Our Failed State is Beautiful

August 31st 1992 — the Underland Presidential Election. A year on from the Great Fire, and for the first time in years there is more than one party on the ballot. Two campaigns clash for the heart of Underland, and a manifesto only tells you so much about the people who wrote it. Spilt Marbles' debut is a free-roam immersive production staged across multiple rooms. You move through the spaces, follow whichever characters you choose, and watch the campaigns from the inside. Actors may speak to, look at or touch you — at the start of the show you choose one of two sashes to signal whether you consent to interaction, and you can swap it at any point. You must choose who to follow, who to trust, and ultimately you must decide this election's outcome. After all the speeches, the manifestos and the promises of change, one question remains: can things truly get better?