The Deal: An immersive theatre epic aboard a transformed 1960s cruise ship in China

In 2025, I had the privilege of working on The Deal, an ambitious immersive production directed by Amit Lahav, Artistic Director of Gecko Theatre. The show is produced by Dream Awake, a new company founded by Amit, in collaboration with CMG (Chinese Merchant Group), the primary commissioning producer in China.

The Deal is the largest homegrown immersive production in China to date. It is staged aboard the permanently docked ship Minghua (formerly Ancerville), located in the Seaworld area of Shenzhen’s Shekou district.

The creative process began in London in spring 2025, while the set was simultaneously being designed and installed inside the ship in China - a truly international undertaking.

Performing in an immersive production is an entirely different undertaking. The audience is not at a distance; they are beside you, around you, sometimes part of the scene itself. Maintaining meaningful interaction while fulfilling precise choreographic responsibilities presents a thrilling challenge. Over time, I have grown deeply into my characters, learning to stay open, responsive and ready to “play” with the audience while remaining faithful to the structure of the work.

Set in 1930's Paris, The Deal is a darkly magical tale of ambition, love, shame and the price of desire. It follows Marcel, an office worker trapped in a cycle of failure and humiliation, longing for love and success. His desperation leads him to Lucien, a tailor who is, in truth, the Devil. Lucien offers a Faustian bargain: a magnificent coat that will transform Marcel’s life in exchange for his soul.

Marcel hesitates, but ultimately accepts. For a fleeting moment, he tastes admiration and success - only to be exposed as a fraud by the cunning head of his firm, Mr Valmont. In losing his status, he also loses Natalie, the woman he loves. Broken-hearted, Marcel wanders the streets of Paris and eventually succumbs to despair.

The show runs for two hours and is both epic in scale and emotionally intense. It is the largest production I have ever been part of - a true beast of a show. Around 30 devisers and performers from across the globe collaborate on the piece, supported by a vast team of stage managers, directors, lighting and sound designers, costume makers and makeup artists. Everything must operate in complete harmony for the production to function. It is a massive operation.

Alongside two colleagues, I served as a rehearsal captain. Each performer plays two roles. I portray André, a senior office worker anxiously hoping for promotion before retirement, and Lucien, the Devil, in disguise - a shape-shifter who morphs through various identities in pursuit of Marcel. Initially, navigating two contrasting physical and choreographic journeys of these characters within the same show was disorienting. With time, however, it became exhilarating. It is a rare and demanding opportunity to inhabit such different worlds in the same show. I feel like it has given me a lot of confidence as a performer in terms of character work.

Click link for an article about the production in China Daily: https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202509/29/WS68da2f28a310f735438b2f3f.html

The immersive entertainment industry in the UK is currently valued at approximately £3.7 billion and continues to grow steadily in response to audience demand. While my experience in immersive theatre is still developing, I previously choreographed The Grand Expedition: The Incredible Edible Journey, an immersive dining experience created by Gingerline, a London-based company specialising in this genre.