Love theatre, murder mysteries and weddings then you’ll love ImmerCity latest production The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly.
I and Steve were invited by ImmerCity to attend a night full of mystery and crime with the question on everyone’s lips where was the bride and who killed the Reverent?
ImmerCity
ImmerCity is run by the Artistic Director, Rosanna Mallinson and was set up in 2012.
She creates immersive murder mystery theatre productions within site-specific locations and that are history-specific and let’s the audiences become agents.
With many sell-out performances from Dead Quiet, Silhouette in the Smoke and Death of the King and The Suicide at Vine House they return with a fifth production The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly.
The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly
Slice and Sweetly never got married 13th July 1955 due to the fatal stabbing of Reverend Gris… The Murder mystery must be solved!
The wedding of East End gangster, Jim Slice, in July 1955 is remembered for two things: the Slice family’s notorious reputation and the fatal stabbing of the priest before the ceremony could start. Despite numerous allegations and suspicions, the murder of Reverend Gris was never solved. We are calling you to step back in time to that fateful day, and investigate the truth behind a close knit community torn apart by World War Two, rebuilding life from the rubble. Uncover a seething pit of family in-fighting, war-time secrets, blackmail, smuggling, and, of course, murder…
Stepping back in time to the marriage of Slice and Sweetly
Back in 1955 The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly was to happen at St Matthews Church in Bethnal Green but things did not go as plan and the poor Reverend ended up dead.
Given the gift of sight by a physic we were taken back to 1955 which we watched the ghosts from the past on that fatal day, so we can help solve what happened on that fatal day and to help free the poor Reverend’s soul who was murdered on that day.
Jim Slice, son of East End gangster Micky is to marry Maud Sweetly, the daughter of feisty widow Cheryl but she fails to show up. Neither of her bridesmaids of her twin sister and her cousin Bernie, can explain why. It’s left to the priest, Reverend Gris, to keep the piece from the families tearing each other apart. However the Reverend ends up dead.
It was up to us to solve what happened. We got split into groups of six, with each of us ending up following one of the actors around to try and solve what secrets they hide. The story builds and unravels as each audience member follows a certain character which questions on everyone’s lips
- why did Maud fail to show up to the wedding?
- what is Bernie’s connection to the family?
- what’s inside the briefcase Micky is so desperate to conceal?
- and more importantly who stabs Reverend Gris at the end and why?
After an hour of following the ghosts of this fatal wedding day we had the opportunity to go around in our groups and question each actor for five minutes to try and puzzle what happened on that fatal day and why.
We stepped within different locations from the bell tower to the vestry where we got to view historical photographs and interview each of the suspects including the recently deceased Reverend Gris. With just five minutes to ask each suspect as many questions as we like, using our combined knowledge and cunning skills it was up to us to try and get to the bottom of what secrets each character is hiding and who killed the poor Reverend.
With all our clues and knowledge gathered we then all got to put forward who we thought was the murderer and watched a final scene in who done it and given the final explanation of why.
If you want to know what happened on that fatal day in why Maud did not show up and why the Reverened was killed then book your spot with ImmerCity and step back in time yourself. What will you discover?
Verdict
I love how all ImmerCity productions are set within a site-specific location to match each performance. The beauty of The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly is that I loved following my character within the church as I got to visit the bell tower, the vestry and the cemetery outside. With all ImmerCity productions you get to see many hidden areas which you may not normally be allowed to see as a member of public.
The story was really well thought out with so much to uncover from war-time secrets, blackmail, smuggling and of course murder. The actors all played their characters very well as well making this a very intense top notch performance.
The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly is a very entertaining thriller bringing an engrossing evening and one not to be missed.
Challenge your powers of deduction and interrogation
Take your journey back to 1955 and see if you can solve what happened on 13th July at The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly.
St Matthews Church, St Matthews Row, Bethnal Green, E2 6DT
Thursdays to Saturdays 19 July to 6th September 2019
From 7.15pm (3 hours)
Tickets £25.00
Book via Design My Night.
Discover more about ImmerCity via clicking here.
Thank you to ImmerCity for the RSVP for the wedding of The Unholy Marriage of Slice and Sweetly. This experience was complimentary from ImmerCity but all views are my own honest opinion.
Click link below to read write ups by Steve plus write ups from past other productions I and some others have attended in the past.
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