Being a reviewer at an immersive theatrical production like Flabbergast Theatre’s The Swell Mob felt like being an undercover cop. Do I fully infiltrate the performance, act like I’m one of the crowd or do I take myself off to the side, make notes and look like I’m marking the student teacher? I wrestled with this dilemma as I waited in line for my ticket to be scanned. However, after I collected my bag of two five pound notes from the wretched mad woman character at the door and walked into the 19th century world of  pickpockets, spivs, soldiers, wenches, singers and puppeteers that The Swell Mob creates, I knew that there was going to be nowhere to hide.

The Swell Mob cast. Photograph © Rod Penn

There were two spaces. The first consisted of a bar, small stage and several tables and chairs. The bar had real booze and a real 19th century barman, although the real EFTPOS machine for the real credit cards paying for the real booze ruined the illusion slightly. However, I’m nit-picking. While the barman was static, the other actors moved about the room in character giving the...