REVIEW: Journey to the West

©️ Journey to the West Production

Journey to the West revisits those disorienting yet defining moments of arrival. It is a surreal 15-minute flight from Shanghai to London, built not from metal and engines, but from scent, sound, and memory. Performed for one audience member at a time, this intimate, multisensory experience invites you to close your eyes and step into the liminal space between departure and destination. What begins as an in-flight announcement soon slips into something stranger, a dreamscape of missed connections, emotional turbulence, and shifting skies.

With eyes closed, you place your hands into those of a staff member and are slowly guided to your seat. The captain’s voice comes over the speakers: your 10,000-metre-high journey has begun. This is far more than a typical headphone-based theatre piece relying solely on 3D audio. Here, the experience is layered with the subtle vibrations of the cabin, the fleeting brush of a fellow passenger passing by, the gentle weight of a blanket, and the cool touch of water handed to you by the “flight attendant.” These tactile moments feel startlingly real—sensations you would never encounter in a conventional theatre. Its ending is particularly memorable: that first step forward brings not only challenges, but also light—and the promise of a bright, new future.

Journey to the West innovates not only in form, but also in content. Alone in a foreign land, immersed in a different language and culture, how do you pursue your dreams? What challenges will you face? This piece offers not only reflection but also deep emotional resonance.

★★★★

For more information, please visit: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/journey-to-the-west

Credits

Writer & Director: Zhaoyi Ying
Co-Director: Jessica Harmer-Smith
Sound Designer: Siqi Ma
Executive Producer: Yinzhou Chen
Creative Producer: Cilia Yinying Wang
Assistant Producer: Kaixin Zheng