HUMBUG! The Immersive Christmas Dive Bar Experience Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
For most of us Christmas revellers the cry of “Bah Humbug!” is as familiar as Mariah Carey’s “It’s Time” or “Merry Crimbo”. The Humbug Christmas Dive Bar Experience at Truman Brewery offers to change this phrase into a dive bar extravaganza Yule tide experience. Part immersive experience, part bar games, you are first greeted by Daphne, a wearied waitress with dreams of West End stardom who lets you know about the terrible time Santa has due to having lost his Christmas spirit and it’s our role to bring back the joy of the most wonderful time of year.
Along with Daphne we meet Mr Christmas who has taken over the bar from his father and is anxiously trying to recreate the magic of past years. Humbug postie Howard joins the trio of characters who propel the night forwards with their attempts to revive Santa. We see him at random points throughout the night causing merry confusion. If you are a VIP, you can also visit Santa in his grotto to try to cheer him up. The Santa I met was the most hilarious London Geezer and seeing him drink and swear like a retail worker after Black Friday was not expected but entirely entertaining. Also seeing him cause minor chaos throughout the night before recovering his festive joy was very interesting and I half expected to see him sport green fur at some point and declare his heart had grown two sizes.
The setting itself is very well decorated and brings to mind all the cheerful Christmas experiences you may have experienced as a child. It also included many references to the boldest blockbusters of the Christmas movie scene. I and several others played an impromptu drinking game by counting how many Home Alone and Grinch References we could spot, which added to the fun. It is a large space over two levels so you don’t feel overcrowded even though many others are there. If you don’t want to enjoy the stage there is also a variety of festive-themed carnival games including beercan bowling, Santa’s sack and Rudolph’s rings which you and your friends can play. Although my friend’s favourite was the karaoke booth where you can pay to belt the Jingle Bell Rock with gusto in privacy, my favourite area was the Mariah Carey shrine for photo opportunities as every detail was magnificently niche and well organised. Throughout the night Christmas classics are played by the fabulous band Johnny and the Barflys which also adds to the general warmth of the evening.
Although this is billed as an immersive Christmas experience, it does not contain that many character events or interactions and feels more bar-based than anything else. I was slightly disappointed by how few characters and interaction opportunities there were. However, for something like a work night out or student night out with friends it would be pretty fun and not get in the way of socialising. As part of the review I was given a VIP ticket, therefore I had both two fair-sized meals (one main and one dessert) included in my ticket along with two drinks, which could be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. I also had a prime seat right in front of the band and stage as opposed to benches scattered around the venue and I think in comparison to the other tickets was definitely worth it overall. You can arrive up to an hour early from the events starting from 8 and the acting element takes place over 2 hours with an extra hour afterwards available to finish your drinks and get some extra dancing in.
This experience is a lot more fun if you’ve had a few than if you haven’t and dressing up is encouraged. One customer wore a Christmas tree costume completely festooned with all the nativity characters and Christmas jumpers abounded on many to make the experience feel much more fun. I would definitely suggest this as a group experience rather than a solo one due to the nature of the experience. Whether this November finds you a festive fanatic, a Christmas classist, a boozy wild spirit or embodying the spirit of dear old Ebenezer, Humbug has something for everyone. If you are searching for a work or fun night out away from the eye-watering prices of Winter Wonderland or would like a pub esque experience of Christmas filled with festive cocktails then this is the experience for you.
If you need some more festive inspiration, our guide to the 10 Festive Shows For Adults Only in London in 2024 will help proceedings!
★★★★
