Little Lark of London

“Ever wanted to fly your own starship?”

“Immersive theatre.” The words can send shivers down one’s spine. The concept of immersion has become quite the buzzword in not only the world of theatre but the entertainment industry as a whole, with shows and exhibitions promising to transport audiences into another place without leaving London. But what if there was a show that was truly immersive, one that allows audiences to build the experiences around them while still providing them with enough world-building to make them feel as though they have entered a new world? Enter Bridge Command. 

After several months of previews, Bridge Command, a live interactive experience, has officially opened in Vauxhall. The show, described as “game theatre,” gives audiences the opportunity to join the crew of a starship and complete a mission for the United Confederation Navy (UCN), one of the factions formed in the 22nd century when humans had to take the stars due to the earth become uninhabitable. Audience members put on the UCN uniform and are teleported to the main ship, the UCS Warspite, where they are able to purchase drinks before going on their assigned missions on either the UCS Havock or the UCS Takanami. The team I was with was assigned an “Intrigue” Mission, meaning that we were going out into space to investigate something, most likely with the goal of helping the UCN intelligence team. Other missions include Military Missions, Exploration Missions and Diplomatic Missions. 

I’ve purposefully not included any images of the ship itself in this review as walking in without any expectations is truly the best way to go into Bridge Command. All I can say is that it is one of the most impressive sets I have ever seen and can easily receive similar praise to the level of immersion and detail one can witness in Galaxy’s Edge, the Star Wars-themed section of the Disney Parks. Indeed, I found myself having the same reaction to entering the UCS Takanami as I did entering the Millennium Falcon, each evoking a gasp and a moment of pause to take in everything around me. 

Once everyone had boarded the ship and the airlock was sealed, we were given the opportunity to choose our own roles, something we were all quite hesitant about, unsure of what level of responsibility we were willing to take. Eventually, we all settled into our roles, which included being at the helm and piloting the ship, working with the weapons and defending the ship from attack, communicating with other ships in space and, of course, leading the mission as the Captain. My role was the Communications Officer as well as the Navigator (some of us had doubled up on roles as we were a smaller group). 

Without going into too many spoilers as, again, this show is best experienced without too much prior knowledge, our mission involved retrieving a data pad to ensure that it didn’t fall into enemy hands. What makes this show so special is the fact that audience members can genuinely impact the show, and the performers must improvise in order to adapt to every situation that could come up. As a one communicating with the other ships in space, I was actually interacting with people behind the scenes who were responding to my messages, either over the phone or through typed comm links. 

One of the best aspects of Bridge Command is that it literally can be whatever you want to make it. If you’re into things like world building and lore, there are touchscreens on the UCS Warspite where you can read about every type of starship and understand more about the politics of the universe in the 22nd century, which might give you some insight before you go on your mission. If you just want to have fun with your friends, there’s nothing stopping you from booking a private mission and taking a trip to the stars together. While a lot of communication is required in order for missions to be successful, one finds that they quickly become immersied in the world, ready to work together with strangers to save the galaxy. 

Ultimately, Bridge Command is quite possibly the best immersive experience one can get right now in London. The possibilities are quite literally endless, making it a show that one could return to again and again while still discovering new things in the stars. No matter what your level of interest in space is, you’re sure to find something that appeals to you in Bridge Command.

Bridge Command runs at 63-64 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ. To learn more about the show and to purchase tickets, click here.