The Jury Experience located in Shaw Theatre was an immersive experience where you can feel the pressure of a trial but simultaneously enjoy the show.
If you fancy the drama of a jury room without the civic duty (or the legal requirement to stay tight-lipped for months), then this is your spot. It’s high-stakes theatre where the verdict is actually in your hands. I headed down to Euston Road to see if I had what it takes to deliver justice. Warning: Minor spoilers ahead.
The premise
The Shaw Theatre. on Euston Road, is currently hosting two interactive trials: Diamonds, Lies and a Dead Man and Death on the Port Side . I opted for the former.
The setup is juicy: You’ve been summoned for jury duty. A disgraced ex-driver, Jack Clifton, stands accused of nicking a $ 20 million necklace from superstar influencer Lana Tonneti. But in the world of influencers and ex-cons, “truth” is a flexible concept. Your job is to analyse testimonies, weigh the evidence, and ultimately decide Jack’s fate.
The trial begins
From the moment the prosecutor and defence barrister delivered their opening statements, the atmosphere was electric. We learned Jack’s backstory- a former racer who traded a life of luxury and partying for a prison cell after a battery conviction. Now out and working as Lana’s driver, the prosecution claims he’s desperate to claw back his old life by any means necessary.
What makes this experience stand out is the agency. This isn’t a passive sit-and-watch show. We were prompted to scan QR codes to vote on the direction of the investigation. We chose the questions:
- What was the real relationship between Lana and Jack?
- Did Lana have a drug habit?
- Should we scrutinize the CCTV footage from the night of the theft?
Whatever the majority decided, the actors played out. It felt less like a play and more like being inside a live-action thriller where you hold the remote.
Once everyone was seated, the prosecutor and defence barrister gave their powerful opening statements as to why the ex-driver for Lana Tonneti, Jack Clifton is guilty or not guilty of stealing the million pound necklace.
They gave a backstory of Jack who loved racing and lived a life of luxury, partying and drugs, but lost everything when he was imprisoned for battery. He then came out of prison and had to turn his life around and became a driver to the millionaire influencer Lana Tonneti. He is on a mission to seize his old life back and there are suspicions around him going to extreme lengths to steal the necklace in order to do so.
A few lucky (or terrified) audience members even got pulled into the fray. One woman was handed a script and suddenly found herself on the stand as a cyber-security expert. The Judge was a particular highlight – balancing the gravity of the “court” with sharp comedic timing that kept the mood from getting too heavy.
The Closing Arguments
The most intense part of the show were the closing statements from the prosecutor and defence. I was genuinely torn. Both barristers were so persuasive that I realized I’d be a nightmare on a real jury; I was being swayed every thirty seconds.
Adding to the tension, Lana Tonneti herself sat right next to me in the front row after her scenes. Even off the stand, she stayed perfectly in character, whispering to me and trying to charm away any suspicions I had. It worked—she convinced me Jack was guilty.
However, my fellow jurors weren’t as easily swayed. A staggering 78% of the room voted “Not Guilty,” a verdict read out by another audience participant.
The Verdict
The Judge’s parting words really stuck: he warned us that this trial would linger, and he was right. I’m still sitting here wondering if Lana played us all, or if there was a third party in the shadows we missed entirely.
If you want a night out that’s more engaging than a standard West End play, I’d highly recommend it. I’m already eyeing up the “Death on the Port Side” experience for my next “summons.”
Ticket prices are from £38.85 for Diamonds, Lies and a Dead Man and from £31.92 for Death on the Port Side. The experience is located in Shaw Theatre and is running up until July 2026.
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