Wynn Al Marjan Island has signed Punchdrunk, the London-based company credited with defining the immersive theater genre, to produce an original show for its Ras Al Khaimah resort when it opens in 2027. It will be Punchdrunk’s first production anywhere in the Middle East.
The show is being conceived and directed by Punchdrunk’s founder and artistic director Felix Barrett MBE, working directly with Wynn Resorts CEO Craig S. Billings.
Wynn says the production will evolve Barrett’s creative practice in ways that are new even for Punchdrunk, blending performance styles and giving audiences a meaningful choice in how they experience the story.
“I’m thrilled that Punchdrunk is partnering with Craig S. Billings and his brilliant team at Wynn Resorts to create a brand-new show for the extraordinary new theater at Wynn Al Marjan Island. We hope the production will deliver a spectacular theatrical experience, both for audiences seeking world-class entertainment and for those in search of something truly unexpected,” Felix Barrett MBE, Artistic Director & Founder, Punchdrunk said in a statement.
“Among the dozens of unique and transportive guest experiences we offer in our resorts, entertainment has always been an essential element. With Punchdrunk, we are creating something entirely original for Wynn Al Marjan Island. A theatrical world that could only exist here, and one that reflects the craft and dedication to artistry at the heart of Wynn,” Craig S. Billings, CEO, Wynn Resorts added.
That choice is built into the format. On booking, guests select between a traditional seated show in an upper auditorium or a roaming, immersive journey through the spaces below stage, including backstage areas where the workings behind the performance are exposed. Both routes follow the same narrative, but from different vantage points.
The production draws on the spirit of a classic Las Vegas revue, incorporating song and dance alongside the free-roaming elements Punchdrunk is known for.
The theater itself has been designed in an Art Deco register, with sculpted drapery, rich fabrics, and grand interiors evoking the glamour of Hollywood’s golden era and 1970s Las Vegas. According to Wynn, the design intent extends to every corner of the building: lobbies, aisles, restrooms, and elevators are all treated as part of the experience.
Punchdrunk was founded in 2000 and built its reputation on large-scale, mask-based productions where audiences move independently through elaborately designed environments.
Its best-known work, Sleep No More, ran for 14 years in New York and accumulated more than 5,000 performances. It continues to run in Seoul, and a Shanghai run is due to close this August after a decade in the city, making it the longest-running international production in Shanghai’s history. A new Shenzhen production is planned from next year
