De Graaf's Reformatory

De Graaf's Reformatory is one of the most wonderfully bonkers corners of Boomtown Fair, the enormous annual festival that takes over a Hampshire field near Winchester. It's a fully immersive theatrical experience - part darkly comic performance art, part interactive maze - where actors in period costume preside over an elaborate fantasy world of corrective institutions and surreal bureaucracy.

The whole thing is genuinely inventive. You're herded through corridors, interrogated by stern officials, and confronted with utterly absurd 'rehabilitation' scenarios. It's clever enough to make adults snort with laughter, though younger children might find it slightly intense - think theatrical rather than sinister, but not toddler-friendly. Teenagers tend to love it.

Since De Graaf's only exists during Boomtown Fair itself (held once yearly, usually late summer), you'll need festival tickets. Admission covers the whole site, so it's one of dozens of zones and attractions rather than a standalone visit. Allow a good two hours minimum if you want to properly experience it without rushing.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby caravan parks - Winchester Morn Hill is closest at just over a mile away - Boomtown makes an excellent day trip or weekend commitment. The festival atmosphere is genuinely immersive and surprisingly well-organised for something this chaotic. It's not for everyone; if you prefer your entertainment straightforward, you'll likely find it exhausting. But for those who enjoy participatory theatre and creative chaos, it's brilliant.