Jack White’s Secret London Show Involved Interactive Theater, Creepy Medical Tests, And A Fake Disease Outbreak

Jack White’s Secret London Show Involved Interactive Theater, Creepy Medical Tests, And A Fake Disease Outbreak

Working within the theme implied by the title of his new album Lazaretto (which is a term for leper colonies), Jack White played an elaborate secret show in London last night that sounds similar to a performance of Sleep No More — oh wait, that’s because White actually got the theater company behind Sleep No More, Punchdrunk, to work with him on this show! The event is covered in detail in Laura Barton’s Guardian story, and she describes an elaborate setup involving a fake medical website and interactive story involving a creepy hospital, a supposed disease outbreak, shots of whiskey served as “medicine” to the attending “patients,” all culminating in a fierce performance by White. The infected rocker was even carried away by stretcher at the end. It’s a hell of a lot of effort to put forth for one show (which probably can’t be replicated due to the necessary element of surprise), but that just goes to show that despite whatever bullshit White may be publicly dealing with, the guy has an almost Orson Welles-level sense of presentation.

Lazaretto is out now via Third Man.

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