll have to make choices that will take you on your own unique journey and reveal what you really want and who you really are. Beware though, not all dreams are sweet. After the experience, you'll be invited to enjoy bespoke cocktails in an interactive bar that sees illuminations and projections play with your perceptions.

Explore a collection of miniatures and memories inside Nanny Lacey's flat as Punchdrunk presents a brand new show for children aged 5 to 11. Part of this summer's LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) and presented at Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Small Wonders celebrates the relationships we have with our elders. Using Nanny Lacey's precious collection, each like a 3D photograph, this magical, interactive experience reveals the adventures she's shared with her daughter Bella over the years. She's getting forgetful now and she'll soon move into a care home but before she goes, there is one final miniature to share, and story to be told. Directed by Peter Higgin and Tara Boland, and written by Nessah Muthy.

After the success of their previous event, In Night's Darkling Glory, which offered an immersive retelling of Tristan and Isolde, The Lost Estate now present The Great Masked Ball. Transforming a secret venue near London Bridge into a fairytale palace, the grand evening takes visitors on a journey through the story of Swan Lake. Guests will don their favourite mask and settle in for an evening of feasting, dancing and adventuring, all taking place in a world created by the set designers behind Planet Gingerline and Alice Underground. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a tasty aperitif before settling down to a Russian banquet created by two Masterchef champions. Following this, you'll take to the floor for dancing and revelry before heading out into the forest in search for the glittering shores of Swan Lake. Finally, uncover the secret forest bar to revel into the small hours. The Critics Circle Male Dancer of the Year, the Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony will be among a 40-strong cast of dancers, actors and musicians that will help bring the Swan Lake story to life. Expect an evening of escapism, beauty and magic.

For the largest experience they've ever produced Secret Cinema puts star crossed lovers centre stage as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is made immersive. They're recreating Verona Beach at a secret outdoor London location in the spectacular, immersive way that only Secret Cinema can. Live bands, DJs, choirs and actors take on the legendary characters and feuding families, with the themes of peace, redemption and salvation explored. As many as 5,000 people a night will be transported to a world where the most memorable moments of Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film become reality and Shakespeare's story is told in a way you've never seen it before. Expect a summer of live music, shared song, mass dance and sunlit romance.

In the year Mickey Mouse celebrates his 90th anniversary Sounds and Sorcery presents a new immersive experience of Disney's FANTASIA in The Vaults. Dance with a funky hippo, walk in a prehistoric wasteland and seek out the fish and the fairies in a forest of ethereal dreams as you sneak into the Sorcerer's lair. Each audience member, wearing headphones, is guided by the 96-piece orchestra - playing the classic soundtrack from the original film - on an interactive journey created using 3D projections, elaborate set designs and dazzling lighting effects.

Part immersive theatre, part dining experience, The Murder Express transports guests back to the 19th century, to a time when travelling by train for pleasure is in its infancy. Climb aboard a glamorous train for The Murder Express and you'll be served a menu created by BBC One's MasterChef 2016 finalists, Billy and Jack, as the story unfolds. The tale is told by a cast of characters including Frank, an East End Costermonger, Tilley, a music hall star, Vera, a widow in search of adventure and Cliff, an antique dealer. Departing from Funicular's Pedley Street Station, passengers are invited to be one of the first to experience 'The Murder Express' as it makes its first historic journey from London to the fictional town of Murder in France.

Even if you weren't at The Rolling Stones' 2016 concert in the Cuban capital you'll feel as if you were at this fully immersive screening of their iconic gig at the Troxy. Dancers, actors Cuban-themed food and cocktails as well as large-scale set designs recreate The Rolling Stone's Havana Moon concert. The free, open-air gig in Havana was staged in the week Barack Obama's historic visit opened up the country and was originally witnessed by over half a million fans. Revive at Studio 5, who specialise in immersive screenings of iconic gigs, use the latest cinematic technology, lighting equipment and concert production sound so audiences can relive incredible music events with hundreds of other fans.