Felix Barrett
The OG of Immersive Theater
Considered by many to be one of the most influential pioneers of immersive theater, Felix Barrett is the founder and artistic director of Punchdrunk — internationally recognized as the leading innovative creator of participatory experiences for audiences across theater, TV, digital technology and gaming. Felix is perhaps known best for Sleep No More, the epic, genre-defying retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that quickly became a critical and commercial success. His work has been experienced from New York to London to Shanghai, and his shows are some of the longest-running in the immersive theater field as a whole. Most importantly, Felix’s wins have made it possible for other immersive productions to gain traction and serve as an oft-cited example of the profound effect that immersive worlds have on participants. Felix has given talks at the BUILD series, Advertising Week NY, and PHI Center about his past projects and thoughts on the future of performance. Punchdrunk, which recently signed with LA-based talent and sports agency CAA, has also given rise to Punchdrunk Enrichment, a charity dedicated to creating transformational experiences for as wide an audience as possible.
Projects
Felix Barrett and his company Punchdrunk give theatergoers experiences that are active, multisensory and participatory. Their pioneering productions dissolve the line between audience and stage to create a world where it feels like anything is possible. Felix has conceived, directed and designed all of Punchdrunk’s site-specific shows, including 2022’s The Burnt City — the story of the fall of Troy transposed to a parallel world in the future. Felix also directed the BAFTA-nominated The Third Day: Autumn, a 12-hour live performance starring Jude Law, broadcast in real-time. Rounding out his impressive list of accomplishments, he’s dabbled in the world of virtual reality. In his past partnership with Samsung, Punchdrunk created the VR experience Believe Your Eyes, which was awarded a Silver Lion in the entertainment category at the 2017 Cannes Lions Festival.
