OPERATION BLACK ANTLER Reviews
★★★★★
“One of the most most gripping pieces of theatre you'll ever see.”
★★★★★
“The cleverest and most challenging I have ever taken part in.”
★★★★
“Serious and challenging. Makes one look at the world differently.”
“Of enormous importance and an extremely high standard. Exceptionally rewarding not to mention surprising.”
★★★★★
“The genius of Operation Black Antler is it doesn’t tell us what to think. You’re not just immersed in a drama, you are the one who makes it happen. A truly exciting theatrical experience.”
— Morning Star
★★★★★
“The whole thing from start to finish was a masterpiece – more of this please!”
“It is like a shot of adrenaline straight to your moral compass.”
★★★★★
”Unmissable stuff, beautifully crafted and delivered by two remarkable companies.”
“A fascinating thrill ride that is very impressively put together and performed.”
★★★★
”A thought-provoking and superbly performed immersive experience with a political charge.”
“Ambitious and impressive. This reviewer’s advice is simple: go!”
“An immersive drama about police surveillance and political extremism, topics that are both sensitive and relevant.”
“Even more relevant today than when it was written.”
“It is the power and subtlety of [OBA] that ensures we really do become deep swimmers in a very murky world.”
“A unique performance which nobody else will experience – not even the people you arrive with.”
“In a way, the last part of the evening is the most valuable. I found myself talking to a couple of health workers and a PhD student and debating the ethics of surveillance.”
— The Guardian
“Understand the emotional consequences of being someone you’re not. Question the decisions we as a society make in how we monitor extremist groups.”
– Quiet Man Dave
“If you can get a ticket and if you’re interested in work that asks more of you than sitting and watching, this is something you should really experience.”
– Exeunt
★★★★★
“As the show gets going, I become fully immersed, at times even forgetting that the situation is make-believe, which is a real credit to some of the fantastic actors. As the show ends, we wish we had more time. The beauty of Operation Black Antler is in the complete unknown.”
– Northern Soul
★★★★
“Being outside your comfort zone is what Operation Black Antler is all about, [for] those who like some brain fodder and an element of surprise – to be challenged as well as entertained. Unique, slightly surreal and unafraid to tackle taboos, it’s an experience you’re unlikely to find again.”
– Manchester Confidential
“The immersive aspect – that requires patrons to assume false identities, locate and discreetly interrogate suspects – becomes so absorbing, so much fun, that you tend to overlook the moral context.”
– Manchester Theatre Awards
“I really think this work should go down as a classic of the genre."
— Rupert Thompson, Senior Programmer Performance and Dance, Southbank Centre