Immersive Theatre Production | 2019

Not long after its launch in 1969, the QE2 was struggling to financially sustain operations. The ship’s owners had many debates whether to scrap her or convert her entirely. In 1972, an extensive refit was finally approved after a secretive group of investors unexpectedly pitched in funding. However, this influential and shadowy group stipulated that one area of the ship be cordoned off and locked up for them, and only them, to use. And for the decades that followed, no one was allowed in the space. The only thing that came out was the occasional scream…

What happened behind those doors? What was locked away? And why?

Only recently, with the ship docked in Dubai, was this space finally unlocked. In a decades long scheme they codenamed Project Rising Star, a disturbing series of botched and failed human experiments were conducted.

Created by immersive experience experts, Pursued by a Bear Events, in collaboration with Theatre by QE2, Project Rising Star was a terrifying and unique haunted attraction onboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) – the legendary ocean liner now Middle East’s first floating hotel permanently docked in Dubai.

Below decks, a “locked away area” of the iconic and historic vessel was unveiled to the public for a limited period immersive Halloween experience. The line between historical fact and fiction was blurred to the extent that audiences were left questioning their own sanity.

The attraction was open to public from October 17th to November 2nd 2019 with three “levels” of terror from a Level 1 experience safe for families to a Level 3 experience where only those willing to sign a waiver could participate.

“The horror genre is not something one gets to dabble in often. And a horror immersive theatre experience? That’s almost a once in a lifetime chance. Plus when your director gives you free rein to improvise in character, that’s pure gold. Playing ‘Chef’ in Project Rising Star was so warped. On one hand you feel powerful about being able to evoke the audiences’ primal fear. On the other, you come away feeling a little crazy yourself.”