Layered Reality, the company behind Elvis Evolution and an immersive experience inspired by The War of the Worlds, has ceased trading, its parent company has confirmed.
Elvis Evolution and Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, both located in London, have now closed.
Per a statement released by Jeff Wayne Music Group, the closures are due to Layered Reality's parent company Ellipsis Entertainment having ceased trading.
"When we received the sudden and unexpected news that Ellipsis had ceased trading, Jeff Wayne Music Group moved immediately to intervene," it said in the statement.
"We attended the venue, met with the production’s staff and performers, and shared our intention to take on the production ourselves and preserve the experience going forward."
The group said it "did everything in our power to keep the experience running and to protect continuity for the production, the staff, and the audience".
Jeff Wayne Music Group responds
"As part of those efforts, Jeff personally covered the Ellipsis staff and actor payroll of approximately 60 people during this period, determined to protect the livelihoods of the people who had given so much to this production while we worked to find a way forward," it added.
However, the company was informed that "due to legal and insurance requirements, the venue could not continue operating under the current structure".
"As a result, we were left with no option but to close the production," it said.
Jeff Wayne Music Group said it is "actively exploring ways to bring the immersive experience back in a different way".
Ellipsis has also confirmed the closure of Elvis Evolution after a nine-month run, a spokesperson for the company told The Stage.
Regarding both shutdowns, Ellipsis Entertainment cited "significant headwinds across the entertainment industry".
"The company has acknowledged the impact on its team and expressed regret for the disruption and uncertainty caused," the spokesperson said.
