AustLit

'The cursed night approaches, or so the story goes. When the clock hits 3am the wolf returns to Hope Hill. The wise leave an offering at their door; else she takes what she is owed. 

'But it’s only a myth… Don’t believe everything you hear.

'Building on the landmark success of Because the Night (2021), Malthouse Theatre ambitiously realises Australia’s next chapter of large-scale immersive theatre. Hour of the Wolf introduces you to Hope Hill, a town that is yours to freely explore on the longest night of the year. Interweaving stories unravel the disturbing disappearances occurring between the hours of 3am and 4am. Choose which of the ten characters to follow, pick left or right at the end of every scene, and trace this night from different points of view.

'Everyone has their own truth in Hope Hill.

'Immerse in the stories and indulge your curiosity by venturing off the path to solve side quests that unearth the history of the town - it might take you one step closer to meeting the myth herself.

'Unlock the Hour of the Wolf.'

Source: Malthouse Theatre.

'A SINKHOLE HAS OPENED IN THE GROUND. THIS IS THE STORY OF A WOMAN WHO CLIMBS INTO IT. AND WHAT SHE FINDS.

'In a thrilling fever dream told by Alison Whyte (Cloudstreet, The Bloody Chamber), a woman and her guide journey into a chasm that has opened in a city and stolen her sister. As they plunge into the subterranean depths; and on the knife’s edge of panic, the woman refuses the urgent pleas of her guide to turn back—how can she when she knows her sister is so close?     

'But they are not alone.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Something is unfolding here in Elsinore. For weeks the strikes have been intensifying—but there’s a new mood tonight as Carnival approaches. There’s a vivid sense of an era ending—a new age opening up. The timber workers feel it… and the royals too. Inside the palace there are whispers… the King’s death, the grinning Queen, the agitated Prince… And the ancient forest is wild again, groaning—restless... It seems to me that everything is part of a broader picture—that no matter where you look, it will tell the whole wicked story.

'In a landmark production of unmissable storytelling, Malthouse Theatre launches an immersive theatre work on a scale never seen before in Australia. An entire world has been constructed for you to explore: follow the royals through the palace, roam the length of a town on the cusp of the digital age, or sift through the drawers of a single desk. Whatever you choose, a story will play out around you of a regime on the edge of collapse. You are a silent witness in the halls of power on a pivotal night in history. Move, venture deeper, listen closely, because the night will soon be lost—and all its secrets with it.

'Because The Night is an immersive theatre show. The show is experienced by moving through the world of Elsinore as the story plays out around you.

'The actors cannot 'see' you, and will never touch or talk to you. You are a silent witness to the story.

'Enter the sprawling world of Elsinore from one of three entrance rooms: the Bedroom, the Gymnasium, or the Royal Office. The story commences with different characters' perspectives before you are invited to explore the expanse that awaits you.

'Follow the characters as their stories intersect, or go off the beaten track to discover the secrets of the town. Every choice you make is the right choice, for whatever path you take will uncover the mysteries of Because The Night.

'If you are experiencing Because The Night as a group, it is recommended you start at different entrances. Whether you choose to explore together, or split up to discover the world alone, your journey is yours to take as you wish.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.